Dunlop at the Double as he takes Solo Championship and 600cc Race at Southern 100 Meeting

Klaffenbock/Sayle win Sidecar Championship in Billown circuit meeting

Michael Dunlop was a man on a mission on the Isle of Man as he won both the Manx Gas Solo Championship for 1000cc machines and the S&S 600cc race at the Isle of Man Steampacket Company Southern 100 meeting held on the 4.25 mile Billown Circuit in the South of the Island.

He broke both the race record and his own outright lap record in the Championship race, becoming the first man to post a sub 2:16 lap with 2:15.951 (112.541mph). Although he started in pole position, he was headed by Cameron Donald going into Cross Four Ways, but hit the front before the end of the first lap, a position he was to hold throughout the race.

The real battle was taking place behind him between Guy Martin and Ryan Farquhar and at the end of the third lap only 0.2 seconds separated the pair, a gap that Farquhar reduced to 0.1 by the end of lap five.

However at the front of the field Michael Dunlop continued to protect his lead and posted the new outright lap record on the 8th lap of the race, finishing in a new Race record time of 20:38.549, six seconds inside Guy Martin's old record. Martin held second place four seconds behind Dunlop with Ryan Farquhar a further 2.5 seconds back in third. Wilson Craig Racing teammates William Dunlop and Cameron Donald completed the top five.

In the earlier 600cc race in the morning Dunlop powered to a race victory that was never in doubt. Starting from pole position on the grid Michael led from start to finish.

Behind him there was a titanic battle for the remaining podium places. With Ryan Farquhar retiring on lap four, the Wilson Craig Racing machines of Michael's brother William and Cameron Donald, and Relentless Suzuki by Tas Racing's Guy Martin were left to battle it out with William eventually edging in front of Guy and Cameron finishing fourth. Local riders Dan Kneen and Conor Cummings completed the top six. In the 600 'B' Race local rider Dave Kennington finished first with Mark Goodings and William Cowden second and third.

In the first 125/400cc classes race held over from the previous evenings programme, Chris Palmer took the honours on his 125 Mannin Honda and Alistair Howarth took the 400cc class. Ian Lougher and Nigel Moore completing the top three in the 125's and Dave Madsen-Mydgal and Peter Simpson taking second and third respectively in the 400's.

The second 125's/400 race of the day proved a real thriller with the front three in the 125's - Chris Palmer, William Dunlop and Ian Lougher - never separated by more than a second. The trio frequently swapped places before Palmer came home in first place, less than 0.267 seconds ahead of Dunlop with Lougher only 0.153 further back in third. In the 400's class Alistair Howarth finished first, ahead of Brian Purdy and Dave Madsen-Mydgal.

In the 250/650 classes race William Dunlop took the 250cc honours from Tom Snow with Dave Milling third after Chris Palmer retired on lap 3 of the 8 lap race while Ryan Farquhar took the top spot from Ian Lougher and Wayne Hamilton in the 650's. Hamilton received a five second penalty for a yellow flag infringement that cost him the runner-up slot to Lougher.

In the penultimate race of the day, the Petrochem Carless Fuels Sidecar Championship, the honours went to Klaus Klaffenbock/Dan Sayle who led from the first lap, finishing in 20:57.874 (97.307mph). The pair were in record breaking form and broke their own race lap record on lap 2, setting a new best of 2:34.821 (98.824mph) although they were outside the outright lap record set by Nick Crowe/Dan Sayle (99.778mph) from 2007. Simon Neary/Jason Crowe took second place with 21:07.885 (96.539mph) from Ian and Carl Bell (21:15.029/95.998mph in third.

The final race of the day, the Senior Support Consolation Race, saw Kevin Strowger take the top spot from William Cowden with Dave Kennington in third.





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