Weather
Top riders return for anniversary meeting
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Friday 4th Aug 2000.
MOTORCYCLE RACING
A UNIQUE treat is in store for bike fans at the Castle Combe Circuit's Fowlers Motorcycles Pro-Bike National meeting on August 12.
The rarest and most valuable bike seen at the circuit in its 50 year history will head a special TT Riders' Association parade and a packed 18 race programme.
The machine in question is the 1972 World Championship winning 350cc MV of multiple world champion Giacomo Agostini.
The seven speed, three cylinder machine will be ridden by its present owner, Mike Braid, from Surrey, and will lead a parade which includes another rare public appearance, that of Bill Ivey's Monard which has lain unused for 30 years. The machine was the one which established Ivey as a top rider.
Other notable machines and riders include ex-Honda rider, Tommy Robb on a Yamaha, Trevor Barnes on his ex-works Moto Guzzi, Terry Grotefeld, on his four cylinder Benelli, and race tester Alan Cathcart.
The racing revolves around the £60,000 New Era Superclub series incorporating a number of classes.
Major local interest centres on Keith Penny, from Frome, the current championship leader of the Pro-Bike Open class. Despite a 97 point lead in the big bike series, Penny will be glad his rival from the last round at Snetterton, Ben Wilson, has not entered this meeting, leaving him the opportunity to make an impressive showing at his local venue on his 1,000 cc Yamaha, sponsored by Hansom.
Other local entries in the Probike race include Barrie Middleton, from Trowbridge, Bath's Nigel Manning-Morton, and Chippenham's Mike Rostron, all on Yamaha 1000s. Malmesbury's Philip Gilder and Bath's Andrew Rhymer break the trend by riding a Honda 927 and a 750cc Yamaha respectively. Manning Morton also features in the Sound of Thunder.
Round six of the ACU Supermono championship race should see an exciting duel between Spencer Cook and Steve Marlow. The championship caters for pure single cylinder racing machines as long as they are four stroke. Otherwise, almost anything goes.
The Formula 600 races also feature a number of local faces. Salisbury's Joe Symonds is on a Honda, while Shepton Mallet's Kevin Hughes and Lydney's David Saxelby are part of the Beowulf Racing Team.
Formula 400 has three Wiltshire riders, namely Andy Everett from Crudwell and Darren Neal from Swindon on Suzuki 250s and Lee Tyack from Swindon on his Yamaha 400.
Melksham's Darrell Higgins should be a contender in the 250 Grand Prix class on his Yamaha 250 with other local riders including Martin Thrower and Tim Collins from Yeovil and Paul Gladwin from Wotton Under Edge.
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
