Records shattered at Platinum Southern 100.

Wednesday evening brought dry roads, little in the way of breeze and warm sunshine. The low sun was a problem for the competitors in the last two races. There was a large crowd all along the straight from the final corner to the finish line and they had an evening to remember with very close racing; lap and race records being set and some fairing banging from the sidecars.

First race on track was the Mike Kerruish Lightweight Race; the first attempt last evening having been stopped by a rain induced red flag. The practice times suggested that this would be a shootout between Paton mounted Rob Hodson and Davey Todd; and so it proved to be. They were fastest from the lights and pulled away from their pursuers as the race progressed. Hodson led at the final corner on lap 1; but by only a couple of metres. Joe Yeardsley was third; closely followed by Paul Jordan and Michael Sweeney. Baz Furber held sixth.

Todd took the lead on lap 2; with the leaders now 3s ahead of Yeardsley; who was 5s clear of Furber and Sweeney. Jordan had an issue that dropped him out of the top 10. Some high speed recovery riding; including laps at over 104mph repaired some of the damage for him. Lap 3 saw Todd 25 metres ahead of Hodson and on lap record pace. Behind Yeardsley; Furber and Sweeney were having a private dice. Lap 4 saw Sweeney move ahead of Furber and Jordan move up to sixth.

Todd’s lead was marginally increased on the penultimate lap as he set a new lap record at 106.095mph; with Hodson also over 106mph. Behind Hodson, the positions were unchanged. It seemed that Todd had matters in hand; however, a rare mistake at Cross Four Ways allowed Hodson to pass him. Todd was not close enough to make a last corner attack and Hodson came home to win a record breaking race by 1.03s.  Todd had the consolation of setting a new lap record at 106.095mph. Yeardsley took the final podium place; changes he made before the race did not have the desired effect.  He was nearly caught by Sweeney, who lapped at over 105mph on the last lap. Furber took fifth; with Jordan sixth.

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Mike Kerruish Lightweight Race

1. Rob Hodson                      Paton                                    104.507mph
2. Davey Todd                       Paton                                    104.385mph
3. Joe Yeardsley                    Aprilia                                  102.846mph
4. Michael Sweeney             Aprilia                                  102.824mph
5. Barry Furber                     Yamaha                               102.017mph
6. Paul Jordan                       Aprilia                                  100.873mph

The next race was the Ellan Vannin Fuels Senior Race for machines of up to 1100cc. Whilst this did not provide the same amount of close racing as the Lightweight Race; the winner had to break the lap and race records to ensure that he secured victory. Davey Todd made the best start; he was first on to the finishing straight holding a 25 metres lead over Dean Harrison; with Nathan Harrison a similar distance further back. Michael Dunlop was next on his stock BMW; followed by Mike Browne. Behind him, a blanket would have covered Paul Jordan, Rob Hodson, Michael Sweeney and Jamie Coward. Todd and Dean Harrison were in close company on lap 2 and had edged a little further away from Nathan Harrison. Behind them the gaps were widening; Dunlop; Browne and Jordan holding 4^th to 6^th. Marcus Simpson ruined his chances with an overshoot; he rode well thereafter to finish 16^th with a best lap at 111.445mph.

There was no change to the top order on lap 3; but the speeds were rising to threaten the race lap record. With the aid of the best lap of the race at 116.409mph; Todd was able to increase his lead over Harrison; whose best lap was 115.439mph. Nathan Harrison also lapped at over 115mph and seemed to be secure in 3^rd. Dunlop was 4^th; Browne 5^th and Jordan 6^th. The order was unchanged on lap 5; but Jordan was being pressured by Hodson and Sweeney. Behind them locals Mikey Evans and Joe Yeardsley were enjoying a private battle. Todd duly came home to win the race by 4.566s; setting a new race record in the process. Dean Harrison took second 1.276s ahead of Nathan Harrison. Dunlop, Browne and Hodson completed the leader board. A fine ride; including a lap at 108.547mph; allowed circuit newcomer Kevin Keyes to take 14^th; just behind meeting newcomer Grant Thomson.

Peel Holdings Senior Race

1. Davey Todd                          BMW                                     114.562mph
2. Dean Harrison                    Honda                                    114.005mph
3. Nathan Harrison                Honda                                    113.851mph
4. Michael Dunlop MBE        BMW                                     113.030mph
5. Mike Browne                       Honda                                   112.312mph
6. Rob Hodson                         Honda                                   111.347mph

The Supersport B Race was stopped less than a minute after it had started. A coming together involving six machines caused the red flag to be used. Thankfully; no one was injured.

