A father and son have died at the Isle of Man TT Races, raising the total number of people killed in the event to five.
Roger and Bradley Stockton, both from Crewe, Cheshire, had been riding in tandem as driver and passenger.
Roger, a seasoned racer, was competing in his 20th race this week, whereas Bradley was racing for the first time.
The news of their deaths was met with a “great sense of grief” by the organizers of the Isle of Man TT Races.
‘The death of two members of our paddock and two people from the same family is truly heart-breaking,’ organizers said in a statement.
‘However, the link between a father and son who realized their dream of competing in the TT together provides a ray of hope in such a gloomy time.’
Bradley and Roger had finished eighth in their first race of the championship, with a best lap speed of 106 miles per hour.
Bradley, 21, had ‘grew up’ in the racing culture, having visited the track for the first time when he was just one year old.
He asked if he could race alongside his father as a passenger when he was 16 and decided he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Roger competed in his first TT race in 2000, and he continued to do so on a regular basis in the years that followed.
‘I’ve retired a few times previously, but always come back for my love of the sport,’ the 56-year-old stated earlier this year.
‘Going around the course with my own flesh and blood will be incredible.’
The Tourist Trophy races, also known as the Isle of Man TT, are an annual motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man each summer.
Since 1907, it’s been hosted practically every year.
Many competitors have died in the event, making it one of the most deadly racing events in the world.
So far, five persons have perished in the 2022 races.
Last week, Welsh rider Mark Purslow died in qualifying, while Northern Ireland’s Davy Morgan died in the Supersport Race on Monday.
Roger and Bradley were killed in a crash at Ago’s Leap, which also claimed the life of sidecar driver Cesar Chanel on Saturday.