Top Level Motorcycle Road Racing Returns To Scarborough's Oliver's Mount

The Bob Smith Spring Cup brings elite motorcycle racing back to Oliver's Mount in Scarborough this weekend, featuring next-generation supersport bikes and top riders.

Top level motorcycle road racing is making a highly anticipated return to the Yorkshire Coast this weekend as the Bob Smith Spring Cup gets underway in Scarborough. Fans of the sport are expected to flock to the iconic Oliver's Mount circuit, which remains the only natural road racing track in England, to witness the thrilling spectacle.

The historic venue is gearing up for a particularly significant weekend, bolstered by a major change in technical regulations. For the first time, next-generation supersport motorcycles have been granted permission to compete at the track, marking a new era for the beloved Scarborough circuit.

Event organisers have worked extensively behind the scenes to bring this new class of machinery to the North Yorkshire coast. The decision has successfully attracted prominent names from the international road racing community, securing a highly competitive grid for the spring event.

Top-tier competitors, including established racers like Rob Hodson and Tom Weeden, have made the switch to the modern supersport machines for this year's racing calendar. Their participation ensures that a high-calibre line-up will be taking on the challenging twists and turns of Oliver's Mount. Organisers believe that maintaining this elite standard of racing is essential for drawing large crowds and securing the long-term viability of the event.

The positive impact of these changes is already being felt, with advance ticket sales showing a strong increase compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the event's profile has been significantly boosted by its return to national television. Following successful coverage of the Gold Cup last year, the racing at Oliver's Mount is once again being broadcast on ITV4, bringing the Scarborough action to a wider audience.

Race Director Andy Hayes said:

"Without next-gen supersport bikes, we didn't really have a future. If you think about our top riders that we had, in terms of Rob Hodson, Tom Weeden, riders like that, they've all moved to next-gen supersport bikes for this year. So without next-gen, not only could we not have attracted even bigger names from established TT stars, but we wouldn't have even kept the standard of rider that we had. To get a crowd in, you need good riders. It was absolutely fundamental to us. I think it's reflected well in sales for the season as well so ticket sales are up on last year. I think a big part to play in that as well is also the increased exposure we're getting from ITV4. As of the Gold Cup last year, we managed to get Oliver's Mount back on TV."

The introduction of the modern bikes has been a complex, long-term project for the venue's management team. They have spent more than two years collaborating with the sport's governing body to ensure the new regulations could be safely and successfully implemented at the tight and technical circuit.

Alongside the thrilling on-track developments, the organising team is also focusing heavily on improving the overall experience for visitors. A key priority is upgrading the infrastructure and access routes for spectators attending the Scarborough venue throughout the racing season.

While permanent access upgrades are currently awaiting official planning approval, robust temporary measures have been established. With the assistance of the local highways authority, a temporary surface has been installed to ensure smooth and reliable entry for the thousands of fans expected to attend this weekend's races. Spectators are advised to use the designated entry point to access the circuit.

Andy added:

"We've got next-gen supersport bikes allowed from the ACU and that's the first time that's ever happened here. So that really gets us back up to the level of being able to have top level TT racers here. So that's been massive, we've been working with the ACU on that for about two and a half years now and it's just come to fruition. We're constrained a little bit in what we want to do right now because we need some planning permission for a semi-permanent stone road that we're looking at putting in, but it does mean later in the season we should be able to improve access even further and in the interim, North Yorkshire Council Highways have been tremendously supportive helping us with a plastic track solution so we can get people in and across the farmer's field. So the public access point over the weekend will be from Mushroom Bank roundabout."