Davey Todd thrilled to ‘turn the tables' and mark himself as the man to beat at Southern 100
The Yorkshireman set three lap records as racing commenced in perfect conditions around the 4.25-mile Billown course and Todd will now be focused on retaining the Solo Championship title in the feature Superbike race.
Riding the 8TEN Racing BMW, Todd was a runaway winner in the Ellan Vannin Fuels Senior race, pulling away from Honda's Dean Harrison and establishing a new lap record for the race at 116.409mph.
He won by 4.5s after seven laps, with Harrison 1.2s up on Manx racer Nathan Harrison (H&H Motorcycles Honda) in third.
Michael Dunlop finished fourth on his MD Racing BMW, 6.8s behind Nathan Harrison, with Mike Browne fifth on his Honda.
Todd was beaten twice by Dean Harrison in the Superstock races at the TT last month and was delighted to turn the tables on his rival.
'I love that bike, the 8TEN Racing BMW, the bike is fantastic and I've loved it all year,' he said.
'I finished second in the Superstock races at the TT to Dean, so it's nice to turn the tables in that one.
'I've been good off the start in general and it took me a couple of laps to get into it after the Supertwin race.'
Runner-up Harrison is riding a different 1000cc Honda from the bike he rode to victory at the TT and said he had no answer for Todd.
'It's a little bit different to the bike I rode at the TT and I've stuck a couple of Honda Racing fairings on it,' said the Bradford man.
'The bike's wheelieing everywhere so we'll make a few tweaks for tomorrow and have another go.'
Rob Hodson finished sixth on the SMT Racing Honda ahead of Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing Honda).
In a scintillating H&H Motorcycles Supersport race, Todd and Browne were locked together throughout the seven-lap encounter.
Dunlop, who started from pole on the Milwaukee Ducati, had been trying to close the gap in third when he retired from the race with two laps remaining.
The leading duo broke away from the chasing pack and traded blows for the lead, but Todd broke the lap record on the Milenco by Padgett's Honda on the final lap with a speed of 111.544mph to take the win by 1.256s from Browne (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha).
Michael Sweeney finished an excellent third on his Yamaha after prevailing in a breathless battle for the last rostrum place, crossing the line ahead of Nathan Harrison, Jordan and Hodson.
'I'm just stoked with that and I really enjoyed the battle,' said Todd.
'It's always nice when you can win a race with a battle like that.'
Hodson (SMT Racing Paton) capitalised when Todd (Milenco by Padgett's Paton) ran slightly wide on the final lap to win the opening Supertwin race, with Manx rider Joe Yeardsley 14 seconds adrift in third.
Todd set a lap record for the race at 106.095mph.
The Supersport B race was rerun at the end of the evening following a red flag crash involving six riders on the first lap. No injuries were reported.
Veteran Ulsterman Paul Cranston won the race from fellow Northern Ireland man Dennis Booth by only 0.330s. It was Cranston's first win at the Southern 100 in 43 years.
The opening Sidecar race was won by Manx brothers Callum and Ryan Crowe.
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