In conversation with a former Southern 100 competitor from 1974, he came up with the following:
"My memory is being started up and I remember a nice man walking thru the starting grid and putting a 5 Pound note in every starters boot.
Neat stuff. I hope to do that some day for a race."
Does anyone know who the Billown benefactor was?

(13-07-2009, 06:43 PM)Bill Snelling Wrote: In conversation with a former Southern 100 competitor from 1974, he came up with the following:
"My memory is being started up and I remember a nice man walking thru the starting grid and putting a 5 Pound note in every starters boot.
Neat stuff. I hope to do that some day for a race."
Does anyone know who the Billown benefactor was?

I remember someone talking about this a few years ago.

Was it someone connected to the old Ronaldsway Shoe Company?

When I first raced in the S100 in 19......... I believe the money came from the collection boxes around the course,I only say that because it wasn't always the same amount.

I seem to recall the practice stopped during the late 70's but I may be mistaken ( as usual).

It was indeed the Ronaldsway Shoe Company. The money was handed out on the grid before the start of the Solo and Sidecar Championship races.

I remember the first time I raced there. There I was on the grid, all keyed up and someone hands me a fiver. Where the hell do you put it? I stuffed it down my leathers and away to go. I rediscovered it when I put my leathers on at my next meeting. Still, a nice thought.