After the disappointment of the announcement that all three road races due to be held on the Colas Billown Course during 2020 have been cancelled, due to the current Corona-19 virus pandemic the race organisers, Southern 100 Racing feel it is only right to publicly thank the numerous sponsors who had already pledged their valuable support for this year, some whose names have been linked to the ‘friendly races’ for many years, others more recently and some much welcome newcomers for 2020 – without them there would not have been racing on the 4.25-mile course since 1955.
The first of our three road races at the end of May is the Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races which have been run since 1988. Blackford Financial Services have been title sponsors since 2005 and were involved before then.
Our second road race is the Post TT Road Races, which were first held in 1991 to entertain the race fans whilst they waited for the sailings back to the adjacent islands.
The IOM Steam Packet were the initial sponsors until 2007 followed by other valued sponsors. For 2020 we were looking forward to welcoming Silicone Racing as Title Sponsors, after having become involved 12-months earlier.
The Southern 100 Road Races were first held in 1955 under the auspices of the Southern (IOM) Motorcycle Club, the present organisation taking over the helm in 1981, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company became Title Sponsors in 1999, although like many other sponsors were actively involved prior to this sponsoring the Ultra Lightweight 125 race which returned to the programme in 1990 after an absence of 25-years.
We are grateful to our individual race sponsors, 23 in all, Southern 100 Racing are also grateful for the magnificent support we receive annually from our nine ‘Race Partners’
Whilst we are extremely grateful to our Race Title and Race Sponsors and Official Partners, Southern 100 Racing are indebted to the Department for Enterprise and Minister Laurence Skelly MHK and Rob Callister MHK, who is responsible for Motorcycle Sport in the Department for their valuable support over many years, without them the Southern 100 Road Races, along with the Pre-TT Classic Road Races and the Post TT Road Races would not be recognised in such high regard amongst the racing fraternity, locally, nationally and internationally.