. . . . . . . . . Is just about here. It is on the weekend of February 2nd and 3rd and this years theme is to acknowledge the racing success of riders and machines, organisers, machine builders and even spectators that have been involved with the Classic Racing Register over the past 40 years. An important event that should not be missed. Having attended all the meetings either as a competitor or a spectator I have always enjoyed myself and I don’t expect the 40th to be any different.
So perhaps it is timely to post a brief report with some interesting photographs on last years event just to get you all keen for this coming weekend. (Knobster jokingly suggested that we use last years photos for this year and see if we can blag our way through it. What a guy!!)
Last years meeting was the celebration of the life of Geoff Perry, son of an equally successful racer and past club patron Len Perry. Just like his father, Geoff was a very talented racer whose life tragicly ended in the early 1970s in a plane crash in the US. Len always said that he would to see Geoffs Suzuki sounding off around Pukekohe once more. Just a shame that he was not around to see it, especially with the introduction of the newer Post Classic machines.
The prospect of some rain over the weekend may have kept a few away but then there are always the keen ones (or silly?) who will not be put off by such unconfirmed threats. However, a weekend event it may have been but Saturday rain did eventuate with racing pretty much washed out due to water pooling on the track causing concern for the track marshals who were worried over safety from aquaplaning. But Sunday, well what could one say? Cloudy skies, warm with occasional sunny bits and no real rain, just some light showers falling after 2pm.
With Saturdays rain issues we were not sure how the racing would be run on Sunday, if some of the classes would be combined to make up for Saturdays loss however what ever was done worked and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.
There were some regular South Island competitors noticeably absent, no doubt because of the Burt Munro Rally and competition events happening the following weekend. To compete at Pukekohe one weekend and then at the Burt Munro the following weekend would definitely be a Munro Challenge.
The girders were well represented, although there could have been more, and as in true vintage style we photographed them in black and white (well actually in colour but with the press of a button, well its just magic). Some things do look good in black and white.
And now back into the modern world with colour.
Pre War racers looking determined.
Knobster displaying his rather handsome chest with a trial Barnstormers T shirt. He has said that regrettably copies of his (wo)manly chest displaying the T shirt are the sole property of Mrs Knobster.
General racing of a mixed variety helped keep the spectators entertained. It can never be said enough that our sport is definitely entertaining.
And then there were the sidecars. These racers always provide a good spectacle for the public and with the newer corners in the back straight you can get closer to the racing.
Did this racer really need 2 swingers?
No 551. A interesting sidecar. Built in the early 1990s by Bruce Chapman it is powerd by a 800c 4 cylinder OHC Coventry Climax engine that was originaly fitted to a fire pump. Transmission is a 4 speed AMC gearbox. The machine seemed to suffer a few problems of overheating over the weekend but sounds nice on full throttle.
A not so little Miss McSnippy was quite surprised having looked at some of the photographs that yes there were women swingers. Although not keen to try this type of sport herself she did express admiration for these competitors.
BSA Broken? “Mmmm, do you think chewing gum will fix that?”
BSA #141 – A beautifully prepared little BSA 350 short stroke (or perhaps a 250?) based around the ever popular Gold Star models.. Skillfully made alloy petrol tank, seat unit, fairing and primary chain guard adorned this machine. Perhaps the most intriguing addition would be the external flywheel fitted to the outside of the engine drive sprocket. This most likely indicates radical shortening of the stroke of the motor to allow a bigger piston to provide an engine with over square dimensions. The shortening of the stroke can cause the piston to hit the crankshaft, so the outside diameter of the crank has to be reduced and the loss of this weight is replaced by the external flywheel. This was the sort of experimenting that BSAs designer Roland Pike experimented with while working at the BSA Works in the 1950s. To learn more about Roland and his amazing ideas just google him.
So, after all that, are your juices bubbling? Do you feel the need for a motorcycling fix? The gather your friends, family, and head on down to Pukekohe Park Raceway for another enjoyable time this coming weekend. We might see you there.