Round three of the Bike Road Racing Series is the Southern 100 in Castletown on the Isle of Man. The track is the Billown circuit. This is the Southern 100 international road race. This is a popular race. Guy Martin really enjoys this race. Michael Dunlop feels the same way. Dunlop will be running with the Honda TT Legends team, which is familiar to fans of the FIM Endurance World Championship, which is highlighted on this blog, too.
It's helpful to have a couple teams working on the bikes, especially when a team runs in both 600cc and 1000cc classes. William Dunlop returns to the Southern 100 after missing last year's race due to injury. William Dunlop might just race the 600cc bike. He might run a 250cc motorcycle too, but he's not sure if he feels up to that challenge. Ian Lougher has decided to retire at the end of this season. He will be running his last Southern 100 at this race. Sometimes, you have to decide when to stop. For Ian Lougher, he'll retire after this season.
Some of the key corners on this track for the Southern 100 are Ballakeighan, Iron Gate, Joey's Gate, the Ballabeg hairpin (a very bumpy corner), Williams corner, and into this section called the bomb hole. From there the riders come to Cross Four-Ways and Church Bends. The fastest part of the course is just past a corner called Great Meadow and onto a long straightaway. From there, the straight takes you down to Stadium Bend and Castletown corner. Castletown corner leads onto the front straight. That's a lap of the Billown/Castletown track.
The track measures 4.25 miles around. The first race is ready to get underway. The Corlett's Trophies race for 600 and 1000cc motorcycles. Here we go with the first race of the week! Guy Martin shoots out into the lead. Michael Pearson is second. The Dunlop brothers (Michael and William) are back there someplace, too. Dean Harrison is chased by Ian Lougher and Jamie Hamilton coming into Ballakeighan for the first time.
Dan Kneen has also had a great start as the bikes fly through Joey's Gate. Dean Harrison makes a move on Dan Kneen. Dean Harrison wants by Michael Dunlop. Ian Lougher is being hounded by William Dunlop. Dunlop is on a 600cc bike, while Lougher rides a 1000cc machine. It's a quick blast between Great Meadow and Stadium. Rider Jamie Cowan is second behind William Dunlop in the 600cc class running order at the moment.
Martin wiggles the bike but stays in it. William Dunlop passes Davy Morgan who is riding a 1000cc bike, coming back towards Ballekeighan again. Michael Dunlop is pushing Guy Martin. Dan Kneen and Jamie Hamilton battle. Seamus Elliott is also in this fight. Michael Pearson is trying to maintain the pace. Dean Harrison flies up to Church bends. Will Jamie Hamilton catch up? Yes. He passes Dan Kneen. Dunlop is reeling in Guy Martin. Dunlop can't get Martin into Iron Gate. Will Cross Four Ways be his next chance? Oh my! Somebody's engine just went ka blammo in a huge way, down the straight. Oil on the tires for Davey Morgan. He ditches the bike. It's game over.
Dunlop still wants by Guy Martin. He's not giving up. Dean Harrison is pushing. Jamie Hamilton pulls away from Dan Kneen. Dean Harrison is pushing. Get after it, sunshine. Jamie Hamilton runs by himself. Dan Kneen is close. Michael Pearson and Ian Lougher are in this battle, too. Michael Dunlop is not close enough to get by Guy Martin. He's taking a defensive line. Martin and Dunlop are side by side. Martin can't quite pass into Ballekeighan.
Dean Harrison gains on Guy Martin. William Dunlop is proving that the 600cc bikes are easier to handle than the 1000cc motorcycles are. Has Jamie Hamilton fallen off the pace? Kneen gets passed by Michael Pearson. Guy Martin ALMOST flies off the bike! These guys are on the knife edge. Unbelievable. So many riders are in contention during this race. It's incredible. Ian Lougher passes Dan Kneen. Michael "Valentino" Dunlop, pulls a trick from MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi's playbook, and plants his right foot on the ground going into the corner.
