Classic racing at Donington 11th August

[Grumpy]

The CRMC ( Classic Racing Motorcycle Club) has their biggest meet of the year at Donington Park, on the 9th/10th and 11th of August.
Capo and I went last year and had a great day out.
Amongst the many bikes the, from ex factory 500 2 strokes to Norton singles,mixing in with the public where many stars from the past (Foggy,Whitham, Read etc)

This year there is the opportunity to visit the Norton Factory (see attached)

Who's up for it?

We can orginize to meet people on the way there, or if easier, in the event.


http://www.donington-park.co.uk/events/2013/08/09/classic-motorcycle-festival/

[utopia]

And the price of an advance ticket for the saturday or sunday seems very reasonable at £12.
There's a decent back route to Donnington from my house too.
I could do either/any day.

[popelli]

Ducati Owners club have a stand at this event

[Flip]

...I'm racing my little 250 Mach 1 there again.

It's going to be a cracker for sure.
There are over 40 CRMC races during the three days along with parades, static displays, trade stands and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight doing their thing as well.

I have just got my final instructions for the meeting and I have one race Friday, two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday so nicely spread out (I can give more details if there is anything specific anyone is interested in seeing).

I'm racing in class 3a 250cc Singles and my number is 76 so please feel free to pop along and find me in the Paddock although I can't offer much in the way of hospitality I'm afraid coz I slum it under canvas in the grassy bit .

The photo is of me at Donington last year going up the inside of Brian Foster (250cc Cotton Telstar) round Hollywood- I've got rid of the orange jacket now by the way!

[Grumpy]

...I'm racing my little 250 Mach 1 there again.

It's going to be a cracker for sure.
There are over 40 CRMC races during the three days along with parades, static displays, trade stands and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight doing their thing as well.

I have just got my final instructions for the meeting and I have one race Friday, two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday so nicely spread out (I can give more details if there is anything specific anyone is interested in seeing).

I'm racing in class 3a 250cc Singles and my number is 76 so please feel free to pop along and find me in the Paddock although I can't offer much in the way of hospitality I'm afraid coz I slum it under canvas in the grassy bit .

The photo is of me at Donington last year going up the inside of Brian Foster (250cc Cotton Telstar) round Hollywood- I've got rid of the orange jacket now by the way!

Will pop over and introduce myself

[Flip]

All welcome to pop along to say hello!!

A little update that may entice a few more along- here you can find a list of confirmed bikes and some of the people riding them:

http://www.crmc.co.uk/donington_classic_festival_bikes.htm

It will be a real treat if you've never seen or heard a Britten before along with of course the countless Nortons and the FOUR Honda sixes that will be there too.

Not forgetting the 40+ classic races over the three days too.

[Grumpy]

Thanks for the update on who's riding.
I was on the IOM in 94 when the Brittens raced....what a feast of sight and sound!
Hearing one run again will be a real treat. Plus the Honda`s....awesome.
If anyone is contemplating coming along, seeing a Britten in the `flesh` and running, along with a Honda 6 cylinder,its worth a day out, the sound is indescribable!

[Nottsbiker]

I'll be there! Have managed to blag me a free ticket from my photographer mate who's been involved with setting it up.

[Flip]

Just thought I'd pop this to the top again as it's meant to be fine weather I think and will be a great weekend of bikes, bikes and more bikes!!
Don't forget to pop along and say hello!!

[Grumpy]

What a great day out, thanks to Utopia and Capo for the company.
Here's a few pictures of the day.

[buzzbomb]

Nice pics James...:hail:

Any chance of a pic of the UKMOC reps in attendance...:scratch:

[Albie]

What a great day out, thanks to Utopia and Capo for the company.
Here's a few pictures of the day.

They are making those John Players again. Lots of money but hand built reps. Looked a great place to be.

[popelli]

great weekend battle of brittain flypast sounded great

[Flip]

It was a good Classic Festival all in all.

With so many changes made to my little Ducati Mach 1 including completely new suspension and a change from Dunlop to Avon tyres it was a steep learning curve as I hadn't ridden the bike since my last race at Snetterton September 2013 and I didn't have time for any practice before the meeting. On top of this and new for 2013 is the morning practice session is timed and determines the grid positions for the entire weekend.

So my first meeting without my orange bib went about as I expected with me battling around the back of the field with the faster 350 Goldstars and the two strokes clearing off into the distance along with the very quick riders in my 250cc singles class.

But the outcome was that after a couple of trackside adjustments, my bike is MUCH better than it was last season and all the work I'd done was worth it making a big difference leaving only me to get in some more time on the bike in the future to make the most of it.

I had a great weekend of racing the little bike- I still can't believe I'm out there doing it and only those that have raced a bike will understand the feeling you get from it- Try it you might like it!!

Here's a few photos from my weekend....

[utopia]

It was indeed a very good day.

I spent much of the day in floods of nostalgia for the bike race scene of the late sixties and seventies.
I didn't smell quite enough Castrol R, but apart from that the paddock had that same atmosphere, with bikes built on a more human scale and not all conforming to the same winning formula.
I consider myself fortunate to have been around to witness it at the time.

I was shocked to see how thin and spindly the forks looked on Paul Smart's 750 Suzuki 2-stroke triple.
The kind of thing you'd expect on a Chinese 125 these days.

I sneaked a few minutes out of bounds on the infield grass at Goddards, and I was surprised how much punch those old Manx Nortons had onto the start straight.

But the most haunting memory of the day was a complete surprise.
Watching the warm-up for the main parade laps, I realised that the guy in the Sheene helmet was his son, Freddie.
I've never thought he showed much likeness in the pictures I've seen, but it was definitely Barry's eyes looking out of that helmet.

Flip.... I did try and find you in the paddock a couple of times, but without success.
I think I spotted you in the warm up area though, and I considered flashing you a UKMOC card, but decided you'd be rather preoccupied at that moment.
But if you remember a guy with longish, straggly hair staring rather strongly at you, that was me.

Altogether a great day and I'd definitely go again.

[popelli]

you missed the glamour girls climbing all over the bikes in the club stand area

[Flip]

That'll have been the 'Lushhh' girls then!! (some of whom definitely were not!!).

They were next to us in the lower (grassy) paddock and were run by what can only be described as 'My Big Fat Gypsy Modelling agency'.

It was sooo laughable how the guys 'pimping' them had no idea about bikes and I think simply blagged their way into the event as they pitched up in the competitors area without any passes and then proceeded to try and get us to move from their 'reserved' area.