Southern 100
Encyclopedia
The Southern 100 is a motorcycle racing
event held on the Isle of Man
in July of each year. The event was first held in 1955, when there were three races for different classes of motorcycles; the current calendar includes twelve races for various classes. The event is competed on the Billown Circuit
in the south of the island, starting and finishing at Castletown.
and the 350cc. These were competed over 25 miles, consisting of 6 laps. A 500cc race was also included as the feature race; this took place over 24 laps, and was in excess of 100 miles. The races that year received 73 entrants, and the first race was won by Manxman Derek Ennett. In 1958 the event was granted "National Status", and eleven years later was included in the British Championships. The races were part of the Irish Regal Championships in 1992 and 1993, and is now one of five Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
(FIM) sanctioned International meetings in the British Isles.
Sidecar
racing was introduced in 1962, and constitutes two of the twelve races currently included in the race calendar.
Ian Lougher
has achieved the most Solo victories, winning on 32 occasions, followed closely by Joey Dunlop
with 31. Dave Molyneux
leads the Sidecar victories, with 15. The Billown Circuit
has been lapped with an average speed over 100 miles per hour (44.7 m/s) on a number of occasions, but it was first achieved by Brian Reid
in 1983, riding a 1300cc Suzuki RG500
.
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.-Motorcycle racing:...
event held on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in July of each year. The event was first held in 1955, when there were three races for different classes of motorcycles; the current calendar includes twelve races for various classes. The event is competed on the Billown Circuit
Billown Circuit
The Billown Circuit describes a motor-cycle racing course used for the Southern 100, Pre-TT Classic Races and the National Road Races Meeting in Castletown in the Isle of Man...
in the south of the island, starting and finishing at Castletown.
History
In 1955, the Southern 100 races were started, featuring a race for each of the two traditional class; the 250ccCubic centimetre
A cubic centimetre is a commonly used unit of volume extending the derived SI-unit cubic metre, and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1 cm × 1 cm × 1 cm...
and the 350cc. These were competed over 25 miles, consisting of 6 laps. A 500cc race was also included as the feature race; this took place over 24 laps, and was in excess of 100 miles. The races that year received 73 entrants, and the first race was won by Manxman Derek Ennett. In 1958 the event was granted "National Status", and eleven years later was included in the British Championships. The races were part of the Irish Regal Championships in 1992 and 1993, and is now one of five Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
(FIM) sanctioned International meetings in the British Isles.
Sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
racing was introduced in 1962, and constitutes two of the twelve races currently included in the race calendar.
Ian Lougher
Ian Lougher
Ian Lougher is a motorcycle racer famous for 9 motorcycle victories in the North West 200, 10 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races and 42 wins at the Southern 100 Races in his career.-Racing career:...
has achieved the most Solo victories, winning on 32 occasions, followed closely by Joey Dunlop
Joey Dunlop
William Joseph "Joey" Dunlop, OBE , was a world champion motorcyclist from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, best known for road racing. Referred to throughout the sport as "Joey", in 2005 he was voted the fifth greatest motorcycling icon ever by Motorcycle News...
with 31. Dave Molyneux
Dave Molyneux
Dave Molyneux is a Sidecar TT racer with fourteen Isle of Man TT wins and he has had more TT wins than any other sidecar TT racer...
leads the Sidecar victories, with 15. The Billown Circuit
Billown Circuit
The Billown Circuit describes a motor-cycle racing course used for the Southern 100, Pre-TT Classic Races and the National Road Races Meeting in Castletown in the Isle of Man...
has been lapped with an average speed over 100 miles per hour (44.7 m/s) on a number of occasions, but it was first achieved by Brian Reid
Brian Reid (motorcycle racer)
Brian Reid was an Irish motorcycle road racer.-Biography:Reid started racing in 1976 at St. Angelo airfield, Enniskillen, and had his first road race the same year at the Dundrod Circuit in Killinchy 150 riding a TD3 250 Yamaha...
in 1983, riding a 1300cc Suzuki RG500
Suzuki RG500
The Suzuki RG500 "Gamma" was a motorcycle built by Suzuki between 1985 and 1987 and inspired by the 1984 Suzuki RG500 "Gamma" Grand Prix motorcycle, capitalizing on Suzuki's seven consecutive constructors title wins in the 500 cc-class. The Gamma was powered by a two stroke, rotary valve, twin...
.