Tag

Southern 100

Browsing

Our friend and photographer Stephen McClements was recently out at the Southern 100, that other road race that’s held each year at the Isle of Man.

Set in the scenic town of Castletown, the Southern 100 doesn’t run on the famous TT course, instead racers compete on the Billown Circuit.

Though it’s not as famous as the Isle of Man TT, the Southern 100 still manages to attract some recognizable names from the TT and Irish road racing championship.

For instance, this year’s race saw entries from Michael Dunlop, Dave Molyneux, Dean Harrison, Ivan Lintin, Dan Kneen, and James Cowton.

Stephen brought Asphalt & Rubber some great high-resolution photographs from the 2016 Southern 100, we hope you enjoy them, after the jump (above: Dan Kneen at the Church Bends stone wall).

I’m going to start the 2nd and final part of my 2014 photo retrospective with the image above of Marc Marquez. Taken at Woodcote during Sunday mornings warm up for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Woodcote was one of the most exhilarating sections of track I shot last year. The sensation of speed as the riders came past, back wheel sliding, only feet away was indescribable.

Real road racing fans surely were aware of last week’s Southern 100, the Isle of Man’s other motorcycle racing event. For those not familiar, the Southern 100 takes place near the town of Castletown, on the 4.25 mile Billown Circuit, and features many names you would recognize from the Isle of Man TT.

Guy Martin claimed title this year to the 2014 Solo Class Champion distinction, while Conrad Harrison & Jason Crowe took the honors in the sidecar class. Unsurprisingly, Harrison’s son Dean made some news as well at the Southern 100 (fresh off his first race win at the Isle of Man TT).

Having a “moment” going through the Church Bends, on the return section back into Castletown, Harrison gives us a reminder on the physics that surround the limits of adhesion. Thankfully for the 25-year-old, a cool YouTube clip is the only result from this snapshot of time.

The ACU (governing body of motorcycle races in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man) along with the Southern 100 Club (the organization behind the Southern 100 road race on the Isle of Man) have seen it fit to allow electric motorcycles to compete alongside petrol-powered machines at this year’s Southern 100 road race. Booyah!

Accordingly, Darvill Racing will be the first team to enter an electric bike alongside the current crop of internal combustion machines, and will campaign Brammo’s eSuperStock and TTXP2 machine at the other Manx road race.