Northwich Town Centre - Sunday May 7 - 2006
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From an organisers' point of view, dawn on Sunday 8 May did not look promising. Despite the forecast of glorious weather hail bounced off the car roof as we drove through the darkness to launch Thundersprint 2005.
Regardless of the weather, one of the great delights of the Thundersprint is the quality of the huge team operating behind the scenes. Security reported a quiet night and by 05.45 key officials were moving into place. Now, we merely had to get 206 racers and cavalcaders parked and ready for action!
Mark Edwards, and son Ian, unload in the dawn light - which proves that teenagers can move their arms and legs at 6am!
As usual, the co-operation from participants was outstanding. To state the very obvious, the Thundersprint is run in a town centre and we don't have the room, or facilities, of a dedicated race circuit. Therefore, we rely on everyone squeezing into every available space with good humour.
Our
technical team of Martin, Brian and Les
worked flat out on safety checks and reported that the
standard of bike preparation was the best they had ever seen. Yet more
thanks to everyone.
The eagle eyed Les Trotter gives James May's Moto Guzzi the once over.
By 08.30, the last machines were being checked and riders' briefing was beginning. Thundersprint 2005 was heading down the slipway!
Yet more thanks to everyone for your outstanding co-operation on two fronts. First, presenting track access bracelets for inspection - as you saw, our security staff were very zealous in this respect - and secondly, for stopping engines at the demarcation line on the track access road. Both these things are really big issues for us and your help is vital in enabling the Thundersprint to continue.
The ACU's Eddie Nelson, and the Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Racing Club, got practice off to a brisk start and to our delight, the new course was excellent to ride. It's always a big thrill - and a huge worry - designing something on paper and then seeing riders' happy faces when the drawings work in reality.
Yet more thanks go to Vale Royal Borough Council, and in particular their senior Civil Engineer, Don Paterson, for preparing the course so well. Don, Russ Washburn and the staff at the Northwich Depot really do toil behind the scenes to ensure that what is normally a public car park becomes a very respectable race track - and in less than 12 hours! How about an entry into the Guiness Book of Records for the fastest transformation of a town centre?
Behind, in front of and to both sides of the "scenes" was Vale Royal Borough Council's indefatigable Tourism Officer, Andrea Peattie, quietly fixing hiccups and lubricating the event gearbox with nothing more than a smile. It's a clever trick if you can do it - very few can!
Out of sight, but not out of mind, VRBC's Northwich supremo, Richard Hallows, silently pulled the levers of power which brought the whole operation into life.
Vale Royal Chief Executive Anne Bingham Holmes gives a warm welcome to Guest of Honour Jim Redman. It was Anne's determination to have a world class event for Vale Royal that brought the Thundersprint to Northwich in 2003.
What
was not so promising was the state of spectators who
were staggering into Northwich soaked and frozen. One ardent Thundersprint
fan had ridden from Warwickshire only to have to pull off the road at Middlewich
because the road was covered in hailstones. This was not what we wanted to hear!
Fierce
showers continued and this year looked like being the one where the Thundersprint
would be truly hit by the weather. Then, the sun came out - and the crowds poured
in. By the time practice had concluded, every part of the show was packed to capacity.
A cunning young Ollie Bridwell blagged Jim Redman's CR750 Honda for the cavalcade. Clearly, Ollie has an eye for quality!
We're not concerned about repetition when we offer more congratulations to everyone for getting ready for the cavalcade so promptly.
The Thundersprint cavalcade is one of the highlights of the event but it is a complex exercise which requires a huge amount of time, effort and goodwill from Cheshire Police.
Thanks to the co-operation of riders, and the superb planning of Cheshire Police, the cavalcade ran perfectly throughout the whole five mile long run.
The key reason for accurate timing is that the roads which we use are major routes within Northwich and must be closed to normal traffic for the absolute minimum of time. This means that at 12.00 the cavalcade has got to be ready to roll - and it was!
Cheshire Police were full of praise for every participant and we have had scores of letters from members of the public saying what a fantastic spectacle the bikes provide.
We are always reluctant to use the word "unique" but we don't know anywhere else you can stand on the pavement and wave to world champions riding GP bikes.
