Sad new has reached Southern 100 Racing that former double Southern 100 Sidecar Champion John Watson passed away on Thursday 16th April after a short illness.

From Leeds, John made his Southern 100 debut in 1970 with Melvyn Beanland as his passenger, taking 12th place in the Championship race in what was their second race around the Billown Course, returning the following year with similar successes.

A change of passenger in 1972 saw John Wright in the ‘hot seat’ and coming away from that year’s Southern 100 not only as the Sidecar race winners, but as Sidecar Champions having taken the chequered flag in the feature race on Championship Day on their Windle outfit.

The two John’s competed together at the July races in 1973 and 1974, each year taking podium places.

Taking a sabbatical in 1975, the Yorkshireman once again entered the 1976 Southern with a new passenger, Brian Hoyle and repeated his success of four years earlier, taking the victors laurels in the opening sidecar race and lifting the Sidecar Championship Trophy for the second time on their Laverda powered machine.

John and Brian were to stay together for their annual trips to the Southern 100 in 1977 & 1978 where the pairing won the first sidecar race and finished runner-up to Allen Steele and Tony Barrow in 1978.

John Watson and Brian Hoyle made their final Southern 100 appearance on a Yamaha Sidecar in 1979 taking a third place in the sidecar race and a fifth place in the Championship race.

The Committee, officials and all involved with the Southern 100 pass on their condolences to Sharon and family.

Funeral arrangements to follow.