Practising for next year’s Southern 100 will start slightly earlier than usual if race organisers’ plans for the 2025 event are approved by the government.
The Billown meeting, which is set to take place between July 7 and 10, would kick off with an afternoon session on the former date as it falls on the Tynwald Day bank holiday. Subject to the road closing orders being approved it is anticipated that the event’s opening session would take place between 1.45pm and 4pm.
Two contingency periods are also proposed, the first on Wednesday, July 9 between 1.15pm and 3.15pm. This would only to be used if any of the practice sessions are lost on Monday or Tuesday.
The second contingency period is for the evening of Thursday, July 10, between 6pm and 8.30pm. Again this will only to be actioned if racing on Championship Day is lost.
Southern 100 race secretary George Peach said: ‘Safety is the highest priority, and practice is a very important component of the event, and we decided that an additional session on the Monday afternoon would ease the pressure on the evening session, especially for newcomers to the races.
‘The contingency sessions would only be activated, firstly on the Wednesday afternoon, in the event of Monday or Tuesday sessions being lost and Thursday evening, should a large part of Thursday be lost.’
The Roads Closing Order being requested is as follows:
- Monday afternoon (Bank Holiday) from 1.45pm to 4pm
- Monday evening from 6pm until 9.40pm
- Tuesday evening from 6pm until 9.40pm
- Wednesday afternoon (Contingency only to be used if a prior session is lost) from 1.15pm until 3.15pm
- Wednesday evening from 6pm until 9:40pm
- Thursday morning from 9.30am until 12.45pm
- Thursday afternoon from 1.30pm until 4.45pm
- Thursday evening (Contingency only to be used if session is lost on Thursday) from 6pm until 8.30pm