Month: June 2026

Happy birthday.

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STATEMENT ISSUED AT 17:00 on 04 JUNE 2026



Following the difficult but necessary decision to suspend the modern Sidecar class from the 2026 Southern 100 Races on safety grounds, the Southern 100 Club is delighted to announce an exciting new contingency plan aimed at ensuring three-wheeled racing remains a core part of this July’s event.

In collaboration with competitors and technical officials, the Club is actively working to introduce a Classic Sidecar class to the main July programme.


The proposed races will run strictly under the established Pre-TT Classic Road Races technical regulations. Because these traditional machines do not utilise the complex prototype aerodynamic features or flat-floor designs of their modern counterparts, they are entirely unaffected by the current regulatory pause affecting the modern class.


In an extraordinary show of support for the event and the road racing community, an anonymous benefactor has generously offered to fully fund the entry fees for all Classic Sidecar teams who enter and attend the 2026 Southern 100.


Clerk of the Course, Giles Olley, commented:

“We were deeply saddened to have to pause the modern sidecar class this year, but as organisers, we must look forward. The idea to bring the Classics into the July event came directly from discussions within the paddock and it is a fantastic solution. Thanks to the incredible generosity of a private benefactor covering all entry fees, we are removing the financial barrier for teams. The message from the Club is clear: if the teams enter and we can build a viable grid, the races will go ahead. Newcomers to the event especially are very welcome.“


The Southern 100 Club is now issuing an urgent appeal to all Classic Sidecar competitors across the UK, Ireland, and further afield. This is a unique opportunity to race on the iconic Motor Isle Billown Course, in front of the legendary Southern 100 crowds.


This initiative is strictly dependent on grid numbers. Interested teams and competitors are urged to contact the Race Office immediately to register their interest and secure their entry. Further logistical details and entry forms will be made available via the official Southern 100 website and channels in the coming days.


The Club also wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the long-term future of the modern sidecar class. We welcome the recent constructive insights from legendary chassis designer Louis Christen regarding the need for a collaborative regulatory review. The Southern 100 Club intends to be fully involved in that upcoming consultation alongside the ACU and industry experts to ensure modern sidecars can return to the Billown Course safely in 2027.

Southern 100 Road Races has confirmed sidecars will be excluded from this year’s event.

The statement in full:

Following a comprehensive consultation process regarding the inclusion of the Sidecar class at the 2026 Southern 100 Races, the Southern 100 Club has taken the difficult decision to exclude the Sidecar class from this year’s event.Following the recent decision by the Isle of Man TT Races to suspend the class for 2026, the Clerk of the Course and Senior Technical Officials have spent the last week evaluating whether safe, robust, and enforceable regulatory modifications could be introduced via an event bulletin for the Billown Course.Input from the ACU Compliance structure and leading competitors highlighted that the complex aerodynamic and technical questions currently facing the prototype class cannot be responsibly resolved within the short five-week timeframe available before our event.As a Club, our absolute priority must always be the safety of our competitors, marshals, officials, and spectators. In light of the current uncertainties surrounding the stability of modern sidecar designs under certain racing conditions, the Club believes that running the class without a definitive, expert-led technical review would introduce an unacceptable level of risk.The Southern 100 Club is deeply saddened to have to make this decision. Sidecars have been an integral, spectacular part of the “Friendly Races” for decades, and we share the profound disappointment that will be felt by the teams, drivers, passengers, and fans.However, this is a temporary pause to safeguard the long-term future of the category. The Southern 100 Club remains fully committed to sidecar racing and will actively participate in the upcoming wider consultation process alongside the TT organiser, promoter and industry experts to ensure the class can return to the Billown Course safely in 2027.