There’s a very strong entry for next week’s Southern 100, including defending solo champion Davey Todd, Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop.

The sidecar entry is good too, with the likes of the Founds’ brothers, Tim Reeves, the Ramsdens and Dave Molyneux for the first time in a few years.

On the local front it will be great to see Nathan Harrison and Marcus Simpson back in action on home Tarmac after they were both forced to sit out the TT because of injuries.

There is a full entry list for the 68th Isle of Man Steam Packet Company-sponsored Southern 100 on the 4.25-mile Billown Course.

Todd returns with the Milenco by Padgett Motorcycles Hondas, hoping to emulate his success of 12 months ago.

With six championships between them, Dean Harrison and Dunlop will be challenging very hard to wrestle the coveted silverware away from the Saltburn man.

Championship winner in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Harrison will be on the DAO Racing Kawasaki fresh from winning the Cock o’ the North title at Scarborough last weekend.

Dunlop – S100 champion in 2011, 2012 and 2016 – is on the Hawk Racing Honda he took to a record-breaking victory in the Superbike TT five weeks ago.

Onchan man Nathan Harrison will hopefully have the Honda Racing Fireblade at his disposal for the 1000cc races, plus his own CBR for the 600cc capacity events.

Others likely to be in the mix on the bigger machines include Jamie Coward, Mike Browne, Paul Jordan, Dom Herbertson and Rob Hodson.

Michael Sweeney is returning from injury and could well feature prominently in most of the classes, but Coward, Herbertson and Hodson could be in the battle with him on the twins in the Lightweight races, along with locals Joe Yeardsley and the aforementioned Simpson, who rode extremely well at Oliver’s Mount last weekend.

The latter two could also feature well in the 600cc class, where Browne will be vying strongly for a podium place.

Other locals likely to be top 10 most certainly include Castletown’s own Paul Cassidy, who made a strong TT debut, Jamie Williams, Gareth Arnold and Marc Colvin (particularly so in the twins for the latter two).

One multiple champion from the past making a return is Ian Lougher, who turns 60 on the first day of practice (Monday). ‘Lucky’ as he was known, won five solo championships in his pomp, the first of which was 21 years ago in 2002.

He will be riding the Lightweight/twins races and could well be up at the sharp end on his 650cc Paton and hunting for a win to extend his record tally of 32 Southern 100 victories.

The current and three previous Southern 100 Sidecar Champions with no fewer than 13 championship wins between them are set to renew their rivalry next week.

Double champions in 2022 and 2019, Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley will carry the number one plate for the second year in succession on their FHO Motorsport 600 LCR Honda outfiit.

Six-time winner Dave Molyneux will have passenger Justin Sharp beside him making his Billown debut on the Kel Properties 890 KTM with the No.3 plate.

With four titles to his name Tim Reeves will have Mark Wilkes alongside, who has assisted with two of the four wins. Their Bonova Action Racing 600 LCR Yamaha is sponsored by Carl Cox Motorsport and will be recognised by the usual no.77.

Carrying their familiar No.69 crew will be 1997 champion Greg Lambert with ‘racing preacher’ Andy Haynes in the chair of their 600 LCR Honda.

Making a welcome return, having missed 2022, is Alan Founds with new passenger Rhys Gibbons by his side. Other regulars include Wayne Lockey and Matthew Rostron, Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie; Shaun and Ben Chandler; Steve and Matty Ramsden, and Alun Thomas and Kenny Cole, along with locals Darren Hope and Paul Bumfrey.

l The action commences on Monday evening (July 10) between 6.05pm and 9.40pm with practice and continues on Tuesday with final practice, plus two races from 8pm.

Wednesday has four races, while Thursday is Championship Day. The morning session of five races is between 9.30am and 12.45pm, followed by four more in the afternoon between 1.30pm and 4.45pm, including the two feature races, the Ellan Vannin Fuels Solo and Daryl Blake Construction Sidecar Championships.

The Southern 100 concludes with an open-air prize presentation in Castletown’s Market Square from 8.30pm next Thursday. Full reports in next week’s Indy and the Examiner of July 11.