Dates of major international road races confirmed for 2019

As usual, the North West 200 will be the first international showdown in May, following the Cookstown 100 and Tandragee 100 Irish National meetings.

Practice for the North West 200 will commence on Tuesday, May 14, with final qualifying and the opening races taking place on Thursday, May 16.

The main race programme, including both headline Superbike races, will be held on Saturday, May 18.

In a tight turnaround, practice is scheduled to get underway for the Isle of Man TT only one week later on Saturday, May 25.

A week of qualifying will be held around the Mountain Course before the opening Superbike TT kick-starts a hectic racing programme on Saturday, June 1.

Over the summer months, the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man will attract some of the sport’s biggest names (July 8-11) prior to the Ulster Grand Prix at the world-famous Dundrod course, where the first practice sessions will be held on Wednesday, August 7. Final qualifying and the opening UGP races take place on Thursday August 8, whetting the appetite for the main event on Saturday, August 10.

The dates for the Classic TT are also confirmed, with the event taking place from August 17-26.

Final dates for next year’s Irish National road races are due to be rubber-stamped soon.

2019 International Road Races

North West 200: May 12-18

Isle of Man TT: May 25-June 7

Southern 100: July 8-11

Ulster Grand Prix: August 5-10

Classic TT August: 17-26