The Sporting
T S I L C Y C R O T MO
..published monthly
orting motorcycling
News for social and sp
July 2021
Enduro, Grasstrack, Motocross, Road Racing, Speedway, Sprinting and Trials news
CONTAINS OFFICIAL EVENT ENTRY FORMS
The Sporting
MOTORCYCLIST
is published monthly and is available through your Clubs or by direct subscription
Editor
(ACU Southern Centre) John Bramall
16 Gifford Close, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 6PJ T: 01329 823282 E: johnbramall246@btinternet.com
Editor
(ACU South Midland Centre) Bob Twigg
2 Harwood Close, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 7SN E: bobtwigg@ntlworld.com
Editor & Advertising and Distribution
(ACU South Eastern Centre) Andy Wood 30 Westways, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6AA Tel/Fax 01732 865380
E: anmarprintingservices@gmail.com
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JULY 2021 VOL. 21 ISSUE 7 PUBLISHED ON THE 1ST OF EACH MONTH
All material for TSM should reach the editor by the tenth day of the month preceding publication.
FROM THE EDITOR'S CHAIR n By Andy Wood
The extension of the lockdown measures until later this month may have shaken some clubs plans but hopefully not caused too much disruption to the calendar. Social events including club runs have been put on hold in many cases, however there is an underlying determination to try an do something before the summer weather comes to an end. The Sidcups club’s biggest social event of the year is the Bike NIght and past events have attracted in excess of 400 machines, a wonderful mixture of both classic and modern. Last year’s event, like so many had to fall by the wayside but there has been a keen determination that the same fate should not befall the event this time round. Originally planned for the first Friday this month the social distancing measures would be too much to handle so the event has been postponed until Friday August 6th. By then with the planned relaxing on restrictions, both the riders and the spectators will feel more comfortable and able to enjoy the much missed social atmosphere to the full. Many clubs have discovered the popularity of running a mid-week evening trial. Riders are able to manage their working day so that they can arrive at the venue by late afternoon and before the sun sets have covered several laps of a short course. The practice format seems popular so observers are not required and the event can be run with minimum of organising personnel. Sidcup run two of these events each year in June and July, the event last month attracting over 100 riders. Sections are of an easy nature and with suitable parental guidance this provides encouragement for the younger generation to enjoy a family activity. Computer technology has been with us for some time now and certainly with events of the past year online entry has become the norm. We have seen computer management of motocross and enduro events for a number of years and it is likely to spread to trials too, certainly for high profile championship rounds. Obvious advantages are the speed of production of results and the management of other useful data both for the organisers and competitors. Results can be obtained and displayed at the venue before the riders leave. Track racing by its very nature produces an instant result from a spectators point of view but here too, certainly from the organisers aspect, the use of computer technology cannot be far away. Continued overleaf
Cover Photo: Ryan Kinsley Photo by: Oddshots photography
Contributions in this issue: Alan Turner, Jim Connor, Mike Wiseman, Fraser Law, Roger Brown, Neil Emmott, Alan Critcher, Bob Brown, Tom Grimshaw, Mark Ridge, Neil Franklin Would you like to contribute? Please send to the editor, contact details on page 3.
