Father and son killed in 100mph crash

Deaths of father and son racers raise this year’s Isle of Man TT toll to five [Facebook]

The death toll at this year’s Isle of Man TT motorcycle races rose to five on Friday after organizers said British father and son sidecar riders Roger and Bradley Stockton were killed in a crash.

The pair, 56 and 21 respectively, were competing as driver and passenger in the second sidecar race when the incident happened on the final lap at Ago’s Leap.

They had finished eighth in the first sidecar race of the event on closed public roads around the island.

French sidecar driver Cesar Chanal died in a crash at Ago’s Leap on Saturday last week.

Organizers initially said passenger Olivier Lavorel had died, but announced on Wednesday they had misidentified the dead man.

British Supersport rider Mark Purslow, 29, died in qualifying last week and Northern Irish veteran Davy Morgan, 52, on Monday.

The event has been run since 1907 and ranks among the most dangerous in motorsport, with 265 deaths to date in the TT races, Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT.

The only year without a fatality was 1982. It is the first time since 1989 that five TT competitors have died in the same year.

While critics have condemned the races as a terrible anachronism, with riders skimming past stone walls and lamp posts at breathtaking speed, those competing say they are fully aware of the risks.

Britain’s John McGuinness, a 23-times TT winner, said in 2019, the last year the races were held before this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that there was no other circuit like it.

“It’s dangerous, you can end your life in a breath, but it can also bring so much pleasure and enjoyment,” he said.

“I’ve lost a few mates, but there’s no gun to anybody’s head. You don’t have to do it ... if something goes wrong it’s nasty, but the upside outweighs the downs.”