No doubt you will have heard of the TT, and no doubt you will have heard of some of the Milestones and way markers throughout the Course, but where are they?
Bray Hill, Quarterbridge, Joey’s, Glen Helen, Greg-Ny-Baa, Gooseneck, Windy Corner and the Mountain Mile will all sound familiar to most TT followers, but if you haven’t made it over to the Island then it may all seem a little hard to follow, especially when you consider there is over 37 miles of track to learn and maybe 6 laps of that that Circuit to follow.
1991 saw a new event added to the Billown Course. The “Isle of Man Steam Packet Company National Road Races’ were introduced to provide entertainment for enthusiasts who were staying on the Island after the end of the TT Races, as it was at the time proving impossible to ‘evacuate the many thousands of bikers in a day or two’, as once was the case.
The Steam Packet Company requested Southern ‘100’ Racing to organise a three-race programme catering for machines ranging from 125cc to 750cc, with practicing taking place in the afternoon and racing, early evening. The calibre of the entry was first class, for the three classes, 125cc and 400cc Supersport; 250cc and 350cc, followed by the 750s, competing for a prize fund which stood at over £5,000. In all ninety-nine entries were received.
The discussions resulting in the inaugural event being run on Saturday 8th June 1991, with the ‘Island’s Lifeline’ remaining title sponsors to 2007.
2008 and 2009 saw the Lightweight (250cc) and Ultra-Lightweight (125cc) races being elevated to TT Status, reverting to the Post TT Road Races in 2010, headline sponsors have included, Manx Telecom, Metzeler Tyres; Radcliffe Butchers; Colas (IOM) Ltd and DAO Holdings Ltd.
The three-race format has continued since, adjusting the classes to suit changes in rules and regulations, with 600cc, 650cc and 1100cc machines being catered for at the present time.
The TBNI Road Racing Calendar will be updated as soon as new information comes to light so make sure you are subscribed to that : https://tbni.blog/road-racing-calendar/
The Blackford Pre-TT Classic Road Races will run from 27th May – 30th May 2022 with racing happening on 27th, 28th and 30th May 2022 at the Billown Circuit.
The Pre-TT Classic Road Races came into being in 1988 at the request of the then TT organisers, the then Auto Cycle Union, Classics having first appeared on the Billown course twelve months earlier at the popular Southern ‘100’ Road Races.’ The first TT Classic Races were held on the 31st May1988, the meeting consisting of four races, 250cc/350c; 500cc; Unlimited and Sidecars and attracted 115 entries in all.
Honour of being the first race winner went to Graham Godward of Royston in Hertfordshire, riding a 350cc Aermacchi, whilst the 250cc category was dominated by ‘local’ classic man Mike Cain from Onchan on his 250cc Suzuki. Dave Pither, Seeley Matchless took the 500cc race from Richard Swallow on Syd Lawton’s Aermacchi with Alan Dugdale third. Riding a BSA Metisse, Stroud’s Robert Price finished first in the Unlimited race, whilst the controversial MV Agusta sidecar outfit of Mark Kay and Richard Battisson took the chequered flag in the final race of the day. The Classics had arrived at Billown!
Thirty plus years on, the Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Road Races is rated as one of the most popular and ‘must do’ events in the annual Classic calendar attracting well over 250 entries for its nine-race event.
It looks a little different from previous years with the initial Qualifying Practice Sessions starting at lunch time on Sunday 29th May 2022.
The entire schedule has also been added to the TBNI.Blog Road Racing Calendar so with one simple click all these details will be added to your phone’s / device’s calendar for easy reference throughout the Festival.
Every session, every race and loads of past content will be available for what looks like an absolute bargain at £14.99 for the Video Pass.
GET SET FOR LIVE COVERAGE :
The TT returns in 2022 and, for the first time in its 115-year history, it does so while boasting full and uninterrupted live coverage, delivering all the action, reaction and insight from around the world-famous TT Course straight to your smart TV or device. That means a near-two weeks of bliss for all of you TT and motorcycling fans – wherever you are!