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Centres Officials
O N T E NTS
Chairmen
Barham Charity Trial
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Practice Makes Perfect
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The Kent Musket Trial
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Tom's An Ace Man
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Tom's Racing Diary
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South Midland Centre MX Championships Round 4 at Long Buckby 10 Hookwood National Trial
South Eastern: Steve Moore Tel: 01483 486320 Southern: Bob Hewson Tel: 023 9259 2919
Secretaries South Eastern: ACU Main Office Tel: 01788 566400 admin@acu.org.uk South Midland: Terry Golds Tel: 01582 455714 Mobile: 07747 855264 21 Buckingham Drive, Stopsley, Luton, Beds, LU2 9RA email: terrylgolds@ntlworld.com Southern: Chris Fletcher Tel: 01256 242214 1 Fairclose, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7AN email: chris-fletcher@tiscali.co.uk
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History of Hookwood Trials Centre (Part 4) 14 Brown Sugar
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John Wright Trophy Trial
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Belle Trailors Ladies and Girls British Solo Trials Championship 18
Permit Secretaries South Eastern: ACU Main Office Tel: 01788 566400 admin@acu.org.uk South Midland: Ian Reynolds Tel: 0208 9079856 Mobile: 07803766314 186 Regal Way, Harrow Middlesex, HA3 0SQ email: reynolds.russell@virgin.net Southern: Claire Ballard Tel: 0118 343 3346 26 Droxford Crescent, Tadley, Hampshire, RG26 3BA email: ballardclaire@hotmail.com
Diary Dates
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The 2021 Timber Woods Long Distance Trial
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Battle Of Britain Grass Track (Frittenden 30th May)
South Midland: Dave Porter Tel: 01582 651189 22 Belper Road, Luton, Beds, LU4 8RG
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Southern: Terry Graves Tel: 02380 643503 13 Locksley Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 5DX
Iwade Celebration
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Kent Speedway – Life at Home
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South Eastern: Hazel Collins Tel: 01189 421534 14 Brookside, Calcot, West Berks, RG31 7PJ
Sammy Miller Museum
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Benevolent Fund Representatives
Rights of Way Officers South Eastern (Sussex): Bevis Billingham Tel: 01243 585128 182 Elmer Road, Middleton on Sea, Bognor Regis, PO22 6JA
Regulations Trials
South Eastern (Kent): Steve Neville Tel: 01797 458939 26 Donsmead Drive, Northiam, TN31 6EQ
Tenterden, 18th July Waltham Chase, 25th July Barham, 1st August Croydon, 8th August Hook Wood, 8th August Tenterden, 8th August Wickham, 8th August Double Five Kent, 12th August Waltham Chase, 29th August Isle of Wight, 4th-5th September Entry Form
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South Midland: Chris Hurworth Tel: 01494 446198 23 Cambridge Crescent, Totteridge, High Wycombe, HP13 7NE Southern: Martin Down Tel: 01264 365084 18 Barcelona Close, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1JQ. email: martin.down1@gmail.com
FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR (Continued)
We certainly like you to advertise your events with us each month but a little extra effort could be to your advantage. More
information about an event offers additional interest, encouragement for riders to enter, spectators to attend and possibly offers to help with
organisation. It can say more about who we are and what we do.
Barham Charity Trial
Q By Mark Ridge
Barham & DMCC will hold their Charity Trial on Sunday 1st August at Wingmore. This is in aid of The Pilgrims Hospice in Canterbury and Ashford. We will have four routes, White, Blue, Red and Yellow, we welcome Twinshock and Pre 67 and the routes will be set out accordingly. Regs are in this issue of TSM or you can enter online at www.ride-acu.uk. For more information about Barham & DMCC and their upcoming events go to their website: www.barhammotorcycleclub.co.uk
Practice Makes Perfect
Q By Mike Wiseman
Waltham Chase MCC are holding a weekday Practice Trial on Friday 9th July for Adult and Youth riders at Oakridge Copse, Alderbury, near Salisbury. The session is open from 1.00 pm through to 7.30 pm. You can turn up and leave at a time to suit your timing commitments. Riders will need to check in at the gate upon arrival. Waltham Chase Practice Trials are just like a
The Kent Musket Trial
Q By Nigel Franklin
It looks like we may have another two day trial to look forward to after the success of the first Bexleyheath DMCC Kent Musket Trial held at Horsmonden. It takes a great deal of work to put on an event and all credit to Rob Fleet and his
trial, but without any marking. There will be at least eight sections to ride with four routes. There are also areas for complete beginners to get to know their bikes, with experienced riders on hand to offer advice. Booking is through the ACU Portal with no on the day entry. Why a Friday? It frees up weekends for "Trials" and the Club has more well matured members than Youth riders!
team for putting on two days of well considered sections. In my opinion it certainly isn't easy getting the balance right (pun intended) making the three different courses challenging, but not so that a rider comes away with bruises to themselves, bike, and ego. Rob's heart must have sunk
when the heavens opened up during the Friday before the trial but again skilled judgement came into play laying out the course. I for one will be looking forward to next year's event and putting myself and bike through its paces.
