Report and Photographs by Gordon Williams
THE Southern 100 Steam Packet motorcycle road races marked a major milestone this week, celebrating their 70th running over the famous Billown course on the Isle of Man from the 7th to the 10th of July.
Large crowds of enthusiastic spectators were treated to a feast of high-speed action under glorious sunshine, with some of the sport’s top names delivering exciting performances across multiple race categories.
Davey Todd dominated the Superbike class, securing a superb double victory on his BMW. In the first race, Todd held off Dean Harrison and Nathan Harrison to take the win, and in the second race, he again came out on top, ahead of Dean Harrison and road racing legend Michael Dunlop.
The Supersport class saw honours evenly shared across its three races. Todd opened the proceedings with a win in the first race, while Mike Browne from Cork took victory in race two. Michael Dunlop rounded off the trio of Supersport races with a strong performance to claim the final win.
Rob Hodson enjoyed a successful outing in the Lightweight class, securing back-to-back wins on his Paton machine.
One of the standout moments of the meeting came in the opening 600cc B race, much to the delight of the Irish contingent in the crowd. Veteran racer Paul Cranston from Dungannon rolled back the years to claim an impressive victory, followed closely by Ballymoney’s Dennis Booth. Cranston continued his strong form with a second-place finish in race two behind winner John Marsh, with Booth again in third.
In recognition of his remarkable performance and decades-long career in the sport, Cranston was awarded the Liam Clarke Memorial Trophy. The award, voted for by race marshals, was presented by the son of the late Liam Clarke, who tragically lost his life while marshalling at the 2022 Southern 100.
Davey Todd capped off a phenomenal meeting by adding a third win to his tally in the prestigious Solo Championship race, once again defeating Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop in a thrilling finale.
The sidecar races were also packed with drama and precision, with Ryan and Callum Crowe proving unstoppable as they stormed to victory in both outings. The pair repeated their Isle of Man TT double triumph to the delight of their supporters.
The 70th edition of the Southern 100 will be remembered as one of the finest in recent years, combining fantastic weather, fierce competition, and heartfelt moments that reminded all in attendance of the sport’s enduring passion and camaraderie.
