Southern 100 Racing are saddened to learn of the passing of one of its former Sidecar Champions, Ar
tie Oates.
Port St Mary man Artie, with Stuart Pitts as his passenger secured the Sidecar Formula 2 Championship in 1990 after finishing runner-up in both races and accruing the most points.
Arthur Oates first rode in the Southern 100 in 1969 with Leslie Dickinson as his passenger, unfortunately in the Sidecar Scratch, and the Championship races they collected a pair of D.N.F’s on their L&M Special.
Returning twelve months later, the paring picked up their third D.N.F. in the Scratch race, however their luck changed in the Championship race, coming home in 10th position.
Artie competed in every Southern 100 between 1972 and 1995 only missing three years 1981, 1992, and 1994.
Between 1971 and 1981 and 1983 to 1987, Edda Oates was his passenger, with Peter Cain, Stuart Pitts and Paul Fargher keeping the third wheel on the ground in 1982, 1988, 1990 and 1993.
1985 saw Artie and Edda on the top step of the podium after they won the Opening Sidecar race, although their good fortune deserted them in the feature race.
Greg Mahon filled the sidecar during 1989, and 1991, returning for Artie’s final years of racing around the Billown Course in 1994 and 1995, when he finished eighth in the Open Sidecar race 2.
In all, Artie competed in fifty-one races, gaining ten podium places and nine lower top six positions during his twenty-seven-year career at the friendly races.
Southern 100 send their sincere condolences to Artie’s family and friends at this sad me, he may have been small in stature, but he was large in life, living it to the full.