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Eventual winner Adam Shipp is in the middle of this bunch of 250s
Battle Of Britain Grass Track (Frittenden 30th May) Q By Alan Turner The Frittenden & DMCC's popular Battle of Britain meeting took place at the regular Sandhurst Bridge Farm circuit. It was the first public South-Eastern Centre grass track of 2021 and crowded with race-starved spectators. With a 53-race programme in prospect and full fields of four solo and three sidecar classes, the practice sessions were still sorting out the optimum lines as the Frittenden grass had become wellestablished, unchurned by rubber for many a month. It took 46 races in dry, sunny conditions to clear the qualifying heats. Then it was time for a break for the scores to be counted, checked and the fields for the final races established. Although the 350s were first out, they were on the fourth leg of their competition. Mark Giles (Jawa) had two wins, but on the previous leg, Dave Mears (Jawa), back in action after a long recovery from injury, had kept 28
him at bay. The fourth leg became the decider. Mark made the front, Dave was oh-so-close for most of the four laps, but could not get past his long-time rival. Liam Ashcroft (Jawa) would have completed the podium, but Covid had determined: "No presentation ceremony". The 250 solos came to the line next. Each leg had required three heats and with very similar race times, it could have gone any way. While Chris Still, Cameron Taylor and Luke Harris had two heat wins apiece, Adam Shipp (Red Spanner JRM) with three heat wins, might have decided it was going his way, but he made a terrible start. Four laps was all he had and he picked off all those in front to Rob Heath/Kyle Fish just kept Will Penfold/ Ricky Pay out of the top slot in the Final
of Alex Balman/Mark Hopkins. Upright Solos brought the James Shanes goes round the outside of Charley Powell usual suspects to Frittenden as well as Jason Prynne (Antig GM) who made his long haul from Cornwall worthwhile as top qualifier with three straight heat wins. Veteran Bob Dolman was riding Barry Coates' BRM. There had been some good racing in the heats, especially the third leg where Bob Dolman finally came out on top of a three-way scrap with Mike Dowling and Tim Curnock. Jason Prynne suffered take the flag – just. His lap of honour earned mechanical problems for the final. Not for the enthusiastic applause as Cameron Taylor (RTS) first time, slow-starting Bob Dolman raised and Chris Still (Antig KTM) followed him home. the bar as he battled his way through the field The 500 Sidecars was anticipated to be finishing just in front of Rodney McDonald another instalment of the Mitch Godden/Paul (JHR GM) and Paul Knott (Godden/Gerhard). Smith and Josh Goodwin/Liam Brown contest. As a class, the 500 Solos did not get off to a They had met in the first heat, but a suspension good start. In the first heat of the programme, problem with Josh's outfit and engine problems James Shanes (RTS Tornado Jawa) was in his for Mitch saw the former retire and the latter usual full-on sideways mode when Martyn manage second behind James Hartley/Shay Sturgeon challenged on the inside, but came Minihane. With machinery sorted, separate unstuck on the pits turn and was hit by a heats gave Mitch and Josh two wins each in following rider. A hospital visit confirmed the two following legs. Who would take the Martyn had heavy bruising rather than broken final? Neither! Mitch soon pulled on to the bones. With no further major problems, the infield with problems, but Dan Berwick/Mark meeting had run briskly through to the finals. Hopkins, sixth and last qualifiers, had made a The half-litre class looked to be a straight fight blistering start. They took full advantage of the choice of line, Josh and Liam tried hard to find a way past, but Dan and Mark had the rhythm and took a very popular win. The left-hand sidecars were a slight anti-climax after a very ragged start. Will Penfold/Ricky Pay were getting to grips with a rebuild of one of the Penfold family's Godden Wasp outfits. Twice they had beaten Rob Heath/Kyle Fish. Martin Cuff/ Colin Clark had looked sharp, but mechanical problems caused their early withdrawal from the meeting. Rob Heath resisted constant pressure from Will Penfold and at the flag the two of them were way in front
Continued overleaf
Mark Cossar/Gareth Williams maintained this lead over Paul Whitelam/Richard Webb
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Mark Giles (126) and Dave Mears (19) between James Shanes and Edward Kennett (Hagon Jawa). When they met in the third leg James had claimed victory, but Edward had pushed him to the fastest time of the day. The only other heat winner was a rapidly improving Jake Mulford. As the tapes went up, it was Shanes and Kennett out in front on the top straight. Riding the outside, James went past Edward, but this took him wide and the notorious bottom bend into the start straight. He lost drive in the loose on the outside of the corner. Kennett and Mulford went inside and away. James set off in hot pursuit and went round Jake in the next corner. He was closing on Edward, but persisted in his wide line as Edward, in clear air, picked the optimal line around the track. Cheers from the crowd must have been almost audible to the riders. On the last lap, James made a bid into the last corner, hitting a bump unsettled the bike and
