Oliver’s Mount Gold Cup 80th Anniversary

Oliver’s Mount road racing circuit in Scarborough celebrated 80 years of English road racing last weekend. A one-off Gold Cup meeting held over three days had the usual road races we have come to expect at the Yorkshire track. Current and past riders had also been invited along to join in the festivities and take part in demonstration rides. 

TT legends Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison, Mike Browne, Rob Hodson, and Shaun Anderson were all racing. British Superbikes and North West 200 winners Storm Stacey and seven-time winner Richard Cooper were due to attend. Storm pulled out midweek and Richard Cooper was forced to withdraw due to last-minute testing duties for Triumph in Spain. Richard Cooper did manage to race at Mallory Park; maybe his people got Mallory and Spain mixed up, easy to do considering the weather we have had this summer.

However, Davie Todd managed to pass a medical and would be joining team mate Hickman on the grid.

Parades laps are always a crowd pleaser; TT winners John McGuinness, Steve Plater, Steve Parish and NW200 and BSB star Glenn Irwin joined a host of former road racing and Oliver Mount stars on the track to complete the line-up.

Making a welcome return was former Gold Cup winner Ivan Lintin, who took to the top spot in 2014 after seeing off McGuinness and Lee Johnston. Multiple IoM TT sidecar winner Ben Birchall also returned, showing the depth of interest in the 80th celebratory year.

Mick Grant and Eddie Roberts also made an appearance – having both been instrumental in saving the 2.43-mile circuit when it was faced with closure prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Handing over the day-to-day running to the new long-term team, husband and wife Andy and Wendy Hayes. 

Oliver’s Mount

Arriving at Oliver’s Mount for this weekend’s Gold Cup meeting, I realised it had been a while since my last visit. England’s only proper road circuit has taken a bit of a battering in the years since COVID. The main access road remains officially closed, and you’re no longer allowed to use it. Instead, cars and motorcycles can reach the circuit via a temporary stone track laid across a farmer’s field. Getting up there on my decidedly un-off-road-capable motorcycle made for an interesting ride.

After parking up and taking my helmet off, I took a look around. You forget how special the place is until you stand at the top of the hill overlooking Scarborough. Since 1946, racers have attacked those same 2.43 miles of twisting public roads, and you can feel that history everywhere.

As we walked along the side of the track, they were talking over the tannoy about all the names that have raced it over the years. Duke and Surtees back in the 50s, Sheene and Grant in the 70s, right through to McGuinness, Guy Martin, and the Dunlops now. Ten minutes later, I was watching the current lads wrestling bikes up the same steep, tree-lined climbs.

It’s still got that proper old-school road race feel, four big meetings a year with this special Gold Cup as the big finale. After racing stopped in 2018, a new team stepped in to rescue the site. It’s fantastic to see them bring it back to a full calendar and packed-out crowds. Racing on roads, the smell of race fuel, bikes echoing off the hill — you don’t get that anywhere else in England.

Oliver’s Mount Gold Cup Racing

The influx of elite road racers had generated a lot of interest for this special Gold Cup meeting. Combined with the good weather on Saturday when we attended, there was a good-sized crowd. One of the best I have seen for years. 

This was a little disappointing that just because elite road racers were racing, the spectator numbers had increased. I get it; the famous names in the parade laps, the return of the road racing stars had generated interest. Some of the fans trackside were experiencing racing at the Mount for the first time; hopefully, they will return and swell the numbers for all of the events. Without good-sized crowds and lots of paying fans, Oliver’s Mount will find it difficult to survive.

Visit North Yorkshire Oliver’s Mount Gold Cup

The Oliver’s Mount blue ribbon event was the 80th anniversary race, Visit North Yorkshire Gold Cup, and it was an unforgettable experience. Standing trackside on Saturday, I watched Dean Harrison dominate the event. He was so much faster than the rest of the field. 

Harrison completed a perfect weekend at Scarborough on Sunday, winning the fourth and final SuperSport A race to claim his fourth Gold Cup crown. Harrison has now equalled Barry Seene’s record; hopefully, he will be back to take the outright record. Mike Browne was just 4.609 seconds behind, and Peter Hickman took third. Harrison set the fastest lap at 1:54.528, hitting 76.383 mph.

Throughout the weekend, the HMH Civils SuperSport A races were a masterclass from Harrison. I watched Hickman chase Harrison in Saturdays races, only for Harrison to edge him out every time. Tom Weeden managed to grab second in the final race, and Harrison’s best lap of the weekend, a blistering 1:44.833 at 83.447 mph, came during Saturday’s second race. 

Davey Todd’s return from injury and back on the roads was excellent to see. Injured in a high-speed crash during a qualifying session for the Daytona 200 in Florida in early March 2026, his recovery looks to be going well. Consistent top-five finishes over the weekend was welcome to see.

HMH Civils SuperSport B class

The support races were just as entertaining. In the HMH Civils SuperSport B class, #88 Aaron Cooke owned Saturday with two wins, while #28 Shaun Buckle ruled Sunday with his own double. 

J. Hughes Plant Sidecars

The J. Hughes Plant F2 Sidecars were spectacular. Banned from road racing this season after a few nasty crashes at the TT. Oliver’s Mount was the only chance to race on the roads and the crews made the most of it. #9 Kieran Clarke and Rob Coppock swept all four races, while #99 Stephen and Matty Ramsden put up a valiant fight. 

I must mention Michael Russell and Alice Smith in #22. We have been following Jack Russell for a number of years in his attempt to finish all of the races at the IoM TT. He has been racing in every solo and sidecars event at the TT for a few years. A herculean effort is required to jump off a superbike and climb straight into a sidecar without a moment’s rest. It was great to see them out getting some much-needed track time preparing for the 2027 season.

Potter Plant CSBK/2‑T/S‑Mono races

The Potter Plant CSBK/2‑T/S‑Mono races were intense. Tom Weeden #77 claimed the first three victories, twice fending off #19 Joey Thompson by less than a second, before #123 Johnny Stewart stole the show in race four.

Road Racing News Lightweights

The Road Racing News Lightweights were nail‑biting, with #7 Stephen Gorton repeatedly holding off #67 Daniel Frear in three incredibly close finishes – margins like 0.493s and 0.267s had the crowd gasping. Frear finally claimed his win in race four.

Pub & Kitchen Twins

Even the Pub & Kitchen Twins category kept us on our toes, with #19 Joey Thompson and #44 Rob Hodson sharing the honours, each taking two wins. One race on Sunday morning was separated by just 0.290s, great stuff.

Oliver’s Mount Gold Cup 2026

Experiencing the Gold Cup at Oliver’s Mount in person, with the smell of fuel in the air and the sound of roaring engines echoing through the trees, gave me a new appreciation of the skill and bravery of these riders.

I left with my ears ringing and a huge smile. To have witnessed a little bit of road racing history with Dean Harrison’s Oliver’s Mount Gold Cup triumph firsthand was the icing on the cake.

---

Thanks to RPW Photography for the images used in this report; all other images are by the editor. More road racing reports from the IoM TT can be found below.