New Photos Added 29th June 09
New photos available on the Photo Gallery Page. Thanks to Derek Gallon of www.djg-photography.co.uk and Russell Lee of http://www.sport-pics.co.uk/2009gallery.htm Hats off to both of these guys as they spend all day track side to bring some of the best action shots around in Motorcycle Racing check out their sites to view thousands of photos from the world of classic racing.
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Donington write up now on the Diary Page
Well we made it back from an exhausting weekend of fast and furious action on the track. One of the highlights of the weekend was lining up 18 Triples on Saturday evening from the UK and Europe for a photo shoot. I've posted some video of this on the Video Page and there is a full write up on the weekends events on the Diary Page. Watch out over the next couple of days for all of the photos coming on the Gallery Pages.
Donington Park Revival Meeting 19th - 21st June
In this Golden Jubilee year for the Norton Owners Club, Norton Day is part of the Donington Park Revival weekend which features vintage racing by the CRMC on the Saturday and Sunday, preceded on the Friday by The Unapproachable Norton event. Check out their websites for more details but the treat on Friday is a zero noise limit day so everything Norton from 1903 to 2009 will be running around the track and paddock including the new NRV588. This should be the bike that Michael Dunlop is running in the TT fingers crossed as you may spot him on track....
The program for Chris over this weekend is a couple of practice sessions on the Friday with 4 races on Saturday which will be the 1300 Classics (7b) and the 1300 Post Classic (8a) followed on the Sunday with 2 races, the 1300 National (7c) and the CRMC Classic Open (14a) which Chris is currently lying in 2nd place. We are being joined again by Patrick Banfield and Gary Coward running their ex Haylock 750 North's which means an extra couple of races on the Saturday and possibly another race for them on the Sunday.
ATTENTION TR3OC RACERS.......
During the Donington Revival Meeting I would like to try and set up a photo session in Pit Lane on the Saturday straight after racing for TR3OC Members and their racing machines, if your going to be around then ping me an email john@k21.co.uk or catch me in the pit / paddock area during Friday or Saturday and I'll let you know times etc!
Look forward to seeing you all there...... John
British Super Mono Series
16th
of May whilst Chris and I were racing down to P&M's with the gearbox
in bits Andy Driver (TR3OC) was racing at Cadwell Park on his Road
Based Skorpion 760 in the British Supermono Series. We would just
like to say a huge CONGRATULATIONS on Andy's first class win. Andy
has been developing the bike over the last 2yrs and his hard work
looks to be paying off.
It would have been great to be there with "Billy No Mates Driver" as when we spoke on the phone he was drinking the celebratory champers all to himself. (Greedy Bugger) We keep leaning on Andy to get hold of a triple and join us on the classic circuit as we all feel he'd be one of the quick boys but in the meantime well done mate and we look forward to having a beer if you manage to get up to Donington or Brands.
Andy Driver with Mike (Spike) Edwards
Darley Moor 16th / 17th May
Well we finally lost the nice weather for this weekend as the heavens opened and stayed open for the duration.
The weekend was interesting as Gary Coward joined us. Gary is another prodigy from the TR3OC Beezumph track days and has decided to start racing with one of the ex - Haylock 750 Rob North's which is the sister bike to Patrick Banfield's machine, and quite by accident Patrick joined us which meant the 2 Haylock machines were re-united and on track together again.
A full report is now up on the Diary Page where you can read all about blown gearboxes and the hero's from west London.
Chris's North followed by Gary Coward's and Patrick Banfield's ex Haylock Machines
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Race 2 Video from Brands
Check out the video page to see the latest from Brands Hatch
New photos on the Photo Gallery Page
I had some feedback that Mac / Firefox users could not see the photo galleries, hopefully bug now fixed....
2 New Videos Added
2 new videos have been added to the video page which included some highlights of the 1st CRMC meeting of 2009 at Pembrey and Race 1 of the 1300cc Classic Open from the BMCRC (Bemsee) Centenary Meeting at Brands Hatch where Chris finished a very respectable second.
Bemsee Centenary Meeting at Brands
18th / 19th April. We booked this meeting just to get some extra competitive track time, and guess what! Only 2 races but 2 second places. Well done Chris and all concerned, What an absolutely FAB weekend. More on the Diary Page....
Pembrey & Sun, Sun, Sun....
The weekend of the 13th / 14th April was all blue skies and sunshine although bl###dy cold at night (must have the caravan for Darley Moor) The bike ran fantastically but discovered the fatter rear and rear tyre needs a good hard first lap to get some temperature into it..... See Diary Page for full report.
2009 Season Underway
April 20th
Well 2 weekends = 4 race days + 1 track day with the sun shining, whatever next!! The 2009 season looks like it's getting off to a nice start.
Tuesday the 7th we headed off to Brands Hatch to give the bike it's first run and shakedown since the rebuild, Chris had been burning the midnight oil for a couple of weeks spending most nights at the Hotel P&M and finally finishing the winter rebuild on Sunday leaving only 5 days before the first CRMC meeting at Pembrey.
Check out the Diary Page for more info on the track day and subsequent race meetings........
New Race Date
Chris has just booked to race at Brands Hatch in the British Motorcycle Racing Clubs Centenary Meeting on the 18th / 19th April. Chris will be running in the Classic Open 501- 1300 cc which should see a great line up of bikes from North's through to Sealey commandos, Vincent's etc! The class is open to bikes over 501cc manufactured between 1930 to 1974.
