The Barrow-based Wilcocks racing team gained some impressive results at the Southern 100 races near Castletown in the Isle of Man last week.

I’d been invited along by team owner Graham Wilcocks and I`m glad I took up his kind offer. It gave me the opportunity to meet up with many former rivals I`d raced with there in the past.

Their rider, former Manx Grand Prix winner Manxman Michael ‘Mikey’ Evans laid down the gauntlet in the first practice session by qualifying five seconds faster than his rivals, who included TT legend Michael Dunlop and this year’s Senior TT winner Dean Harrison.

After a lightning start in Wednesday’s opening 600cc race, Mikey actually led for a few laps only to be relegated to third place by Dean Harrison, who later admitted he couldn`t match the Wilcocks machine for speed and only squeezed past by a brave outbreaking manoeuvre on his full factory supported Kawasaki.

Later in the day, he was again running with the top three on the 1000cc Wilcocks Consulting /MBR Racing /Liqui Moly BMW until an internal fault in the steering damper jammed, forcing him to retire.

Thursday saw Mikey lined upon the front of the grid for the next 600cc race with Harrison, Dunlop, and fast-rising star Jamie Coward.

Another lightning start had him in the lead again with Harrison virtually on his rear wheel. After running in second place for most of the seven-lap race, his rivals made their move on the last lap, relegating a disappointed Mikey to fourth.

As similar situation unfolded in the 1000cc Superbike race on the BMW when again he was denied a further rostrum place by just a few yards.

The final 600cc of the meeting had Mikey running at the front again with Coward and Harrison virtually riding pillion with the Wilcocks rider until Harrison eased past to take the win.

Coward squeezed by too in the closing stages with another rider, denying Mikey another rostrum placing.

A third place and three fourth placings amongst top class opposition and factory-supported teams with much larger budgets and still recovering from the broken collarbone he sustained on the same circuit at the pre-TT event in May only six weeks ago are results to be proud of... well done lads.

Mike Bibby from MBR racing here in Barrow, who looked after the bikes, is already preparing them for their assault on the Classic TT & MGP next month.

*Hard on the heels of Southern 100 races near Castletown, the Manx 2 Day Trial took place.

One section utilised Castletown Square where man-made sections had been erected.

Tom Swindlehurst from Kendal won the Peveril MCC Challenge Trophy for his fourth place in the Experts Class, riding a 300cc Sherco.

In fifth place, fellow Kendalian William Brockbank collected the Manx MCC Challenge Trophy on his 300cc Sherco.

Not too far behind, Coniston’s Beta-mounted James Johnston and Kendal’s James Hayhurst (Sherco) collected well-earned finishers awards.

The Clubmans course saw Furness riders Jonny Clarke, Nathan Britton, James Snowcroft and Brekin Barclay all complete the course, but Barrow’s Pete Blowers took a heavy fall on one of the moorland sections breaking his ribs. He bravely continued but eventually had to call it a day.

*Two Askam schoolboy motocross riders gained top honours last weekend at separate events.

The rapidly improving Finley Pickering who took second place a couple of weeks ago at the Racing 90 clubs meeting on the Route44 track at Haverigg, had his best result yet last weekend.

Racing on the Dean Moor track near Whitehaven, he won all six races on his 65cc Yamaha, supported by Mr T`s Garage here in Barrow.

Further south near neighbour Jamie Keith contested the Racing 90 clubs event at Newton Le Willows with his 65cc KTM, supported by MBR Racing, Liqui Moly and the Urban Extreme Skate park.

The youngster added even more silverware to his collection by winning his class too.

*Don`t forget it’s the Barrow BID Festival of Transport in Barrow tomorrow.

Organisers tell me approximately 100 motorcycles of all makes, marques and capacities will be filling Portland Walk from 9am.

Mike Bibby from MBR Racing is bringing some of the Wilcocks Racing machines along, and I`ll have a couple of Classic 500 Crooks Suzukis on display too near Debenhams, pop down and say hi if you’re going along.

Still not found that elusive part for your latest restoration project?

Ian Sherrard`s latest Autojumble is this Sunday at the Crooklands Auction Mart, just off junction 36 on the M6 from 7:30 am until around 1pm, with good hard standing for your machines on site café, and washrooms etc.