Hamilton, Pearson, and Lougher still are jostling for position. A fair fight, indeed. Michael Dunlop wants his third consecutive win in the Southern 100. That comes at the end of the week, after all the races have been run. Jamie Coward and Tim Poole battle in the 600cc ranks. Cowan just barely gets by Seamus Elliott's #97 bike. There are races all over this track. Action is everywhere. Pearson gets airborne over the jump and stays on the bike. Michael Dunlop is clearly going to win this one. It's the last lap of this race shown by the yellow flag with a black X on it. The battle is for second between Guy Martin and Dean Harrison.
Ian Lougher passes Jamie Hamilton into Iron Gate. Dan Kneen has also made a pass. Jamie Hamilton is actually ahead of Michael Pearson right now. Traffic is in the way as Dean Harrison slides his motorcycle. It's a drag race to the line. Dunlop wins. Dean Harrison takes second place!
#1 Michael Dunlop Honda 1000
Here's the top five places.
1. #1 Michael Dunlop Honda 1000
2. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 1000
3. #4 Guy Martin Suzuki 1000
4. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 1000
5. #3 Dan Kneen Suzuki 1000
...And here is the running order for the 600cc bikes. William Dunlop, (Michael's brother),wins that division.
1. #6 William Dunlop Honda 600
2. #7 Jamie Coward Yamaha 600
3. #19 Tim Poole Kawasaki 600
4. #25 Ivan Lintin Kawasaki 600
5. #17 Mark Gooding Kawasaki 600
Coming up next, it's sidecar racing. It's three wheelin' time, folks. These guys put on a show. Get ready for a wild race. It's The Vehicle Sourcing Centre sidecar race. The revs rise on the sidecar bikes, and we are ready to race! Uh oh. We have a problem on the grid. There's something wrong with one of the sidecar cycles here. The lights have not gone to green yet. It could be that the sun is so low in the sky, they can't see the starting lights. They'll have to go back to the old fashioned way of doing things, and wave a flag to start this race.
One of the teams might need to restart their bike's engine. Well, that team will miss the start, because we are ready to get the sidecar event underway. At the start, leading away it's Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle, ahead of Gary Bryan and his passenger. They run up to Ballekeighan for the first time. Conrad Harrison (Dean Harrison's dad) is fourth. Gary Bryan will be one of the ones to watch in this sidecar contest.
But, for the #18 sidecar of David Lindley and Ben Chandler, they run into problems, with smoke streaming from their motor. Reeves and Sayle ran here last year for the first time and pulled away from the field. Now, they are doing it again. Yours truly vaguely recalls writing about that race. Gary Bryant has closed in on the Birchall team. Harrison and Chauhan try to make a pass and so does Wayne Lockie. These guys are pushing. Sidecars are absolutely amazing to watch.
Here's the Birchall team, riding sidecar #1, a Honda 600cc machine. Gary Bryant, and the Birchall's are both having traction troubles out of one of the corners. Reeves and Sayle are into a lead right now over the other teams. More riders are competitive in the back half of the field, as the riders in the sidecar have to hold on for dear life into the turns so they don't fall off! That's Dick Chandler and Dean Kilkenny. The top three have broken away from Wayne Lockey running fourth.
Ben and Tom Birchall won the Southern 100 sidecar races last year. Who will win this year? Ben and Tom Birchall races through Church Bends. Gary Bryan is also running really well. Reeves and Sayle lock the brakes on their sidecar, and they smoke, much like a race car would under braking. Bryant goes right to the edge of the road! This is wild racing. Gary Bryan and his team mate in the sidecar, are third. The Birchill's and Tim Reeves, have both won world titles in the sidecar division.
Greg Lambert is another rider who is in a battle for position, with Ken Cole battling him. Reeves and Sayle continue in the lead. Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle continue to lead. Wayne Lockie has dropped down the order. Conrad Harrison and Greg Lambert run together. Through the Ballabeg hairpin. Gordon Shand in the #6 sidecar is being passed by #10. The riders fly past a farm which is next to the track. David Hurst and Cole Bennett battle for position. Dean Lindley is back there, too.