Live coverage is set to transform the way thousands of fans follow the TT – whether that be from home, the workplace, or even on the train. In fact, wherever you have a suitable device and an internet connection, you’ll be able to access the races via the TT+ Live Pass.
Speaking of access, the Live Pass will also gift viewers a more immersive and authentic view of the TT paddock. With live broadcast naturally conveying more of the emotion, tension and raw energy found at the TT, we’ll be revealing more of the highs and lows of TT racing – as well as what motivates this elite band of racers as they risk everything in the ultimate test of speed and endurance.
HOW TO GET YOUR TT+ LIVE PASS :
The TT+ Live Pass will be available for a one-off payment of £14.99 and this will gift you live coverage of not only every qualifying session and every race at TT 2022, but also all of the insight and analysis that goes with it.
With over 40 hours of TT on offer, the Live Pass represents tremendous value for money for fans both close to home and around the globe. In fact, with up to ten days of Mountain Course action in 2022 (six qualifying sessions and four race days) that’s as little as £1.50 a day!
The Live Pass will be available to buy on the TT’s own digital channel (TT+) which launches in spring. You’ll be able to subscribe to the platform in April, gaining instant access to the first phase of free content – up to 80 fabulous races from the TT archive – as well as the upcoming TT 2022 Preview Show, filmed live in the Isle of Man.
The TBNI Road Racing Calendar will be updated as soon as new information comes to light so make sure you are subscribed to that : https://tbni.blog/road-racing-calendar/
2023 UPDATE : Changes have been made to the prize structure and overall prize pools for 2023. Full details are available which can be found in the 2023 post which can be found here : https://tbni.blog/2023/03/15/2023-tt-races-prize-fund/
One of the most read posts annually since 2017 on this site is the Winners’ Payout Details (with over 78,000 unique hits at the time of writing) and since 2017 I have updated annually it with the latest information from the current Regulations Booklet. You can read the entire 2022 book here : (may not be available after 2022) :
Honda UK Motorcycles have just announced (maybe the worst kept secret) their line up for the 2022 Road Racing Season and John McGuinness is back in the saddle of a Fireblade.
McPint will be partnered up with Northern Irishman Glenn Irwin who plans on making his TT Debut in 2022. Glen has shown some real talent on the roads already with some cracking results at the North West 200, including taking the big one on a Ducati, Covid has since limited him to the track, but It is safe to say he will have the best mentor currently on the roads, and with only three TT wins being the difference between McGuinness and Road Racing Royalty Joey Dunlop I think It is fairly safe to say this is a massive year for both McGuinness and Honda Racing.
With Covid 19 still among us and a new variant already starting rumours on how 2022 may be affected the TT have come forth with some great news today and confirmed the schedule for the 2022 TT Races!
The news has been posted on the Official TT Web Site and explains the changes, and why they are important, but mores that they are just a step for bigger changes die to take effect in 2023.
Whilst the changes to the schedule next year are less significant than those planned for 2023, they still come after a lot of careful thought and feedback – as well as some valuable first-hand experience – as Clerk of the Course, Gary Thompson, was keen to explain:
Just 24 hours after the confirmed cancellation of the Southern 100 the final events on the Manx Road Racing 2021 Calendar have also been cancelled – the 2021 Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT. Covid-19 has now ensured that it will be 2022 at the earliest before we see any racing back on the Isle of Man.
ISLE OF MAN GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS CLASSIC TT AND MANX GRAND PRIX 2021 CANCELLED
Following extensive consultation with representatives from key operational groups, the Isle of Man Government has taken the decision to cancel this year’s Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix. The races were due to run from Sunday 22nd August to Friday 3rd September.
Laurence Skelly, Minister for the Department for Enterprise, Isle of Man Government confirmed the decision today, saying:
The Isle of Man Southern 100 Club have confirmed via a Facebook Post that their 2021 event is now cancelled due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.
2021 Southern 100 Cancelled
2021 Southern 100 Becomes a Victim of Covid Virus
It is with much regret that the Directors of Southern 100 Racing must announce that the 2021 Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Southern 100 Road Races have been cancelled due to the ongoing Corona Virus pandemic and the uncertainty of the Isle of Man borders being fully open to general travel by July.
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