Classic sidecars confirmed for 2026 Southern 100

It follows 'overwhelming' response to initiative after modern machines excluded

Classic sidecars are now confirmed to be part of this year's Southern 100 Road Races.

Organisers of the meeting on the Billown Course from 6-9 July say the initiative has now been given the green light following an 'overwhelming response' from competitors and approval from the sport's governing body, the Auto Cycle Union (ACU).

Plans to run classic three-wheeled machines were announced last week following the exclusion of modern F2 machinery for the 2026 event.

Furthermore, all entries for the class are being funded by a private benefactor.

Southern 100 Road Races Clerk of the Course, Giles Olley, says: "To go from a blank sheet of paper to an excellent grid of Classic Sidecars in such a short space of time is a testament to the incredible spirit of the road racing community. 

"We are deeply grateful to Greg Lambert for his tireless work on the ground with the drivers and passengers, and to Dr Paul King at the ACU for helping us clear the administrative hurdles so efficiently. 

"This has been a monumental team effort. Thanks to them, our anonymous benefactor, and the teams who stepped up, the Southern 100 crowds will still get to enjoy the unique spectacle of sidecar racing at Billown this year." 

The class will run at this year's Southern 100 Road Races strictly under established Pre-TT Classic Road Races technical regulations, meaning they are unaffected by the current regulatory pause impacting the modern outfits.

Last Wednesday (3 June) organisers of the Southern 100 Road Races announced the exclusion of modern F2 sidecars from its 2026 event, citing safety concerns in a move which closely mirrored the suspension a week before of sidecars from the remainder of this year's Isle of Man TT Races.

At the time of the suspension, the Southern 100 Club stated: “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.”

However, the club adds this is only a 'temporary pause' for the modern class with the inclusion in 2026 of classic sidecars described as a 'contingency measure.'

Both the Isle of Man TT Races and Southern 100 have stated they remain fully committed to having sidecar racing at their events going forward, with hopes that modern three-wheeled machines can return to the Billown Course in 2027.