An action-packed evening of racing provided a fitting conclusion to a fabulous day of nostalgia at the platinum anniversary Southern 100 on Wednesday.

In sun-kissed conditions, there were lap and race records in the solo classes and an outright course lap record in the sidecar race that saw the top three swapping paint on no fewer than three separate occasions on the first lap.

On top of that there was a six-bike crash at Ballabeg hairpin (with no injuries), a handbags at dawn confrontation between two of the leading riders and a win for a popular 67-year-old veteran.

The Supertwin - abandoned the previous evening because of rain - opened the proceedings with a Paton one-two for Rob Hodson and Davey Todd. The lead swapped and changed several times, but Hodson ultimately took it by a fraction over one second in a race record time, although Todd set a lap record for the race.

Joe Yeardsley was third on an Aprilia 660 that was under-geared, with Marcus Simpson, Jamie Williams and Paul Cassidy making it four locals in the top 10.

Todd made the second of three visits to the podium with a lap and race record-breaking victory in the Senior race.

The first person to congratulate him entering into the winners’ enclosure was his team-mate and 8TEN Racing co-owner Peter Hickman, who had flown in a few hours earlier to assist him with his final preparations. ‘That win’s for you’ Todd quipped.

Dean Harrison was 4.5s adrift at the close on a bike he is still adjusting to. The Superstock Fireblade belongs to Honda UK but was ridden in the 2024 TT by Nathan Harrison (unrelated). The latter finished third on a near-identical 2025 version.

Michael Dunlop was fourth, with Mikey Evans next Manxie in 10th spot.

Todd was back on the top step of the podium less than one hour later after winning the 600cc race, once again at lap and race pace after a close contest with Mike Browne.

The pair were rarely more than a fraction of a second apart until the closing stages. It was a race that Todd said he really enjoyed as the Padgett’s Motorcycles CBR600 Honda was one of the oldest bikes in the race. ‘Clive and the team did so well, we really worked hard for that one,’ he said.

Following Michael Dunlop’s retirement at the end of lap five lap, Michael Sweeney leap-frogged his way up to grab the vacant third spot in front of Nathan Harrison, Paul Jordan and a far from happy Rob Hodson. The latter was extremely dissatisfied with Nathan at the finish and the two came to blows on the return road back to the paddock, close to the clubhouse.

There were three comings-together between the outfits of Ryan and Callum Crowe, Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley and Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie on the first lap of the sidecars, during which the Crowes went from first to third and back to first all in the space of three miles.

The Jurby brothers eventually won the race by a clear margin of 6.229sec from Founds/Walmsley, who had another coming together with Crawford/Hardie at Ballabeg on the final lap after Crawford went for a space that wasn’t there.

The Crowes broke the old lap record for the race several times and ultimately beat Ben Birchall/Kevin Rousseau’s outright lap record for the chairs with an average speed of 102.747mph on lap three. ‘I’m a little surprised,’ said Ryan, ‘as I thought the lap record was 103mph!’

They now hold the outright lap records for the Mountain and Billown courses, as well as both directions at Jurby.

Paul Cranston, a contemporary of the likes of Joey Dunlop, won the Consolation 600cc B race red-flagged midway during the evening after six riders went down in a collision at Ballabeg hairpin. None were hurt but spilt oil did require cleaning up.

Now aged 67, the Dungannon man last won a race at the Southern 100 in 1982. Dennis Booth was runner-up and newcomer John Marsh third.