WHAT’S INSIDE
006 ARCHIVE
Threespreads of beautiful archivepicturesto whet your classic racing appetite.
012 NEVER ACROSSWORD
Ourregular crosswordisanother mix of classic racing clues,and all with the carroton astick of thechancetoa win aWeise Tempest Rucksackwor th £79.99. Go forit!
014 READERS WRITE
We welcome all feedback,good,bad or indiferenthereat Classic Racer towers.It’s YOUR magazine so let us know whatyou think about CR’s contentand tell us whatYOU want to seeinYOURmagazine!
016 PADDOCK GOSSIP
What’s happening in the wild worldofclassic racing,with shows,products and eventsupand-coming
022 SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
Thebest placetobuy your favouriteracing magazine is to do it thisway –SUBSCRIBE!
Notonly do youget it deliveredtoyour door BEFORE it hits the shelves,it’scheaper tooand youwon’t need to ventureout ofyour shed/ garage
024 KUNIMITSU TAKAHASHI
Fred Pidcock on one of thereal Japanese trail-blazers.Aman who succeeded onboth two- and four-wheels!
028 ROBMcELNEA
Showing his skill straightfromthe of,Rob Macsoon found himself in the Grand Prix paddock riding the fre-breathing 500cctwostroke squareand V4s.
038 HONDACB400 FOUR RACERS
Legendar yjournalist and racerJohnNutting recalls the stor yofhow he and others ended up racing the humble Honda CB400 Four
046 LINEART:AMICK OFIELD TRIBUTE
We recall some of Mick Ofeld’s fnest‘Line Ar t’ work.Thank you, Mick
050 CENTREFOLD
Abeautiful shot of Barry Sheene’s 1977 Suzuki RG500 in all its glor y. Pull it out and put it on your workshop wall!
Stuar tBarker, BenRumbold,CliveChallinor,Jef
RachelBourneand
COVER IMAGE: Main coverimages by DonMorley/Hitchcocks Archive, Kelith Muir,Mor tons Archive, Terr yJoslin Thanks again this month to: DonMorley forthe many images in variousfeatures. Andthe following: Terr yJoslin, the late,great Bill Snelling,John Nutting,VinceRank,Mick Ofeld,FredPidcock,
Ware,Keith Muir,Tonyand ClaireGreenslade,
not forgetting ourbrilliant archivist Jane Skayman and reproman Jonathan Schofeld.
058 ICONIC METAL: 1967SUZUKI RS67V4125cc
Terr yJoslin’s cameraand VinceRank ’s words tell the tale of the one -ofracer which promisedsomuch but didn’t get the chance to really deliver.
EDITOR
PUBLISHER
066 TEST: 1987 BIMOTA YB-5 T-REX
Ourman down under, Jef Ware,ridesa very special Yamaha FJ1200-poweredmachine from T-Rex.
074 DAVE JEFFERIES
Alook into theuntold storiesofDJ’slifeand loves– by the people who really knew him best.His family and friends.
082 TEAM ALLSPEED
Tony Greenslade and Team Allspeed embark on anew race seasoninthe CRMC series: what could possibly go wrong?
086 THE FRED CLARKE COLUMN
In his latest column, our Fred recalls some of thefunniestand dramatic stories of
his morethan 50-year career behind the motorcycling microphone
088 TRIPLE TREAT
Former RAFbratRob Bean gets an old 1990s Triumph Speed Triple and decides to prepare it forhis racing comeback.Preparefor some highs and lows!
096 BACK IN THE DAY
YOUR pictures and memories from bike racing days gone by.
098 NEXTISSUE
Plenty in the next issue of Classic Racer, including Neil Hodgson, RobMcElnea(part 3), Yamaha’s title -winning YZR250 from 2000 and much, much more!
The Granary,Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent. ME186AL. ForOverseas subscription rates please visit www.classicmagazines.co.uk.
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CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE
Is it really 45 years since KennyRoberts wonhis final 500cc World Championship? It seems likeyesterday.
Kennywas at thefront of the American revolution in Grand Prix racing,a revolution spearheaded by the likesofStevieBaker andPat Hennen –the first American to win a500cc GrandPrix race.