Race entries are now in for the CRMC events. Chris will be running in 3 championships 7B / 8A and the 1300 Nationals along side this there are a few feature races which means an average of 9 races per weekend (Busy Busy). Check out the Calendar Page for more details.
Bike Update
The North is still a regular visitor to it's second home over at P&M's but it is now starting to look like a race bike again with the rebuild nearly complete. Chris is hoping to get it over to Mallory before the end of the month for a good pre season shakedown, a full report from Chris is due soon so watch this space to learn of the changes to his machine that have taken shape over the winter months.
Croft Cancelled
Unfortunately the CRMC meeting at CROFT has been CANCELLED due to the outcome of the circuit owners loosing their appeal in court. (see story below) The CRMC has not been able to find a suitable venue to replace the August meeting but are organising a track day at Snetterton on the 16th August.
The only upside to this situation is that Chris may now make it to Cadwell for Beezumph 18 however the real downside is which circuit is next on the noise complainers hit list !!!!!!!
The Future of British Motor Racing Circuits !!!!!!!!
Croft racing circuit has been ordered to pay $1.2m after being found guilty of noise pollution. The ruling could result in the closure of the facility and could have knock-on effects on other racing circuits in Britain. This is disheartening considering that several UK circuits have court cases pending. The main point of this is that British Common law is based on precedent and legal decisions affect the law that is applied in future cases. If such a decision were to be applied to Donington Park there could be dangers for the British GP, British Superbikes and of course events such as run by the CRMC.
To read the full stories on this decision follow the links below:
Local Newspaper The Northern Echo Report CLICK HERE
The original Court Case Click Here
The LOST Appeal Click Here
As fans of Motorsport we find the decision to not allow the track owners to take this to a higher appeal court disgraceful. Our feelings go out to CROFT-PROMO-SPORT Ltd and hope that the circuit may continue to hold race meetings for years to come, however knowing how the the British IN Justice service works we must be prepared to see a number of circuits close during the coming seasons.
2009 Season Nearly Here
This season I am focusing on the CRMC Events and running in at least 3 different championships. If time and funds permit I would love to have a crack at one or two of the VMCC Events as they are running some different circuits to us this year.
I would like to thank everyone for their help and support during my Rookie Season in 2008 and look forward to seeing everyone again this year.
John Mitchell has given the web site a spring clean and I think you'll all agree it looks great with even more content than before. A couple of new pages have been included such as the page for the Trident & Rocket 3 Owners Club of which I am a long standing member. This years Beezumph looks like being another great weekend and if you don't own a triple don't worry all you need is an interest in classic bikes to attend. Keep an eye on their page for details.
I am very grateful to the club and a number of the members for offering me fantastic support with my newly found racing career, Cheers guys and hears to a brilliant 2009.
Bike Update
The Rob North is going through some changes at the moment, as some of you know the bike was producing a low down engine vibration at high sustained rev's which resulted in many cracked front exhaust pipes. P&Ms sorted the pipe problem out by converting them to being spring loaded but the vibration was still there.
So this winter it's a total strip down and get the crank re-balanced so I though well might as well take her up to high compression. This is quite an undertaking as it not only requires a whole load of expensive engine work and bits but a different swinging arm, wider rear wheel for the dry and so on and so on and so on. The guys at P&M are really good at what they do which is basically point at the bits that I need to work on and LOL. So I have now installed a hammock in my second home (P&M's Workshop) and my social life seems to consist of making Richard and Vampire Dave cups of tea.
Once the bike is finished I will give a full update and spec list and with a bit of luck I can get over to Mallory for a track day in March and give the North a good pre-season shakedown before lining up for the first start of the season at sunny Pembrey over the Easter weekend.
CRMC Classic Racing & Motorcycle Club
If you haven't come across the CRMC before then you don't know what your missing. The club organises 7 very full race weekends throughout the UK. With up to 42 races, many practice sessions and several classic parades the weekends have plenty to offer the classic bike enthusiast. Check out the Calendar page for this seasons dates.
Whether your love is a Manx Norton or an early TZ there is plenty of action to get the old adrenalin going. One of the main spectator features at the club meetings is an open to public pit and paddock area which allows you the spectator to get up really close to both racer and machine. If you find yourselves wandering around the pit area you will also discover how friendly everyone is and they will even give you the time for a chat. You will find some very serious and famous machinery scattered around which is usually being ridden by a famous name from years gone-bye.
The racing itself is magnificent and equal to some of the closest action in any of the main formulas that exsist today. Watching the guys like Mike (Spike) Edwards battling it out with the likes of Lee Gourley, Gary Twaites and co, is a real memorable treat and between them they help recreate some of the very historic styles from when motorbikes were motorbikes. For all you folks who prefer 3 wheels on your bikes then the classic sidecar races are a must, competitors travel from all over Europe to compete in this exciting series, lots of action and lots of spins.....
So if you want a great affordable weekend out for all of the family then check the clubs web site for ticket details and info, You won't be disappointed. www.crmc.co.uk
Happy Camping
- Well I am starting to feel like a clubman racer now as I've just bought a caravan and thanks to the help of Paul and Tony Potter will be cutting a Bl***y big hole in the back to keep the North snug and warm during trips to the circuits.
- Don't worry as the Punch and Judy tent will still get an airing and we have been Sloeing some Gin for the summer months.
See you all on the track at Easter, Chris
