By Idyllic, perfect, dry all round conditions greeted 2025 Southern 100, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Senior Race competitors.
Just prior to 11:25 AM, 1000cc steeds got the green light for racing mode and surprise, surprise, best off the start line was last night’s runaway big-bike victor, 8TEN Racing’s Davey Todd.
In contrast though to Wednesday evening’s 1000cc racing burst, Todd did not have all his own way this morning with Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) keeping him more than honest across the seven-lap race tilt.
Two laps in, Todd held a 0.17 advantage to Harrison with Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW), already five seconds plus behind.
As lap four popped up, Todd had slightly increased his P1 grip to close to half a second. A similar story ensued on lap four before five times TT winner Harrison started to nibble down the gap to Todd.
Two consecutive sub-2-minute 11 seconds lap-times, both busting the race lap-record (new race lap-record 2.10.870), allowed the Bradford rider now based in Laxey, Isle of Man, to narrow Todd’s race-lead, give him a fighting chance of taking race leader reigns as the seventh, final lap loomed.
Despite the pressure from Harrison, fellow Yorkshireman Todd was keeping cool, illustrating the tenacious, wily race craft which has helped him thus far to three TT wins, IRRC Superbike Championship success in 2019.
At the finish-line, Todd held onto record a third race victory of the Platinum Jubilee Southern 100, with Harrison 0.212 in arrears.
TT wins record holder Dunlop, a long way further back, took third with Nathan Harrison besting Michael Browne (P5), Michael Sweeney (P6) for fourth.
Paul Jordan (P7), Jamie Coward (P8), Rob Hodson (P9), Michael Evans (P10) rounded out the top ten whilst leading newcomer again was Kevin Keyes (P13).
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
