With less than three-weeks until entries close for the 2019 Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races entries are filling up fast with 133 having been accepted so far for the nine-race event that will run on Friday, Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday, 24th, 25th & 27th May on the Colas Billown Course.

Most popular to date, is the eight-lap Senior 500cc race sponsored by leading Isle of Man firm of Chartered Accountants Greystone LLC with 28 competitors accepted including three newcomers, John Cliffe (Whitby, North Yorkshire) on a Petty Norton, Keith Clarke (Shefford, Bedfordshire) riding a Manx Norton and Dean Stimpson (Doddington, Cambridgeshire) also on a Manx Norton.

Regular competitors on single-cylinder machinery are Will Loder, Ian Bainbridge, Richard Stott, Vic Haskell, Arthur Browning, Jeff Ward, Tilmann Runck, Antony Nicholls, Sam Kinkead, Keith Dixon, Dave Matravers, Meredydd Owen, Ed Manley and Jack Hunter.

With other regulars favouring multi-cylinder Honda and Suzuki machines are Roy Phipps, Neil Lloyd, Ian Thompson, Chris McGahan, Anthony Ambler, Danny Pullen, Steve Ferguson, Terence Sansom, Barry Davidson, Gary Hutton and Ben Rea.

If past experience is anything to go by, once the entries have been finalised, practice and qualifying completed and the full grid of riders are lined up once the lights change the ensuing action won’t be for the feint hearted!

Previous winner Steve Ferguson Leads the pack during the 2018 Senior Classic Race
(Jim Gibson - Ellan Vannin Images)