Now that the Billown Paddock has emptied, with the last of the competitors having departed the Isle of Man on one of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s vessels, Manannan or the Ben My Chree to the adjacent isles, it is time to reflect on the Virtual Southern 100 Races held for what is hoped to have been a one-off year only – not to be repeated.

Whilst the 2020 Southern 100 Road Races were a virtual event, the people behind it were real and Southern 100 Racing are very much indebted to many sponsors who have remained loyal throughout these unusual and unchartered times.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company who have been the title sponsors of the Southern 100 since 1999 and were involved prior to then, graciously agreed to allow their name to be included in the virtual races title.

Colas (Isle of Man) Ltd, our Billown Course Sponsors, likewise allowed their name to be associated with the virtual race programme.

Our main race sponsors, added their ‘brands’ to the six virtual races that were included in the 2020 race schedule, namely: Ellan Vannin Fuels & G H Corlett 1000cc Race; Mike Kerruish Plumbing & Ocean Motor Village 650cc Race; Bettridge Motors & Radcliffe Butchers 600cc Race; S & S Motors & JCK Ltd 250cc Race, plus on Championship Day, The Daryl Blake Construction & Ace Hire & Sales Sidecar Championship Race and the Hunts Motorcycles Solo Championship Race.

Their support and co-operation are much appreciated by the organisers, Southern 100 Racing and we thank them for their support in previous years, which has been vital to the staging of the races each July.

Manx Radio’s long-time commentator at Cross Four Ways, Roy Moore made the change of venue to the Start-Finish Area to describe the action each evening as two races were run on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and Championship Day Thursday. We are very much appreciative of Roy not only for organising the races, but for allowing the club to make use of his ‘Night at the Races’ Format, which he brought out of retirement for the Southern 100, (having previously given the format a practice run at the Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races  at the end of May).

The club is also very appreciative to Mark Moorley of ID Design for formatting the various programmes for the IOMSPC Virtual Southern 100 Road Races to operate successfully during ‘race week’. The races were filmed, edited, and produced by Amy Mulhern of PidgeonStream.im for which we are grateful for her professionalism.

It would be remiss of the race organisers at the Start – Finish not to mention the usual high standard of catering at Race Control provided by Tricia, Joan and Lily who kept us fortified during the filming of the virtual races – thank you once again ladies!

Finally our grateful thanks to everyone involved in the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Virtual Southern 100 Road Races for their support, especially if you had a ‘flutter’ and we look forward to resuming ‘normal service’ on the Colas Billown Course on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12th, 13th, 14th & 15th July 2021 for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Southern 100 Road Races.



Photo: Roy Moore Describing the Action during the Hunt’s Solo Championship Race (Jim Gibson – Ellan Vannin Images)