Reeves and Sayle are going to win at Billown for the second consecutive year. Allan Warden and Nigel Smith pass through down the straight. This event is only six laps. Time is running short. Now, the Birchall's are closing up on Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle, headed for the finish. There are so many good battles through the field, it's hard to notice all of them at the same time. Can the Birchill's close up on Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle? These guys are going like the clappers, absolutely running Harry Flatters on this course. Translation, for those who might not know British English... both those terms mean, running flat out. Booking it.
Fans, we are into the last lap of the first of two sidecar racing contests at Billown. These sidecar cycles are powered by 600cc motors, and the riders can leave the throttle wide open in many more places than the conventional two wheeled motorcycles. Roy Hanks and Kevin Terry make a pass. The Birchall's are gaining on Reeves and Sayle. We have a crash, though. Two sidecar cycles have come together. Debbie Barron and Dick Chandler. This has red flagged the race. Dick Chandler clips the wall collecting the sidecar of Debbie Barron who had nowhere to go.
Ouch! This race is over. Reeves and Sayle, are the winners.
Here are the results.
1. #77 Reeves/Sayle Honda 600
2. #1 Birchall/Birchall Honda 600
3. #26 Bryan/Winn Honda 600
4. #3 Harrison/Chauhan Honda 600
5. #4 Lockey/Capewell Honda 600
The Birchall's had to forfeit their second place finish after the race due to a rules violation. Day two action is coming your way in the second half of this race report. We are ready for another stormer of a race here, folks. It's the Superbikes, in the Ellan Vannin Fuels Senior Race.
At the start, Dean Harrison gets the lead immediately, followed by Guy Martin who is now third, having been passed by Ian Lougher. Lougher goes right around Harrison and into the lead of this bike race. He's got to be on a mission. Michael Dunlop is fourth, and he's peaking out from behind Guy Martin, trying to find a spot to overtake. Dean Harrison is working his way back as these 1000cc monsters thunder around the Isle of Man. Ian Lougher holds the record for number of wins at Billown, which he took away from the late, great Joey Dunlop.
Dunlop died in 2000 after crashing in a race in Estonia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Dunlop
Back to the present. Guy Martin currently runs second. Michael Dunlop runs right with Martin, right behind him. Lougher leads Martin, and Dunlop through the Bomb Hole. Guy Martin wants by Ian Lougher into Cross Four Ways. Can Dean Harrison pass? No. This is another race where it's Superbike vs. Super Stock machinery. Jamie Hamilton is ahead of Dan Kneen as Dean Harrison gets passed. Maybe he missed a gear or something.
Michael Dunlop, meanwhile, gets past Ian Lougher. Dean Harrison is all over Ian Lougher like a rash, and has been since they exited Ballakeighan. Dean Harrison wiggles, and stays on the motorcycle! That was a close call! Through the Ballabeg hairpin. Ian Lougher does a wheelie as he's under pressure from Jamie Hamilton. Michael Dunlop tries passing Guy Martin. No dice. Dan Kneen overshoots the corner, and is off in no man's land. Dan Kneen and Jamie Hamilton both made the same mistake, and rejoin the race.
Ian Lougher might fall down the order. Dean Harrison runs third right now. Ian Lougher and Michael Pearson are running a bit further down the order in this opening race on the second day of racing at the Southern 100. Dunlop tries the inside at Stadium corner, but thinks better of it. Dean Harrison is gaining on the race leaders all the while. In replay, we see these riders carrying the front wheel in the air, and Dean Harrison might have just set the record for highest wheelie in this race.
Guy Martin nearly gets squeezed by Michael Dunlop! Yikes! Knock, knock. Mr. Martin... Mr. Dunlop is at your back door, and wants by. Meanwhile, a battle is brewing between Ian Lougher and Michael Pearson. Dan Kneen continues to chase down Jamie Hamilton. Michael Dunlop still can't get by Martin. Dunlop and Martin touch! Wow! Dunlop muscles his way by. Dean Harrison is also catching up to these two, and quick. Pearson and Lougher are still glued together, too.
Russ Malford and Jamie Coward battle for position down the order. What this has turned into, is a three way lead battle. This is not about merely getting onto the podium. Dunlop is on the inside coming back to Ballakeighan. Dunlop makes the pass, successfully. The action is hot and heavy between Church Bends and Great Meadow. It's the final lap of this senior 1000cc race. Dean Harrison is also mixing it up, getting chopped by a slower bike!
