Cork’s Mike Browne races to Bob Smith Spring Cup victory at Oliver’s Mount opener​

The 2024 road racing season thundered into action at Oliver’s Mount with the Bob Smith Spring Cup, promising an electrifying start with packed grids and a blend of seasoned champions and eager new contenders.
By Andy Bloomfield
Published 23rd Apr 2024, 05:00 BST
Supertwins action from Oliver's Mount during the Bob Smith Spring Cup meeting. PHOTO BY MARK HUCKERBYSupertwins action from Oliver's Mount during the Bob Smith Spring Cup meeting. PHOTO BY MARK HUCKERBY
Supertwins action from Oliver's Mount during the Bob Smith Spring Cup meeting. PHOTO BY MARK HUCKERBY

The racing revved up post-lunch on Saturday, beginning with the BDS Motorcycle SuperSport B race.

Scarborough's new face, Josh Corner, left an indelible mark by surging more than seven seconds ahead of fellow newcomer Johnny Stewart.

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The intensity escalated in the BDS SuperSport A race where top TT riders, Mike Browne and SMT's Rob Hodson duelled fiercely for eight laps, with Browne edging out to claim his first triumph of the weekend.

Ready for the start. Photo by Dominique StedmanReady for the start. Photo by Dominique Stedman
Ready for the start. Photo by Dominique Stedman

Rob Hodson swiftly countered, clinching his initial victory in the Classic Superbike and JMS Group Super Twins races. These wins, however, came hard-fought against strong competitors Mike Norbury and Marcus Simpson.

A noteworthy comeback highlighted the weekend as Manx Grand Prix podium finisher Stuart Hall returned to Oliver’s Mount after two decades, dominating the Road Racing News Lightweights race.

In the sidecar arena, Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie outpaced the seasoned Ramsdens in the Stuart Whitehead F2 Sidecar showdown.

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Sunday’s lineup included 14 races, delivering non-stop excitement. The day kicked off dramatically with a crash in the BDS SuperSport B race, shaking up the leaderboard.

Stuart Hall continued his masterful display in the Lightweight class, while Grant Whitaker and Tony Flinton dominated the CB500 and 125 classes, respectively.

The Bob Smith Spring Cup unfolded under ideal sunny and dry conditions, captivating road racing enthusiasts with high-speed thrills and a showcase of tactical prowess.

In the blue-riband race, anticipation was high as pole sitter Mike Browne lined up alongside the elite.

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Yet, it was Gary McCoy, the 2023 Oliver’s Mount Super Twins Champion, who stole the initial spotlight with a blistering start.

As the race progressed, the lead pack quickly formed with McCoy leading narrowly, just 0.219 seconds ahead of Cork’s own Browne, with Rob Hodson within striking distance.

This trio maintained a tight formation through the initial laps, setting the stage for a dramatic shift on lap five.

Passing the Monument, Browne executed a flawless manoeuvre to seize the lead.

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His lap six performance was nothing short of spectacular, clocking in at 1 minute 46.848 seconds—setting a new personal best and recording the fastest lap of the weekend.

The closing stages of the race saw Browne extend his dominance, finishing a commanding 4.656 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, McCoy from Madbros Racing

The F2 title bouts were equally gripping, with Lee Crawford ultimately outperforming the Ramsdens for the weekend’s honours, with Carl Fenwick in third and TT star, Dave Molyneux unfortunately experiencing problems forcing his retirement from races two and three of the weekend.

Tickets are already available for the upcoming Barry Sheene Festival on June 15-16 from oliversmount.com or by calling 01723-333321.

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