Derek Dearden,
who won the Motorcycle News competition to take part in the Thundersprint with
a Vale Motorcycles Kawasaki, and Ian Cargill on board his 250 Yamaha, round the
"Bull Ring" corner together.
As soon as the cavalcade had finished it seemed as if everyone in the North-West of England had descended on Northwich and it was boom time for traders.
By lunchtime, Northwich was packed.
Garry Gardiner - "The Voice of the Thundersprint" kept the fans entertained throughout the lunch-break and racers, cavalcaders and fans alike headed for the entertainment which now stretches for three quarters of a mile from one side of the town to the other.
Garry Gardiner - the Thundersprint's unique one man entertainment centre
Ailsa and John Booth sang, organised and generally made the fringe entertainment work for everyone. Thanks to Ailsa and her team.
And of course there were some activities which were pure Thundersprint. If the cavalcade is probably unique, traditional English Morris dancers lining up with racers in leathers has got to be a completely one off experience anywhere in the world.
No brolly dollies - but Chester Morris Men were a bigger attraction than the lycra clad ladies normally seen at bike races.
Then,
exactly on time, Squadron Leader Al Pinner
flew the magnificent Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight Spitfire into view - and the crowd went silent as Al
executed a perfect areoballetic display.
The only problem was that the grass got soggy from all the emotional tears as
he left!
Squadron Leader Al Pinner's personal Sunday classic transport. Al's son is a huge bike fan - sensible lad!
As soon as the Spitfire was out of sight, Captain Martin Jones, of the Salvation Army, gave the blessing for the Thundersprint and we were almost ready for action. Martin, and his wife Tina, are the unsung heroes of the Thundersprint and work tirelessly for the wider community in Northwich.
Martin organises all the charitable groups who work together at the Thundersprint. These are Northwich Ladies Circle, Northwich Rotary and Northwich Round Table. Together, Martin's team raised over £800.
By the start of racing at 1.30, spectator viewing was very tight. Vale Royal Borough Council had shipped in a number of grandstands and the grass banking was as popular as ever. Even so, Thundersprint fans who wanted a top spot needed to be there early.
Vale Royal Borough Council provided trackside grandstands which were packed to capacity all day.
The
Masterclass is always one of the crowd's favourites and a top line
entry saw Jim Redman in action on the Classic Endurance
Team's immaculate Honda CR750. Jim was going
for a win but on this occasion had to give
best to the immaculate bike, and riding style,
of Malc Wheeler who was riding the
ex-Derek Woodman Seeley Matchless.
Masterclass demonstration or riding skills by the master of racing - Jim Redman.
A jam packed Motorcycling Personalities class was worth coming to see if there was no other racing at the Thundersprint. A super-cool James May took home the award for most entertaining ride although James complained bitterly that he was handicapped by Eddie Nelson's refusal to allow him to race whilst smoking a cigarette. Even so, the sunglasses did look extremely cool.
James May, the coolest of cool Dudes, cruises his Guzzi round the Thundersprint cavalcade.
Far
less concerned about looking the part, and a lot more interested in going extremely
fast, was Vivaldi's Tristan Palmer. Tris was
adamant that he was just going to cruise round and wave to the crowd - all the
way until the start line. The lights went green and Tris turned in a blistering
time of 21.52 seconds closely chased by Peter Whitelegg
riding the ferocious Alto Performance Cagiva Raptor.
Peter Whitelegg wrestles Ben Shaughnessy's mighty Alto PeformanceRaptor off the line
The Vintage bikes always provide a superb display and were a wonderful contrast to all the high tech modern bikes seen in the "Motorcycling Personalities" class. Geoff Steele was smooth and polished celebrating 100 years of Velocette history on his immaculate KSS and
Barbara Coombes, who has won trophies in a huge range of different motorcycling disciplines, enjoys her ride on the lovely 1938 Triumph.
Robert Rushton had the fans cheering with his seventy years old Rudge Ulster.
A special word of thanks to all the vintage entrants for allowing us the privilege of seeing such wonderful old bikes in snorting, spitting, full race action rather than sterile, mechanical corpses in museums.
