The Ian Watson Spring Cup National Road Races being held at Oliver’s Mount Scarborough on Sunday 20th April has attracted full grids for the one day event, which includes the opening round of the 2008 Duke Road Race Rankings Championship.

The fourteen race programme for solos and sidecars includes various road race champions, along with ‘Mount’ regulars, all eager to rid themselves of the pre-season ‘blues’ once the action gets underway.

The first of four road race events at the North Yorkshire venue in 2008, the meeting which, in the past has been held on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday, has been brought forward to accommodate the Scarborough Festival of Speed on the 3rd, 4th & 5th May, that will cater for bikes and cars over the Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The earlier start certainly hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the riders, with a large party travelling from the islands of Man and Ireland as well as the long distance travellers from Scotland, Wales and the south of England.

The sidecar class has produced a stunning entry, with current course record holder Nicky Crowe making the trip over from the Isle of Man. Nicky and new passenger Mark Cox will be under pressure from current British Champions Simon Neary and Jamie Winn, but with regular top placed men, Conrad Harrison, Tony Thirkell, Eddy Wright and Greg Lambert biting at their heels the pressure will be on for some exciting racing.

Killyman rider Ryan Farquhar aboard his brace of 600cc and 1000cc Harker Kawasaki’s will be a force to be reckoned with, especially in the Ian Watson Spring Cup races. Fellow countryman, William Dunlop will be out to up-stage his rival in the Superbike and Supersport races; as well as having 125cc & 250cc Honda’s at his disposal, with the aim of collecting the silverware in the ever-popular two-stroke classes.

Chris Palmer is no stranger to standing on the top step of the podium at Oliver’s Mount, and for the 2008 season has a range of competitive machines, for what is hinted as being his ‘swan song’ season and it will be a surprise if he doesn’t leave the paddock without some of the major prizes that are on offer. Mick Goodings, David Bell, Peter Wakefield, Phil Harvey, Dave Hedison, Alistair Haworth, Tony Flinton, Alan Oversby, Dave Woolams, Keith Pringle, Craig Atkinson, are amongst the contingent of ‘Mount Regulars’ who will as usual be all out to grab the spoils for themselves, and on past form the ‘visitors’ will not find it an easy task to take the chequered flag first at the
conclusion of each race.

Oliver’s Mount is certainly the place to be on Sunday 20th April with the action starting at 08:30am with practice, followed by qualifying at 10:00am and the first of the 14 races at 12:30pm.