The Supersport A was next on track, and it gave some fine riding; with lap and race records thrown in for good measure. Davey Todd made another rapid start to lead for the first lap; close behind was Mike Browne. Then a group of Dunlop, Hodson, Jordan and Sweeney; with another group close behind; this involved Evans, Nathan Harrison, Yeardsley and Herbertson.

Lap 2 saw Todd and Browne a metre apart at the Castletown Corner, in the Honda v Yamaha duel. They had opened a small gap on Dunlop and Hodson. Behind them a group of 6 were fighting over the lower leader board places and putting on great entertainment in doing so. Lap 3 saw Browne sticking to Todd like a limpet. Dunlop had edged away from Hodson who was being challenged by Jordan and Sweeney. A little further back Evans, Nathan Harrison and Yeardsley were having a battle of the locals.

Lap 4 and Browne still there; inches off Todd’s rear wheel as their pace reached 110mph. Dunlop was clear of challenge in 3^rd; but not making any inroads into the advantage of the leading pair. Lap 5 and Browne was alongside Todd on the start of the bypass towards the finish line. It was as you were behind; but Nathan Harrison was right with Hodson, Jordan, and Sweeney. Away from the leaders Michael Russell clipped the kerb on the exit and David Rigby gave the crowd a nice wheelie to enjoy. A machine problem then forced Dunlop to park the Ducati.

Browne set his best lap of the race at 110.655mph on the penultimate; passing Todd on the exit from Cross Four Ways. He led at Castletown Corner to much acclaim from the crowd and at the end of the lap. Todd was not to be beaten; he passed Browne going into cross Four Ways; he set a new lap record of 111.544mph to claim victory by 1.256s. The race record was raised to 109.250mph. Dunlop’s demise promoted his good friend Michael Sweeney to 3^rd. Harrison, Jordan and Hodson completed the leader board. Evans took 7^th and Yeardsley 8^th; just 1.054s covered third to 8^th. Kevin Keyes was the pick of the newcomers in 13^th place.

H & H Motorcycles Supersport A Race

1. Davey Todd                      Honda                                  109.250mph
2. Mike Browne                    Yamaha                               109.110mph
3. Michael Sweeney             Yamaha                               107.882mph
4. Nathan Harrison             Honda                                  107.859mph
5. Paul Jordan                      Honda                                  107.815mph
6. Rob Hodson                     Yamaha                               107.807mph

The Sidecars were next on track; and they provided heart rate enhancing action. Pete Founds / Jevan Walmsley were rapid away from the lights and led for most of the first lap. They were just ahead of Ryan and Callum Crowe and lee Crawford / Scott Hardie as they came into Castletown Corner for the first time. A tad too much enthusiasm left the outfit pointing north; rather than west. Pete kept the outfit going and managed to make it face the correct way. The others managed to avoid contact and went one each side of Pete and Jevan; will some bonus fairing banging to get the oohs going in the crowd. The outcome was that the Crowe brothers gained a lead that they would not relinquish. They led by 25 metres on lap and with the aid of a new outright lap record of 102.747mph they won by 7.229s from Founds / Walmsley; they also lapped at over 102mph. Crawford / Hardie lapped at over 101mph during their fine ride to 3^rd place. Tim Reeves / Kevin Kolsch (newcomer); Greg Lambert / Andrew Hardie and Carl Fenwick (newcomer) / Jake Roberts completed the leader board. Fenwick’s debut has been impressive; definitely one to look for in the future. The last bit fun came when Paul Reck / Ian Tennant repeated the spin manoeuvre demonstrated earlier.

Ace Hire & Sales Sidecar Race

1. Ryan Crowe / Callum Crowe                Honda                  100.897mph
2. Pete Founds / Jevan Walmsley            Honda                  100.211mph
3. Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie                Kawasaki              99.932mph
4. Tim Reeves / Kevin Kolsch                   Kawasaki              96.932mph
5. Greg Lambert / Andrew Haynes         Honda                    94.630mph
6. Carl Fenwick / Jake Roberts                Yamaha                 94.284mph

To some surprise; the Supersport B Race closed proceedings on a fine evening of enthralling racing. The two grand old men of Irish racing; Paul Cranston and Dennis Booth took the top 2 steps of the podium; with newcomer John Marsh a fine third, after starting from row 4. A delighted Cranston said that his last win at Billown was in 1983. This was when Con Law and Brian Reid were breaking the 100mph barrier on RG500 Suzukis.

1. C. K, Supersport Race B
2. Paul Cranston                                        Honda            99.834mph
3. Dennis Booth                                         Kawasaki       99.799mph
4. John Marsh                                            Honda            98.150mph