56 |AUTUMN 2019
Forthe competitive element thereisalsoashort
circuit grasstrackonthe Fridayevening which
oftenprove sinterestingthanks to the virgin grass
being like ice, whichsharpensthe reflexes and
gets everyone readyfor theracingonSaturday
and Sunday.
The racingwas slicklyorganised atthis year’s
event, withthe riders for thenext race linedupon
thestart line asthe current race wasfinishing, this
meant therewas littlebreak in the action–except
for lunchofcourse–providing spectators withafull
dayofaction.
If you’ve not ventured intothe Dumfries and
Gallowayarea, we atCDBsuggest thisevent is
one to mark onyour calendarfor nextyear.
As we go to presswedon’thavethe actual
dates as the clubisstill discussing things with
Drumlanrigbut it isexpectedto bearoundthe same
time in 2020.
Guest of honour
TheGallo wayMCC have embracedthe‘Guest Star’
theme and doneit well.For thefirst event there
wasUK’sGraham Noyce,last year therewas USA’s
Brad Lackey and for2019multi worldchampion
Heikki Mikkolawasatthe track.AKA The Flying
Finn, Mikkola hails fromFinland,acountrywith not
ahugepopulation butone which seemstoturn out
motorcycle worldchampionsatregularintervals and
notjust inMX.
Mikkolahasfourchampionshipstohis name
–three 500ccand one250cc–and hasachieved
success withHusqvarna andYamahamotorcycles.
He proved an amiableand popularguestand
embraced the attention fansandfellow racersgave
to himand smiled all the while as he autographed
petroltanks,memorabilia,hats andthe like. We have
it on good authoritytoo thattherewas standing
room onlywhenJohn Moffat interviewed Heikki in
themarquee onSaturdayeveningwhensomeracing
tales whichcouldn’tbetoldatthe timewere ableto
be disclosed...
7:Dunfermline’sCraig
Smithbattles through
theflyingmudas
hebeginshis power
downthedropand
intotheturnwhich
leadstothestart
finishstraight.
8:Thereare mini-
bikesandreallytiny
bikes...CecilPearson
hadanewframe
made forhisJAP
MXerandthetube
artistemadeanexact
replicaforthePearson
mantelpiece.
9:Closeactionsuch
asthis typifiedthe
keennessofthe
competitors. ‘0’isCraig
FarisfromAustralia and
he’sgettingoutsideof
MarkGledhill.
10:Amatefromthe
olddaysinAberdeen,
DavyDonald,shouted
“that’sright,walkpast
me...”fromthedepths
of hisracetent. The
KTMhadbeenrebuilt
forDavyand whenwe
sawhimonthetrackhe
wasputtingittogood
usetoo.
11:Nextlapwecaught
Craigonhisown...
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