Of course,Kennyhad been around for some time before he finally went toGrands Prix full-time in 1978. His mother lied about his age so he couldgoracing inhis teens on theovaldirt-tracks nearhis Modesto home–California’sdirt-trackcentral. And he wasclearly special, becoming Grand National Champion in 1973 –his second year as asenior.Itwouldn’t be his last.
He finally raced in Europe in1974, but it would be 1978 when he really made
the Europeans realise his skill. It’soften forgotten that Kennywas going forthe 500 and 250cc double in his first full-time Grand Prix year (he’d come fourth overall with two wins) and the F750 title, but he would take the 500cc title from Barr ySheene at the final round.
Defending the title wastough thanks to abad testing crash in Japan –but would result in the legendar ySheene/Roberts battle at Silverstone in 1979. He’d take his third back-to-backtitle in 1980.
Formanyriders, that would be more than enough, but Kennyfought on. He fought thenew riders coming in to take his throne, managing to even take hisfinal season of 1983 to the wire against young Freddie Spencer.And he fought the system, being amajor playerinimproving conditions, pay
and safetyfor riders from the late 1970s
He’d ride at selected events after his retirement, but wasstraight into team management with aYamaha 250ccteam featuring Wayne Raineyand Alan Carter in 1984. Raineywould eventually win three titles in the 500cc class in Kenny’steam (1990-1991-1992) while John Kocinski would take the 1990 250cc title.
Still not enough, Kennythen became a manufacturer in his ownright, starting the Modenas KR-3 two-strokeV3project and –when Grand Prix racing went four-stroke –was achassis maker utilising Honda and KTM engines.
Kenny’simpact and legacy in all sectors of motorcycle racing cannot be underestimated. Little wonder manycall him ‘King’ Kenny!
TheK ing
Words: BertieSimmonds Photographs: Mortons Archi ve
CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE
Boxer beat!
There have been some strange or quirky motorcycles that have become race bikes over the years and BMW hasmade afew of them. Remember NickJefferies riding the TT on the big K100?
This one wasprobablyone of the best: The BMW R1100SSport BoxerCup. Back in the 1990s, BMW had something of a‘difficult’ image to contend with. Itsroad motorcycles were often seen as those ridden by the‘pipes andslippers’brigade. Oftenex-coppers, sitting bolt upright and attending IAM meetings and sometimes on ex-cop bikes!
Forthose who recalled the 1960s and 1970s and machines likethe very sporting R90S,it wasstrange howthingshad turned around for BMW.But that staid image wasn’t goingto last long and in 1998 the BMW R1100Swas launched.
It mayhaveused the ‘traditional’ BMW boxertwin motorofjust 100claimed bhp, but it looked lithe, it hadunder-seat exhausts, a-la Ducati 916and Honda NR750, itlooked good. Better still the R1100S Sport version had awider rear wheel,stiffer(andtaller) rear suspensionand asteering damper Then theytook them racing.The BMW BoxerCup series had Randy Mamola as an ambassador and cleverly ran alongsidethe MotoGP series in the early 2000s. Guest riders would comeand go at each round, with riders likeLuca Cadalora (pictured) Markus Barth, Sebastien Legrelle and our ownBrianMorrison and Gus Scott. Thesound of these booming twins with their under-seat Laser pipes was glorious!
They even sold replicas, called the BMW R1100SSBoxerCupReplika (yup, with a‘k’). It featured the road-going lights andmirrors required forthe road but didhavethe attractive paintwork from the race series andcost around £9200new.TodayBMW are the reigning World Superbikechampions withthe M1000RRand (if rumours are to be believed) considering a move into MotoGP…
Words: Bertie Simmonds
Photographs: BMW Motorrad/Mortons Archi ve
CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE
Ever yera of grand prix racing hasits nearlymen: Those that come soclose to reaching the peakinthe top class but neverseem to get there. Dani Pedrosa isone suchrider Dani would be runner-up in2007, 2010 and 2012 in the MotoGP class where he’d net an impressive31victories with 112 visits to the podium. So whydid he fail to make that finalstep?
