The Flag is about to drop on the 12th running of the prestigious Duke Road Race Rankings Championship Series with the first of 25 rounds taking place at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough on Sunday 21st April.

The Ian Watson Spring Cup National Road Races features 15 races for Solo's and Sidecars with a mixture of experienced and up and coming stars aiming to take home the much coveted silverware on offer.

The Spring National Road Races have been run since 1997, initially as the Ken Redfern Trophy, then the Spring Cup between 2001 and 2004 being renamed the Ian Watson in 2005 in memory of the talented competitor who was a regular at 'The Mount'.

Recently retired Ryan Farquhar was a five time consecutive winner of the Ian Watson Cup and winning the feature race set him on the right course to winning and retaining the Duke Road Race Rankings Title during the same years 2008 - 2012, also taking the Rankings series in 2003 and 2004.

Whilst Ryan may have hung up his 'racing leathers' he has his three protege riders Jamie Hamilton, James Cowton and Connor Behan enjoying their first road race of the season anf hoping to impress 'The Boss'!


Ian Lougher, the initial Duke Rankings winner in 2002 and the man who holds the title of the most wins at Oliver's Mount, some 131 since September 1989, is back hoping to regain the Ian Watson Cup he last won in 2006.

Fellow veteran and rival to Ian, is 'Manxie' Chris Palmer who has added a Supertwin to his stable of two-strokes as he aims to increase his tally of wins around the 2.43-mile circuit which currently stands at 91 the first being at the May meeting in 1991.

Current Gold Cup winner, Guy Martin will be hoping to hold the Spring Cup Trophy aloft for the third time, having previously won the main race of the programme in 2004 & 2005.

However 'rising stars' such as Dean Harison, Dan Frear, Ivan Lintin, Mick & Mark Goodings, Michael Pearson,Sam Wilson, Keith Pringle, Seamus Elliott are all in with a chance of spoiling the party!

The action commences at 9.00am with Practice and qualifying with the first of the 15 races due away at 12.30pm.





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