Harrison has gone too deep into the corner, and has to regroup. Guy Martin is still there, and so is Dean Harrison, even after his off course excursion. The final lap of this race is in a bit of disarray. Two bikes get together in the corner, and... thwack! Both riders are down for the count, on the pavement. Paul Cranston on bike #16 and bike #115 of Ivan Shandley. That's not how you're supposed to race. This isn't demolition derby with motorbikes, boys.
Despite the argy bargy, Michael Dunlop still wins this race.
#1 Michael Dunlop Honda 1000
The results stand as:
1. #1 Michael Dunlop Honda 1000
2. #4 Guy Martin Suzuki 1000
3. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 1000
4. #9 Ian Lougher Honda 1000
5. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 1000
Ian Lougher finishes fourth to celebrate his 50th birthday at this race. Coming up, it's a race combining the 250cc and 650cc bikes.
This is the Mike Kerruish Plumbing 250/650cc race. Most of the field in this race is 650cc Super Twins as opposed to the old 250cc Grand Prix bikes. At the start, Dean Harrison gets the jump. Jamie Hamilton and Chris Palmer are in contention from the get go. Jamie Hamilton twitches into Ballakeighan, but saves the bike. He is going for the lead, right alongside Dean Harrison. Jamie Hamilton should be the top rider in Super Twins, now that Ryan Farquhar has retired from racing. Palmer is pushing hard. This is like a 250cc race, but with bigger bikes.
Hamilton is skating the bike in a big way. James Cowton is also in a battle for position. Cowton and Palmer are having a major dust up here. Of the 25 bikes that started this race, all, except maybe two or three, are 650cc Super Twins, and this is very much the class that will replace the 250cc bikes headed into the future of the Irish road racing championship. Dean Harrison is certain catching, or attempting to catch Jamie Hamilton.
Chris Palmer runs ahead of Russ Mountford for the moment. Jamie Hamilton slides the bike into Ballakeighan. Brad Hughes is also in this. Hamilton is really sliding that bike around. Adrian Harrison and Colin Stevenson are two more riders to look out for in this Super Twin race. Dean Harrison is on a mission to reel in Jamie Hamilton. Dean Harrison makes a clean pass. Jamie Hamilton gets passed into Castletown Corner. Dean Harrison clearly locks up his rear wheel. It's going to be a Harrison vs. Hamilton battle for victory in this one.
Hamilton takes another shot at Harrison into Iron Gate. Two 250cc bikes are running well. That is Tom Snow on bike #45. Paul Robinson riding bike #8 also has a 250cc machine here. Dean Harrison makes a pass on Jamie Hamilton. Just a few laps left in this contest. It looks like Dean Harrison is going to win. Hamilton has a huge wiggle! Yikes! Will he stay on the bike? Yes! He makes the pass! Russ Malford and Chris Palmer are still in their own race, too. Calum Colister on bike #53 is also gaining places.
Dean Harrison slices through on the inside and almost crashes! But, he stays in it. Another fracas, and this one is at Ballabeg hairpin. The Malford, Palmer, Colister battle continues to rage. The humdinger of a scrap for second continues. Jamie Hamilton slides the rear tire again to get by Dean Harrison. James Cowton is also running well and will put two of three bikes for Ryan Farquhar's Vauxhall sponsored Kawasaki team on the podium in this race. Where will Jamie Hamilton finish?
Dean Harrison is going to try getting by Jamie Hamilton, now. Nope. Hamilton pulls ahead. More tire sliding from Jamie Hamilton into Castletown corner. One lap left of the 4.25 mile Billown circuit. Hamilton passes Harrison through Iron Gate, and this could be the pass that wins him the race. Dean Harrison also wiggles his bike. Jamie Hamilton is not the only rider to perfect that style of wagging the bike's tail. Will they get through Cross Four Ways, cleanly? James Cowton is going to finish third in this race. Dean Harrison runs a new record lap on this circuit for this race.