Luckplayedits part, as did his physical size. If he’d been born into anearlier era, youcan imagine Daniwouldhave perhaps stayed in the smaller classes and dominated, perhaps even coming close to the likes of Angel Nieto and Giacomo Agostini (13and 15 world titles.) Hissize (160cm/5ft2in and around 53 kilos/117lb) wasperfect forthe smaller classes and
his experience –evenwhen he made his 125cc grand prix debut in 2001 –was impressiveashe’dbeen riding motorcycles since the age of four and been racing since he wasnine.
He would take the 2003 125cc championship (above #3)and then move up to the 250cc class, where he’d become a back-to-backchampion in his debut season and in 2005. Amazing,and all with Honda. He’d move to the Repsol Honda factor y squad in MotoGP for2006riding alongside that year ’s eventual champ Nicky Hayden.
Dani would win his fourth MotoGP race and showedhewas up to the physical demands of riding the big four-stroke990s. The2007rules sawthe introduction of the 800cc RC212V,abikemanyfelt would be
more suited to Pedrosa, but the Honda wasn’t always the best biketobeon.
He would ride forHonda until he retired from full-time racing in 2018.The wins showedhewas always in contention forthe championship, but he wasoften blighted by some serious injuries(around 20 in his GP career) and (worse) would be set against the likes of multiple MotoGP champions CaseyStoner and Marc Marquez, but he wasnever overshadowed. Todayhis stockisstill valued. On retiring from racing,Dani joined the Austrian KTM manufacturer as atest rider.The competitiveness of the KTM is largely attributed to him and –for a‘test rider ’–his one-offwildcard rides have led to atop four finish in 2023.
Words: Bertie Simmonds Photographs: Mark Wernham /Mortons Archi ve
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Across
1& 3: Northern Irishman whotook pole positionsand podiums at the start of the MotoGP era. (6,10)
9: Not novices,orevenintermediates, but better than that. (7)
12: Mr Carruthers, a250cc World Champion who managed King Kennynearly adecade later.(3)
13: World-famous venue that hosted Motorcycle Grands Prix on both itslong and shortcircuits. (11)
15 &33 Down: Belgian racer who took nearly half of all his countr y’s GP wins, for him in the 250 &350cc classes. (6,2,8)
17: Generaltermfor acylindrical chain guide. (6)
19: Ron, Gloucestershire farmer who graduated from off-road andscored arunnerupTTposition in just his third road race, in 1959. (8)
21: Norton’s 750cc, then later 850cc, roadgoing model that wasknown as the “Yellow Peril” in race trim.(8)
24: Machine on which1 Across took the above achievements in MotoGP.(6)
27: Norton’s big man whowon themthe MCN Superbikeseries in 1990. (6)
28: South African Matchless racer whoalso
dippedhis toes into Formula 1. (5,6)
30: Championship that has included the longest road races since the early 1980s.(3)
32: An addition made to manycircuits to slowtheir average speed down. (7)
33: See15Across.
34: See 29 Down.
Down
1: Despite on-tracksuccess becoming more difficult lately,this countr yisstill the big one in the motorcycle industr y. (5)
2: Placed over the wheels, in the USAthey call them ‘fenders’. (9)
4: Donington right-hander with an uphill approachthat leads onto the fastest straight. (7)
5: American manufacturer that specialises in off-road machines and police bikes. (3)
6: Thefirst motorcycle Grand Prix venue on the British mainland. (11)
7: Theteams in 30 Across need to paygreat attention to what amachine does... (3,6)
8: Themost successful manufacturer in the nowdefunct 80cc World Championship. (5)
10: Avital but underrated tool in an oldschool workshop. (3)
11: Thekind of pin used to help keep fittings in place. (5)
14: Gar y, double AMA Grand National Champion and team-mate to Barr ySheene during his infamous Daytona documentar y film. (5)
16: Australian Yamaha sponsor,most famously forWarren Willing at Bathurst,with aliver ytogowith the name. (6,5)
18: Alogical choice forcold conditions, but theywon’t last long if it gets hot! (4,5)
20: Alan, the least well known of thethree GP winners from South Africa in the350cc class. (5)
22: Motori ___, engine manufacturer from Bologna forwhom Angel Nieto wontwo 125cc world titles. (9)
23: What youmight call the atmosphereina team if the riders don’t getalong! (5)
25: Thefirst corner,and the bar,atDonington Park. (7)
26: Theamount of fluid in certain parts of a machine, forexample. (5)
28: Imperial unit forair pressure.(3)
29 &34Across: One of very fewBrits to achieve podium success in 125cc GP racing during the 1980s. (5,6)
31: Honda model more commonlyknown as the Fireblade. (3)
HOWTOE NTER
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The answerstolast issue’s Classic Racer crossword: Across 3 Cabin Honda, 9 Tickle, 11 MV, 15 Nicotte, 16 KRJR, 17 Guy, 19 Teams, 21 Oil, 22 Joe, 23 Croft, 27 Tea, 28 Lean, 29 Jubilee, 32 Supermoto, 34 Magneti, 35 &36 Parliament Square
Down
1&18&33 VirginMobile Cup, 2 Nico Terol, 4 Anthony, 5 Helmut, 6 AGV, 7 Springs, 8Absorber, 10 Circle, 13 Joey, 14, 1Across& 12 Across Jurgen VanDen Goorbergh, 20 Marlboro, 22 Juan Borja, 24 Filice, 25 Caliper, 26 AJS, 27 Tension, 30 Biaggi, 31 Rookie
If you want to get in touch…
Then please do. We read ever yletter,email and comment sent to us and we enjoyhearing from youwhether you’ve an event coming up, amotorcycle youown or just want to let us know about something youfind interesting in Classic Racer’s world.
