There was an eclectic mix of riders and machines for the six-hour Plop Enduro promoted by Jurby MR Sports at the JCK kart track on Saturday.

The event started in clear but cold conditions involving 24 teams. Each bike was shared by teams of between two and a maximum of four riders, providing a good test for their trusty step-thru steeds.

It was estimated that a staggering 300 plus laps would be completed by the leading machines by event’s conclusion.

The enduro is always a fun event with teams choosing imaginative and quite often risqué team names.

The distance was increased from the successful 2022 five-hour bash with an extra hour added this year.

Strong teams of leading local road racers were on hand to rag the little C90 and C110 Hondas round the 1km purpose-built track.

They included last year’s victors 1664 Developments consisting of Junior Britain ISDE teamster Max Ingham (a former National Supersport racer), Macau GP-bound Mikey Evans and this year’s Senior Manx Grand Prix runner-up, Marcus ‘Spartacus’ Simpson.

As the spectacular Le-Mans-style start got underway it was Plop racing regular Tom ‘Tweeks’ Dawson who took the early lead, teamed with Jim Marshall and Mark Cringle (collectively named Sons of Anagh Coar), closely followed by Ingham.

Not far behind was the two- man Bregazzi brothers’ team of Chuck and Wig, with the latter taking the first stint in which he posted an amazing 70 laps (almost 1hr 15mins), before handing over the reins of the ultra-quick 110 machine to his older sibling.

After taking the lead from Dawson in the early stages, Ingham suffered the first of four pit stop issues in which adjustments were made to the bike, losing 18 laps in the process.

Approaching one-third distance (98 laps) the red flags came out for approximately 15 minutes, following a three-bike crash Radio Faasaagh Corner – the tight right-hander close to the pit entrance.

Two of the riders involved were the aforementioned Simpson and Jez Hill.

Action resumed with overall leaders Moto Bregazzi enjoying a huge lead of eight laps over the remainder of the field.

The cool track temperature and stiffening breeze made for tough conditions as the afternoon wore on and it was noticeable the majority of sub-minute laps were posted in the first couple hours of the event with only five teams breaking the 60-second barrier.

Just as 1664 Developments were getting back in the groove Ingham was black-flagged with wheel and tyre issues, forcing him into the pits for another lengthy stop.

Nozzleplop Racing, Craig Norrey and Ashley Kelly, steadily battled their way into second spot but had to ride hard to fend off Sons of Anagh Coar and Warwick Hunt & Two Dingles consisting of former Centre Road Race Champions Gav Hunt and Jamie Cringle, and the latter’s elder brother Ryan the newly-crowned champion.

Hard-charging Ryan managed to set a new lap record of 58.503s, seven hundredths of a second inside last year’s record. If it had not been for a flat tyre in the latter stages when posting sub-minute laps, they may have snatched the runner-up spot from Nozzleplop Racing.

After losing a number of laps in the pits, Ryan Cringle returned to the circuit but time was running out with a light shower of rain reducing speeds. He nevertheless managed to get onto the same lap as Sons of Anagh Coar, but the team had to settle for fourth place, some 20s behind.

The final finishing order for the leading four teams, all Plop 110-mounted, was: Moto Bregazzi with a magnificent total of 323 laps – bearing in mind this was a two-man team.

Runners-up Nozzleplop Racing completed 317 laps, one more than Sons of Anagh Coar and Warwick Hunt & two Dingles both on 316.

The battle for supremacy in the C90 class was entertaining with Gandy’s Flipflop Poppers, consisting of experienced kart track regulars David Fayle, Grant Thomson, Phil Gunnell and Scott Compsty on Fayle’s immaculately-prepared machine completing 312 laps. They got the better of Flower Powered (Gary Flowers and Justin Meechan) 311 and Betty’s Bitches (Rory Howell, Joe Coulson and Boo) also on 311 laps.

In the latter stages, if it had not been for a schoolboy error of Rory’s passing under yellow flags (resulting in a ride-through penalty, when the field had concertinaed up), they would have probably finished runners-up and may have even been able to snatch victory.

The three leading C90s therefore finished fifth, sixth and seventh overall. Next (and fifth Plop 110 to finish) after a day of drama was 1664 Developments.

These eight teams were the only ones to complete in excess of 300 laps as the evening dusk began to fall on another entertaining day of racing at the JCK track.