CLASSICRACERANGLO-SCOTTISHPRO-AMCHALLENGE
76 ClassicRacer
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blanketsportscoverageonSaturdayafternoonsprevailedontwoofthem,
it’slittlewonderthatwhenITVdecidedtobeamtheYamahaRD 350
Pro-AmChallengeintomillionsoflivingroomsaspartofitsWorldofSport
programme,theriderswouldbecomehouseholdnames.Words:LarryCarter
Pictures:BonnieLaneR
enownedforits all-action,
fairing-banging stylethat pitched
establishedprofessional riders
(the‘Pros’) against risingstars
(the‘Ams’) on identicalRD350LCYamahas,
withkeys drawnout of ahat, the simple yet
brilliantconceptofthe Pro-AmChallenge is
still talked about30-oddyears later.
Someof thosenames backinthe early
1980s went on to becomeglobal stars, none
moresothan acertain DamonHill, whowas
one of the earlyprotagonistson twowheels
and,ofcourse, whoreplicated hisfather
Graham’sachievementof becoming F1 World
Champion in 1996.
Theidea wasreintroducedin2015to
provide anew,albeit classic angleto the
support packageat the British Grand Prix at
Silverstone, wherebythe nostalgic element
provedhugely successful withfans as
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agoreturnedto thetrack.
ChrisHerring,long-timeenthusiast who,
atthetime,wasworkingfortheCircuit
ofWales,theowneroftherightstothe
BritishGP(that’sanotherstory...!)fondly
rememberedtheoriginalseriesandcameup
withaplantoaddsomethingabitdifferent.
DarylYoung,ofIDPMoto,wasgiventhe
unenviabletaskoffindingandrestoring 30
RD 250 LCsinjusteightweeks.
“Chriscameupwiththeideaafterafew
beersandacurryonaFridaynight,”says
Daryl.“Wewereintheprocessofbuildinga
2015 versionoftheLC,sowestartedonthat
andChristhoughtit’dbegreatifwecouldget
afeworiginalsonthegrid,sobeforeIknew
it,weweresourcingbikesandtheSilverstone
racewastakingshape.076 Pro Am_SEP.indd 76 27/07/201709:07:53