Southern 100: Davey Todd crowned Solo Champion for first time and seals five-timer | Dean Harrison shatters lap record with almost 117mph lap

It was a dream end to the week for Todd, who only rode at the even once before in 2018, when he was the top newcomer.

Dean Harrison – winner of the feature race three times in a row from 2017 to 2019 – obliterated his outright lap record to set a new benchmark of116.941mph on the ninth and final lap, but it was 26-year-old Todd who took the £3,500 top prize by 0.061s.

Northern Ireland’s Michael Dunlop was 20.89s behind in third place on the Buildbase Suzuki.

Todd said: “Dean pushed me all the way and I just tried not to make any mistakes on the last lap.

“I have no excuses because I think I have the best bikes out there and the team has done an incredible job with both bikes this week.”

Runner-up Harrison added: “It’s been good racing all week between me and Davey. I wanted to win because that’s what we come for, but fair play to Davey, he’s riding well.

“Hopefully we put on a good show for the fans and maybe someone will buy me a pint now tonight!”

Todd streaked off the line and into an early lead from Harrison, quickly pulling a gap of 0.985s with Dunlop 1.9s further back in third.

Manxman Nathan Harrison was into fourth on the Steam Packet Honda but already losing ground on the leading trio, followed by Jamie Coward (KTS Racing/Steadplan Honda) and Michael Sweeney on the MJR BMW.

Todd and Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) were clear of Dunlop by over four seconds at the end of the second lap, with the leader’s advantage now cut to 0.374s by his Kawasaki rival.

Positions remained unchanged at the front but Harrison was edging closer to Todd, who was only 0.163s ahead at the end of the fourth lap. Dunlop was out of touch, 7.7s behind, but clear of Nathan Harrison in fourth by 7.7s. Coward was right on Harrison’s tail as he challenged for fourth on his Yamaha R1.

It was still Todd out front after the sixth of nine laps, but Harrison was breathing down his neck with the leaders separated by 0.341s.

Dunlop remained on his own in third, 10.6s down, while Coward now moved into fourth ahead of Nathan Harrison.

With two laps to go, reigning champion Harrison smashed the outright lap record with a blistering speed of 116.639mph to reduce Todd’s lead to 0.179s.

As the race built to a climax, Todd’s advantage was 0.213s at the start of the last lap over Harrison, with Dunlop a long way back in third, 17 seconds behind the duo but well clear of Coward in fourth.

The leaders reached Cross Four Ways for the final time with Todd still ahead by the smallest of margins as he challenged for his fifth victory of the week.

And it was the Saltburn man who edged the verdict on the run to the line by 0.061s from Harrison, who broke the lap record again to raise the benchmark to 116.941mph for the 4.25-mile Billown course.

Dunlop finished a lonely third with Coward taking fourth ahead of Nathan Harrison and Ryan Kneen, who completed the top six on his BMW. Sweeney finished in seventh position.