By Supersport B Race 2:
Championship day race action began with a compelling JCK Supersport B race.
Long term pace setter Don Gilbert looked good for race victory, before technical gremlins thwarted his challenge.
This enabled new race lap record holder Michael Russell, to take over the P1 reigns, which he carried to the chequered flag but only by the narrow margin of 0.073 of a second!
Runner-up Jack Petrie, who came agonisingly close to a first Southern 100 win, like race victor Russell also exceeded the previous race lap record held by the Peoples Bike Team’s Frankie Stennett.
Wrapping up the podium finishers was a delighted Yann Galli, after edging Kevin Barsby for third.
The Isle of Wight’s Ryan Whitehall placed fifth with positions P6, P7, P8, P9, P10 were claimed respectively by Aaron Hughes, David Brook, Damien Crook, Oliver’s Mount Scarborough winner Mark Jackson and the evergreen Paul Cranston.
Solo Founders:
7.5 seconds clear at the end of lap one, Derby’s Richard Eglin proved the cream of the G H Corlett Solo Founders, Non-Qualifiers race.
By lap five, Eglin’s advantage out front stood at 17 seconds plus ahead of 54 plate holder Paul Turner.
Just as Eglin homed in on race victory, red flags unfortunately arose around the Colas Billown Course, following an incident at Stadium.
With the race not re-run, prior second place holder Turner was declared race victor ahead of Geoffrey Lunn and the ‘Decorator’, Father of TT star Conor Cummins, Billy Cummins.
Supersport Challenge:
Carrying on the scintillating, captivating, exhilarating action they provided during prior Supersport encounters, the Bettridges of Foxdale Car Sales saw Davey Todd, Dean Harrison, Michael Dunlop illustrate again their impeccable road racing talents.
Regularly between them surpassing the previous existing race lap record, at the race’s conclusion only 0.298 covered the top three.
Ultimately emerging victorious, taking at the time his fourth race win of the week was Milenco by Padgetts Todd, who led at the end of each race lap.
DAO Racing’s Harrison took second, finishing just 0.118 behind 2019 IRRC Superbike Champion Todd.
21 times TT winner Dunlop finished third and was only 0.180 in arrears to Harrison.
On route to third, Dunlop who made some intriguing comments post-race about the race winning Honda steed, set a new race lap record of 110.998 mph, which equates timing wise to 2 minutes 17.840 seconds.
Behind Dunlop, P4 went to KTS Racing’s Jamie Coward with PreZ Racing’s Paul Jordan, Dafabet Racing’s Rob Hodson completing the top six finishers.
Lightweight Race 2:
Just as on Wednesday evening, the main pretenders for Super Twins honours this afternoon at Billown were Dafabet Racing’s Rob Hodson and Hebden Bridge’s Jamie Coward.
Both well over the previous race, Twins class lap records, just 0.021 covered the front runners before the sixth, final lap commenced.
Closely matched through Ballakeighan, Cross Four Ways, Church Bends, ultimately 44 plate-holder Hodson got his plan of attack correct to score a first race win of this year’s Southern 100.
His final race winning margin stood at almost 0.75 of a second.
Runner-up Coward had the consolation of setting a blistering new Twins lap record, lapping at 105.934 mph, equating timing wise to 2 minutes 24.430 seconds.
PreZ Racing’s Paul Jordan had a lonely ride to third whilst a tight battle for fourth was won by Peoples Bike Team supported Jonathan Perry, finishing 0.237 in front of top Yamaha runner Barry Furber.
Rhys Hardisty placed sixth with remaining places within the top 10 clinched by Marc Colvin, Heattech Racing’s Paul Cassidy, Jack Fowler and Adrian Kershaw.
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
