Southern 100: Dean Harrison shatters outright lap record but Davey Todd snatches last-gasp victory for third win of week

The race was delayed after a non-serious incident in the Solo Founders race, which left oil on the course at Stadium.

However, the organisers managed to run the Senior race over the full seven-lap distance before the lunch break.

Todd streaked off the line from the second row but it was Harrison leading at Cross Four Ways on the opening lap.

Todd, though, was ahead at the start/finish by 0.287s on his Milenco by Padgett’s Honda from Harrison, with Michael Dunlop moving up to third from Nathan Harrison.

The order was unchanged at Cross Four Ways on lap two with little to choose between the top four.

Todd was only 0.180s in front of DAO Racing Kawasaki’s Harrison at the end of the lap, with Dunlop 0.9s further back in third on the Buildbase Suzuki as Nathan Harrison began to lose touch on his Honda, followed by Michael Sweeney in fifth.

By the end of the third lap, Todd was now almost four tenths up on Harrison, but Dunlop was now edging closer on his Suzuki. Nathan Harrison was now over six seconds behind the leading trio.

With four laps completed, Harrison was now right on the back wheel of Todd’s Honda after setting a new outright lap record at 116.150mph to close the gap. The Kawasaki rider then drafted past Todd as they started the fifth lap and remained ahead at Cross Four Ways, with Dunlop now slipping back slightly behind the leading duo.

Reigning Solo Champion Harrison began to turn the screw and shattered the outright lap record again with a new mark of 116.452mph, giving him a lead of almost six tenths over Todd. Dunlop was now out of contention, 3.7s further adrift in third after developing a fuel pump issue.

Todd closed the deficit to 0.360s on Harrison at the beginning of the final lap as Dunlop held third, 6.7s behind, while Nathan Harrison was 12.5s further down in fourth spot ahead of Jamie Coward, who was now into fifth ahead of Sweeney after making a poor start.

Harrison held a narrow advantage at Cross Four Ways on the final lap as slower riders entered the equation, but in a dramatic finish it was Todd who overhauled Harrison on the run to the line to win by only 0.032s in one of the closest finishes ever at the event.

Dunlop was third, 10.45s back, while Nathan Harrison claimed fourth on the Steam Packet Honda ahead of Coward (KTS Racing/Steadplan Yamaha) and Sweeney on his MJR BMW.

Paul Jordan finished seventh on the Prez Racing Yamaha.

Rob Hodson was a retirement on the Dafabet Kawasaki.

Racing concludes on Thursday afternoon, when the feature Solo Championship race over nine laps takes centre stage.