Hamilton and Harrison are still battling. There's barely any room for both bikes there. Dean Harrison makes the pass coming to Castletown corner for the last time. Hamilton slides the tire, again. Harrison runs wide. Oh no. Jamie Hamilton will get first place, winning the Super Twin and 250cc feature.
#44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 650
Here's the top five.
1. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 650
2. #2 Dean Harrison Kawasaki 650
3. #52 James Cowton Kawasaki 650
4. #5 Chris Palmer Kawasaki 650
5. #72 Russ Mountford Kawasaki 650
The next race is for the 600cc Supersport bikes sponsored by Radcliffe Butchers. It's their second race of the weekend. At the start, William and Michael Dunlop, as well as Guy Martin, make up the front row, and get away first. Jamie Hamilton gets swamped as Guy Martin leading, riding the same bike as British Supersport championship rider Taylor McKenzie. It's the Suzuki vs. William Dunlop's Milwaukee Yamaha. This race will be eight laps, 34 miles. Michael Dunlop currently runs sixth.
Guy Martin and William Dunlop pull away from the rest of the field. Dunlop closes up on Guy Martin. Harrison and Hamilton battle for third. Martin, Dunlop, and Harrison, are the top three so far. Jamie Hamilton and James Cowton run a bit further back in the order at this stage. The bikes are on the run between Ballekeighan and Iron Gate. William Dunlop passes Guy Martin. Guy Martin made his first appearance at Billown a decade ago, back in 2003. He broke his ankle during that race, after crashing at Iron Gate with Ryan Farquhar.
Last year, William Dunlop did not race here. He was sidelined due to injury. Dunlop moves ahead of Ian Lougher. Tim Poole is also in this race. Jamie Hamilton is fourth, losing ground to the top three. Guy Martin wants past William Dunlop. That won't work in this series of corners. Guy Martin has a head of steam down the front straight. Martin doesn't have the speed on the Suzuki of Dunlop's Yamaha. Someone has disappeared, running straight on, just before the downhill. It's Dunlop! Oh no! He went up the escape road.
Dean Harrison is hounding Guy Martin. Ian Lougher is running down the order at the moment. How far did William Dunlop go up the escape road? He lost it under braking. Dean Harrison tries to pass Guy Martin into Cross Four Ways. Harrison is taking no chances, wanting to extend a lead. Jamie Coward passes Tim Poole. Harrison has to hold on and can't give Guy Martin an inch. William Dunlop is back in the race, but far down the order. Dan Kneen runs third. Martin is still in touch with Harrison. But Harrison seems to be consistently stretching the gap, bit by bit. Harrison slides the bike, and stays on.
Michael Dunlop is third. Michael Dunlop heads a pack of four riders, but waited too long to make his move. The leaders are running fast laps than Dunlop. 2:19 laps for Harrison and Martin, while Dunlop runs a 2:22. Harrison has to be happy with his performance. But, one error, and Guy Martin will pounce. Michael Dunlop breaks away from the fourth place battle. That's Jamie Hamilton, James Cowton and Dan Kneen.
It's the final lap of this race. It doesn't seem likely that Martin can pass Harris. If he overcooks Castletown corner, it's over. Michael Dunlop will not be satisfied with his finish lower down the order. Michael Dunlop isn't giving up, absolutely tossing his bike through the Bomb Hole. Martin makes one last move to try and pass at Stadium corner. That won't work. Harrison gets balked by a slow bike. Will Martin have a shot here, right at the finish? Nope. Dean Harrison does it!
#2 Dean Harrison Yamaha 600
The battle for fourth is not over. Dan Kneen tries to pass, but pays the penalty with a huge crash! He ditches the bike, and though he's fine, he's surely unhappy about that. Here are the results of the Radcliffe Butchers 600cc race.
1. #2 Dean Harrison Yamaha 600
2. #4 Guy Martin Suzuki 600
3. #1 Michael Dunlop Honda 600
4. #44 Jamie Hamilton Kawasaki 600
5. #52 James Cowton Honda 600
That's all for now. But, there will be more racing from Billown in another race report. Stay tuned.
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