TIM LIKED IT!
Dear CR
Just wanted to sayitwas acracking latest issue.
The article on Joey ’s last TT wasgreat, the Rob Mac article wasbrilliant too.
My first TT visit was1984 wherehewon the Senior/ Classic double whichwas great, and with legend
Joey taking the Formula 1 race it wasjust the icing on the cakefor my first TT experience.
Thewrite up on the 40th anniversary of the
Superstockseries brought backsome memories: I can’tbelievethat it’s40 years agonow!
Iwas also saddened to read of MickOfield’s passing, as his Line-Art section wasalwaysbrilliant Ithink the mag is going from strength-to-strength.
TimClaridge
The editorsays: “Thanks very muchTim!Your welcome crawlingis rewarded witha T-shirt!”
STAR LETTER PRIZE
Wina Classic Racer T-Shirt! Yes, youcan if you’re the lucky writer of the STAR LETTERof each issue. Just let us knowyour sizeand we’ll send youone of our lovely T-shirtdesigns, gratis!
MICK WASMAGIC
Dear CR
Iwas so upset to read of the passing of Line-Art creator MickOfield in the last issue. I–likeyou –would see his beautiful drawings (well, artworks) over apage and think ‘I want these to have more space.’Infact, even giving them twopages wasn’t enough.
Imean, the effort and researchthat must have gone into eachand ever y one: especially the stripped-down drawings and the ones of the engines. Themagazine won’tbequite as good
SHAKE IT UP ABIT!
Dear CR
Can we have more pages in the magazine with more diverse content please? By that Imean at least another 20 pages so we can have sections in whichwe have aregular piece on –say –speedway,grasstrack, off-road (in its manyforms likemoto-cross, enduro etc.) and sidecars (on and off-road) and drag racing, sprinting etc.
without him. Please tr yand revisit his genius ever ynow and again Dave Wi lk in s
The editor says: “You’re right Dave. The magazine will not be the same without him.
We have completed asmall tribute in this issue and close friend and race tester Alan Cathcarthas said he will be doing an article on how Mickput these amazingpieces of art together.”
Irather feel that more pages with more content can only mean one thing: more sales! It stands to reason. Ipersonally am abit of afan of speedway as well as short-circuit and road-racing but rarely see it represented. Iknowyou did afeature ayear or so ago, but when yourealise howbig speedway is and was, in, say, the 1970s, whynot capitalise on that popularityand cash in on it?
Al an Wa de
The editor says: “Great idea Alan but, more pages is more cost. More cost requires more ad pages and maybe even an increased cover price. And these are indeed tough times. We will –ofcour se –try and gi ve you more di ver se features. What does everyone else think?”
JUBILANT FOR JOEY
Dear CR
It wasbitter-sweet when your feature on Joey’s (probably) finest ever race brought backsomanymemories of the great man.
