Todd Retains Solo Championship, Harrison Obtains New Lap Record
The weather lords obliging, an ultra-competitive field, the Motor Isle Billown Course looking in first-rate condition, the factors were there for an Ellan Vannin Fuels Solo Championship to remember at the Platinum Jubilee Southern 100.
Early race stages, would see a group of four, break away, pre-race favourites Davey Todd and Dean Harrison, joined by Michael Dunlop and Nathan Harrison.
At Ballawhetstone on lap two, Todd led Harrison (Dean) with Dunlop just slightly further behind.
As lap two ended, all that was between the top four was 1.39 seconds.
The leading group remained compacted across lap three as the pace heated up.
Harrison (Dean) took the race lead at Cross Four Ways on lap four and by the time lap five arose, had opened a 0.438 gap to 8TEN Racing’s Todd.
With just four laps to go, the order was Harrison (Dean), Todd, Dunlop, Harrison (Nathan), only 1.149 between them!
Onto lap seven and Honda Racing UK’s Harrison (Dean), lapping in the 2-minute 13 seconds bracket, still held the lead but only by the tiniest of margins over Todd. Dunlop, Harrison (Nathan) were both still withing striking distance.
2019 Junior/Senior Manx Grand Prix winner Harrison (Nathan), challenge came to a halt at Cross Four Ways on lap eight.
Todd would regain P1 from Harrison (Dean) on lap seven, then on lap eight, acquired the outright lap-record, lapping at 2 minutes 10.308 seconds (117.414 mph).
The ninth, final lap, saw more history unveiled as Todd (8TEN Racing BMW) made it three successive Solo Championship victories whilst Harrison second, by 0.413 of a second, took the outright lap-record crown off Todd, lapping at a blistering 2 minutes 10.167 seconds (117.541 mph).
Eventual third place finisher, Bettridges of Foxdale Supersport race winner Dunlop was pragmatic about his race, emphasising post-race to Manx Radio, pace lost on the straights to Todd and Harrison (Dean).
Jamie Coward (KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan – BMW), ended his roads scene return in productive fashion, scoring a hard earned fourth place finish.
Michael Browne took fifth, Paul Jordan was sixth with Rob Hodson, Joe Yeardsley, Michael Evans, Imatranajo ‘King Pin’ Erno Kostamo seventh to tenth.
Photo credit: Mark Corlett