Iwade Celebration
To celebrate the Iwade 50th Anniversary there are plans to run a 4 Team Tournament series. It is hoped that covid restrictions will be lifted by the dates shown allowing spectators to attend. August 15th, October 3rd, October 17th All Rounds will have a 12.00 Mid Day Start In addition a special 50th Anniversary Meeting is planned for Sunday September 19th details of which are yet to be finalised and will be published in due course. Thoughts are also being given to the possibility of arranging the running of a Ladies Day event on the previous day the 18th. Past 30
he tried hard to come through on the inside, the bike picked up again and it appeared momentarily as if he was off to join the Headcorn-bound Spitfires that had overflown the course earlier in the day. Somehow, he held on and closed to within a bike's length of Edward. Jake Mulford in third was not that far behind. Unfortunately, Arran Butcher had fallen and sustained an elbow injury. Watching Right Hand Sidecars at Frittenden used to involve following the progress of Mark Cossar. Rarely quickest out of the trap, the entertainment came from seeing how long it took for him to get to the front. Usually, not long. This time's Battle of Britain was different, a master-class demonstration. With Gareth Williams now in the chair, they led every race from the first corner to the flag, setting the fastest times in each of their legs. The final was another tapes-to-flag ride, while Paul Whitelam/ Richard Webb tried, and tried hard, to find a quicker line to close the gap. Matt Fumarola/ Andi Wilson were having a better day than Colin Blackbourn/Carl Pugh while Neil Owen/Jason Farwell had struggled all day to persuade the Godden twin to follow their intended direction. To paraphrase Winston Churchill's original Battle of Britain quote: "Never was so much owed by so many to so few providing the entertainment." Hopefully, the unfortunate injured riders will soon recover. The only cloud on what was generally agreed to be a perfect day.
events have proved to be very popular and there will undoubtedly be a long waiting list.
Out of the start in Heat four - Left to Right: Paul Starke (Kent), Dillon Ruml (Plymouth) Ben Morley (Kent) Zach Cook (Plymouth)
Kent Speedway – Life at Home Q By Neil Emmott Kent Speedway finally got off and running again after 18 months away due to COVID on the late May Bank Holiday Monday with a National League Meeting against the Eastbourne Seagulls. 31-5-2021: The Kent Royals got off to a fairly slow start losing out in heat one to a 1-5 score deficit. It was not until heat 9 that the Royals were to record their first heat advantage. Slowly the gap closed and prior to the start of the deciding final heat the teams were level. The Kent Pairing didn't make the best start to heat 15, but a brave passing manoeuvre by Dan Gilkes to take lead on the penultimate lap saw the final heat tied at three points each. Final Score Kent Royals 45 - Eastbourne Seagulls 45. 08-06-2021: The Kent Kings had their first meeting at Home in the Championship, and to be fair it got off to a shaky start. The track conditions in the first two heats were tricky to say the least, and saw three fallers in these opening heats. Paul Hurry went down and out in the opening heat which saw the Kings get off to the worst possible start losing 1-5 in the points stakes. Heat two saw Glasgow's Jack Smith (son of legendary grass tracker Andy) fall on the entry to the pits turn and this left Kent's Dan Gilkes with nowhere to go except into the stricken Smith. Both were injured to the point where they could take no further part in the meeting. The track was heavily graded at that point and the racing was an instant improvement. Half way through the meeting Kent marginally lead the visitors from north of
the border, and the local fans believed history was in the making. However, the Tigers from Glasgow had other ideas and battled back and soon took charge of the proceedings. The Kings pairing of Scott Nicholls and Paul Starke battled hard, but in the end the Kings had to accept defeat. Final Score Kent Kings 39 - Glasgow Tigers 51. 15-06-2021: The Kent Kings faced off against the Plymouth Gladiators in the second home battle in the Championship and history was made. The Kings recorded not only their first Championship Home win, it was also their first Championship win. They got off to a slow start dropping points to the visitors from the south west in heats one and four. Being four points adrift by heat six a much-needed 5-1 advantage in heat seven made everyone believe the tide was turning. However, the Gladiators repaid their loss of points with a 1-5 reverse taking back the reins. It was heat ten before the Kings were able to turn it around again with heat advantages in all the remaining races except for two drawn heats. The Kings ran out eventual winners much to the delight of the home support. Final Score Kent Kings 49 - Plymouth Gladiators 41. 22nd June - No Home Meeting. 29th June - No Home Meeting. July Home Fixtures at Central Park Stadium – ME10 3SB Tues 6th July - Eastbourne Tuesday 13th July - Redcar Tuesday 20th July - Birmingham Tuesday 27th July - Poole 31
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