I’dfollowed Joey’s career sinceI first started going over to the Island regularly (if not yearly) in the late 1970s. It wasfascinating to watchhim grow year-by-year and come to dominate. Then when youthrowinall thestories abouthim and the fact that he wasa real humanitarian too, it alljust added to the mix. He wasloved probably more than anygreat racer,and Iinclude the likes of Barr ySheene and Mike Hailwood in that.
Fatefully,Iremember afew of us fans congregating in one of the many guest house bars up aside-street one nightsaying that the wins he took that
year were his best and that –maybe –he’d retire.Ofcourse, it wasnot to be. Ialso recall hearing the terrible news of what happened in Estonia less than a month later
Being on the Island that year Iwas also there to witness the emotional John McGuinness win in the Singles race, forthe Chr ysalis team. Ateam whichhad lost their rider and manager the year before –the husband and wifeteam of Dave and Alison Morris. Despite all the heartache that motorcycle racing can give, it’s the beautyofthe human spirit and its resilience that Ithink defines the characters in it.
Bi ll Jo ne s
The editor says: “Touching words Bill. Spot-on.”
STALKER AND CO
Dear CR
Ithink it’sabout time yougot some of the ‘characters’into the magazine, Chris Walker would be agood start. Iknowit’snot the 1950s, 60s,70s or 80s era, but it’sstilla good 30 years ago when he came on the scene
Ilovemost eras of racing(I’m in my mid 60s) so Irecall going toraces with my dad in the late 1960s and then
going on my owninthe late 1970s/ early 1980s. But going as afamily in the 1990s wasmy– okay‘our ’–golden age. Pe te Ma rs ha ll
The editor says: “Well Pete –you’ve got RobMac this issue and Neil Hodgson next. We will ask ‘The Stalk er ’himself if he’s up for it.”
SUPERSTOCK MEMORIES
Dear CR Really enjoyedRoland Brown’s piece on the old Superstockclass from the late 1980s. It really conjured up agreat time in my life. Iwas about 20, getting into my job as an engineer and I’doften ride to the races on my Z1000J.The races never seemed to disappoint. Wasracing just better backthen?
It wasabout this time that Igot with the (current) missus so we have plentyofgood memories about riding or sometimes driving my Reliant Robin to races. Of course we’d tr yand sleep in the back while ‘glamping’ near the track. Glamping? Yeah, ‘glamourous camping’,because let’sface it, backthen to camp in aPlastic
Pig wassurely acut above anightortwo under canvasevenif we weren’t that comfy! Of course, afew merry friends would decide to roll the thing over when theycame backfrom the pub. Ithink they were jealous... Thegood thing is that –today–meand the wifestill enjoyour bikes, our bikeracing, a nice car AND amodest motorhome. So Idon’t think the swines would be able to turn us over these days!Especially as manyofthem have bad backs and are also getting into their 60s! Ja me sS mi th
The editor says: “Cheer sJames. My biking uncles also would buy the odd Regal/Robin or three. Happy times!”
PaddockGossip
Compiled by The ClassicRacer
Successat Sam my’s!
ClassicRacer wishes to thank theS ammy Miller Museum for their continuing suppor twith ourIconicMetal series
On page 58 you’ll find thelatestmachine we’ve photographed from the collection.T here is always lots goingonatthe SammyMiller Motorcycle Museum down in theNew Forest,sowhy notgo andvisit?
BasedatBashley Cross Roads, NewMilton, in Hampshire, themuseumis home to more than 50 0exotic andraremotorcycles from all over theglobe.Bestofall,the museum playshosttoa wide rangeofvarious motorcyclerelatedevents.
Ourfriends at themuseum just enjoyedhosting theirfirst autojumble of theyear–and it wasasell- out. Visitors were
invitedbyS ammy to look at thenew ex tension to the museum;thisisa conversion of theold tearooms.S ammy himselfhopes this will be fully open forvisitorsinthe next couple of weeks. Many visitors andstallholderssaidtheyhad agreat time.Sowhy notpop alongtosome2025events?
Thoseplanned this year includeaLadies’ DayonJune22, theAnnualScooter DayonJuly 13,the HondaOwners’ Classic Bike Show on July 20,the National BMWAir-headday on July 26,aswellasthe Triumph Owners’MeetonAugust3
Also don’tforgetthe next autojumble will be the museum’s summer one, taking placeonSunday, August 10 Formore, checkout ourevents sectionbut also go to: sammymille r.co.uk
We likethe new homage, but we LOVE the original!
team // Send your classicracingnewsto: editor@classicracer.co.uk
Slippery Samtribute Trident
When it comestoracingTriumphs thefirstthatsprings to mind is the ‘Slipper yS am’.
