Classic Racer — September — October 2017

REGULARPADDOCK GOSSIP

12 ClassicRacer

TwoSuzuki

greatsfrom

differenteras:

JohnReynolds,

left, andMick

Grant.

Above: Themostunlikelygrid,

packedbyHondacommuters,proved

tobelaugh-a-minuteracing.

Right:It wasgreattoseeRon

Chandlerbackinactionafterhewas

t-bonedattheBonanzalastyear.

TheMogvinis arealpieceof

three-wheelhistory.

Evergreendoesn’treallydo

Grantiejustice!

Words:MalcWheeler

Photographs:BarryClay

PaddockGossip

CompiledbyMalc Wheeler//Sendyourclassicracingnewsto:

[email protected]

Withalltheelementsfora

greatweekendofmotorcycling

nostalgia,thesun-kissedMallory

Bonanzatickedall theboxesfor

thelargecrowdofenthusiasts

thatmadethejourneytothe

friendlyMidlandstrack.

Saturdaysawthequieterroad

machinesontrack,andtherewas

noshortageofpeoplewantingto

enjoytheshort, butchallenging,

MalloryParkcircuit,providinga

motorcyclinghistorylessonfor

thespectators.

Withnonoiserestrictionandno

chicanes,Sundaywasverymuch

acaseoffeelthenoise.Among

theinevitablefour- cylinderHonda

‘lookalikes’therewassometruly

historicraceware,nonemore

sothantheCagivatwo-stroke

fourfromDeanandMartyn

Simpkins’collection,whichTT

Riders’AssociationpresidentAlex

Georgeexercised,andtheoriginal

MVthree,fromthesamestable

thatDeangottogallopinthe

PastMasters’parade.Andwith

arelaxed,openpaddockthere

werestarsaplentyforthefansto

chattoandgettheirmemorabilia

signedby.

Addingtotheentertainment

wasaroundoftheBritishSidecar

Championshipformodernoutfits,

whichprovedagreatspectacle

inthecloseconfinesofMallory

Park.Andif thesidecarswhere

spectacular,theHondaStepThru

raceswereoffthescale,withone

formerGrandPrixrostrumman

describingthemasthebestpart

oftheweekend.

MalloryPark’sStuartHicken,

Natalie,andtheirsmall teamhave

doneagreatjobofcreatinga

realspectacleatoneoftheUK’s

favouritecircuits,whilekeeping

it friendlyandaccessible.Mallory

Parkreallyisthe‘FriendlyCircuit’.

Mallory’s

brilliant

Bonanza

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