This wasthe famous Triumphrace bike whichachievedfive successive Production TT wins between19711975 anditisthismachine that this newTriumph Trident6 60 road bike is an homage to
cost is appealingtomanyriders.
This versionc alledthe ‘Trident Triple Tribute’ is basedlargely on the 66 0ccthree -cylindernaked roadster, andwillbeavailable forone year only, costingacool£ 80 45
Thenew TriumphTrident has successfully broughtnew riders into theTriumph fold butit’salsobeen popularwitholder bikers too. The combinationofpunchymotor andlow
TheTribute hasan8 0bhp motor with anew ‘Sport Mode’, cornering ABS, traction control, quick- shif ter, cruise controland connectivity to your mobile phone. It canalsobe restricted so an A2 licenceholderc an ride it.T he Tributebuildsonthiswith aone -off ‘Slipper yS am -esque’paint scheme,withmatchingfl y- screen, silver belly- panand that famous ‘number6 7’ as worn by theoriginal race machine.
What do we think? Well,wec an’t sayit’smuchlikethe original (see insetpicture)but we can’tblame Triumphfor cashinginonsucha legendar ymachine.For more,goto: ww w.triumphmotor cycles .c o.uk
Bill Snelling
Thesub-title of BillSnelling’s 2020 autobiography‘Motorcycles,Mates and Memories’is‘Recalling60years of fun in Britishmotorcycle sport’,and itwas that ‘fun’ on twowheels that shaped most of Bill’sbusylife.
He wasborn into amotorcyclingfamily inCanterbur y, Kent, in 1947,the family transport being aVincent sidecar outfit. School and Bill had ‘drifted apart’,touse his description,and at 15 he began working inArthur Lavington’s Velocetterepair shop inEarlsfield, south-west London, and his association with the HallGreen marquewas toremain with him throughout his life, later working with GeoffDodkin then Ralph Seymour
As well as ‘mechanic-ing’ he wasthe technical editor of Fishtail, the Velocette Owners’Club magazine, advertising editor of MotorcycleSportmagazine, London dispatchrider,Manx Grand Prix competitor (ona Velocette-Metisse), historian (of Manx lifeand Manx motorcycle racing), author and publisher (Amulree Publications) of some 21 books, custodian of almost one-third of amillion Isle of Man racing images (made widely available through FoTTofinders and TT Race Pics and seen often in Classic Racer), an expert target rifle-shot, trials rider,activerally participant and clubman –and so much more.
His love forthe Isle of Man began early, persuading his parents to take him to the TT in 1960, eventually making it his permanent home in1988.
In 1994 he met PatBurgess, theymarried and livedinLaxey,from where many visitorstothe TT and Manx Grand Prix will remember Bill’sphotograph exhibitions. This wasBillinhis element, meeting fellow enthusiasts and swapping stories of the races and the riders –heparticularly enjoyed hearing and retelling the ‘back-stories’,the morepersonal aspects behind the racing
Bill’s recent years were not physically comfortable, he had anumber of afflictions and health issues whichwere very painful, buthewas ever-cheerful and up-beat, preferring to laugh offproblems using expressions like‘still above ground’ when asked howhewas, and enjoying his ‘frequentflier ’status(referring to his numerous visits by air to the RoyalLiverpool Hospit al forspecialist medical treatment). He wasalwayssover yappreciativeof the carehereceived from the Manx Health Ser vices, and full of praise for their attentions.
Bill’s funeral took place on FridayMay 2, at the Douglas Crematorium opposite the TT grandst and on the Glencrutcher yRoad
and, typical of Bill, in lieu of flowers, he requested donations ‘to the good work of the Injured Riders’Fund’
The‘short, portly’ one, as he liked to describe himself,will be muchmissed by race enthusiasts and friends from all over the world. Rest in Peace, Old Son. William (Bill) Snelling: April 11,1947–April 11,2025.
Fred Pidcock
Historic Heritage Spri nt
Originally called TheRamsgate Sprint, the Herit age Sprint replaced that event, and has been on the calendar forthe last four years. It is abig event at Betteshanger Park, situated bet ween Deal and SandwichinKent. Taking place this year over the weekend of August 9/10, thousands of spect ators are expected to watchmotorcycles blasting down the track, dating from prewarflat tank machines to modern classics.
If youwant some of the action, then get registered soon as places are limited. Classic Racer friend Vic Shield makes the unique trophies forthe best in class runners.
for the Sandwich in Kent. watch motorcycles prewar flat for the y of st alls a bite
You can enjoy the So, (CT14 0BF),
As well as the action there are beautifully restored bikes on display, club st ands and plent yofstalls to grab abite to eat or drink. Youcan camp overnight and enjoythe live bands playing in the evening .So, where is it? Well, Betteshanger Park is in East Kent near Deal (CT140BF), the A258 runs alongside the Park itself Formore go to: heritagesprint.co.uk
DanShorey–atribute
Dan Shorey,who died on May4 at the age of 87,was oneofthe most prominent st ars of British road racing in the 1960s, both in Grand Prix races and on the UK short circuits
Three timeBritish Champion, he wasa winner innational races inall ofthe main four classes –125, 250, 350 and 50 0cc –and afrequent GP topsix finisher and points scorer
Dan began racing at 16 in 1954 and firstcompeted in local scrambles and grasstracks. Then, in1955 he had his first tasteofthe Tarmac when he rode aTriumphTiger Cub fast enough to gain afirst-class awardinaMotor Cycling Club (MCC) one-hour ‘highspeed trial’atSilverstone. This encouraged himtogoroad racing forreal.
TheShorey family’sgarage business in Banbur ywas also thelocal Triumph dealer,soin 1958 Danwent tothe factor y at Meriden on asix-month apprenticecourse. Also on the course wasan18-year-old by the name of Mike Hailwood.
With Dan’sdad Bert having the Triumph agency for
the Banbur yarea and St an Hailwood’smassivedealership in nearbyOxford also selling Triumphs by the shedload, it wasalmost inevit able that their twosons would team up on a 650cc Triumph Tiger 110for the 1958 Thruxton 50 0Miles Race forproduction bikes, and the pair of young Oxfordshire ‘up and comers’won the race at an average of 66mph.
What followedwas amuchrewarded career,including his best Grand Prix result in 1968 at the Nurburgring when he took his Norton into 2nd place to Giacomo Agostini and the might y500cc MV Agust a. It would be no flash in the pan. His last race would be the 50 0cc Czechoslovakian Grand Prix midway through the 1969 season (in whichhe finished 5th) but it is those 1968 performances that are afitting waytosum up Dan Shorey’scareer.A career as a professional racer that lasted for15years and forwhichhe will be remembered as afront runner from st art to finish.
Bruce Cox
Editor’s welcome
As afan of motorcycle racing,Iwas always supportiveofthose more generously proportioned racers.
I’m talking about Rob McElnea and David Jefferies, brilliant racers in their ownright. The‘Burly Humbersider ’(copyright Barr yNutley) foughtat the front of 500cc Grands Prix, and WSB races, and wonBritish titles. DJ meanwhile wasa TTwinning legend but (often forgotten) amultiple British champion too.
While my racing exploits were neverquite at their level(four MiniTwins races, acouple of 4ths in class) Itoo wondered if things would be simpler if Iwas more waif-like!
When working on a weekly motorcycling newspaper,wewould do regular tests on the production 125and 250cc racers from Honda and Yamaha. Padgett’swould supply the bikes and Mallor yPark the track. ClivePadgettand Iwere watching Jamie Robinson whizz round on one such test when he asked me if I’dlikeago. “Clive, look at me,”Isaid. “Those little two-strokes would be likeasuppositor ywith me on top of them…” He laughed but Iappreciated the very kind offer.
In this issue we lookat the talent and drivethat took RobMac into 500cc factor yteams despite his natural stature against ‘racing whippets’and we also carry afeature on ‘Big Deej’ and ask those who knewhim best what he wasreally like.
Thestor yofthese legends often lies behind the headlines of thetime. So we hope to bring you more of the same in future issues. Do let us know who you’dliketoknow more about.