A race bike is nothing more than a collection of old metal if it doesn't race. Get them wound on!!!
Equally entertaining was the "Golden Age" class. Fastest overall was Graham Towne on his 1951 Tiger 100 which beat the unlimited class machines with an excellent time of 24.53 seconds.
Away from the track the action was just as hot. Shops were running out of food and Northwich was turned into a giant bike show with every inch of space packed with machines.
For one day in the year, Northwich is the bike city of the universe.
As
the "Golden Age" entrants made their way back to the paddock the first
of modern classics readied themselves for action. The 250 class always has some
nice bikes and committed riders. This year was no exception and making his Thundersprint
debut was Aleardo "Alex" Zaccheo who
had made the long journey from Switzerland
to race his little Suzuki.
The Thundersprint's newest fan is Alex Zaccheo from Switzerland who spent the whole weekend wandering around saying: "I just can't believe how big it is..."
But the hot rider was arch Thundersprint fan Peter Jordan who scorched round to win on his neat Royal Enfield four-stroke.
The Thundersprint crowd is always on the edge with excitement but a huge cheer went out when the 350 Classic class came to the line. The reason was Jaeson Caunce and his 350 Honda. Jaeson is simply incredible around the turns and twists of the Thundersprint course.
No-one was to be disappointed and Jaeson turned in one of the great performances of classic sprinting with a stunning time of 21.13 seconds - a full 0.39 seconds faster than Tristan Palmer.
There's only one Jaeson Caunce.
As one of the other top classic racers said: "If I could go as fast as Jaeson - I wouldn't want to. Jaeson is another class to the rest of us!"
We know what he means...
The excitement was still thick in the air when the 500 classics made their way down to the start line. This is always one of the most closely fought and competitive of all the classes and this year was no exception. Howard Ostle urged his beautiful B.50 through the trees and past the "Give Way" signs ( but didn't take them too literally!) to take the overall win from Manx GP and TT star Keith Heckles and his Manx Norton - an immaculate pairing in every sense of the word.
Keith Heckles provided the fans with a superb demonstration of classic riding skills of the highest level on his evocative 500cc Manx Norton
The
big classics are always a crowd pleaser and this year was no exception. Paul
Rushton took the honours on his totally macho Rickman Norton closely
chased home by Graham "Sprint Man" Legge and
his Triumph T'Bird. 
Thundersprint stars Graham "Sprint Man" Legge and Moz Baines. The Thundersprint wouldn't be the same without them.
Whilst American star Ken "Wheelie Boy" Hutchison fought the very lively "Historic Endurance Racing Team" Spondon to a solid third place.
We deliberately try to provide as much variety as possible at the Thundersprint and there's no bigger contrast between the big, heavy and very powerful classic "Unlimiteds" and the mechanical miniatures of the Lightweight and Ultra Lightweight classes.
These tiny bikes are mechanically sensitive and very challenging to ride and therefore the times they achieve are all the more remarkable. Michael "Seaweed" Johnson blitzed the opposition, winning from veteran all rounder Mike Coombes by over three seconds on his 200 Honda with Glyn Trevor third on his Ducati.
As the day wore on, the crowds became even more dense. Despite the best efforts of everyone at measuring the numbers the job became too much. Anne Bingham Holmes, Chief Executive of Vale Royal Borough Counci, said: "The truth is we don't know how many people have visited the Thundersprint this year. We are confident that we have had well over 100,000 guests - but beyond that we cannot accurately say. The crowd is simply too big to measure accurately.
"My Officers report that the whole of Northwich has been packed all day - and it still is now. We are delighted."
It's late on Sunday afternoon and still the crowds keep pouring in.
As
Mrs. Bingham-Holmes smiled at the masses, there was still more racing to come
with the sidecars providing the finale of a fantastic day. For many Thundersprint
fans, the highlight was the camaraderie shown to Belgian
sidecar racers Freddy Lambillotte and Philippe
Godin by local sidecar crew Graham Hilditch
and Tony Dalton. The full story is on latest
news. In essence, when Freddy's outfit broke down on the start line the
English team sportingly lent them their sidecar.
Graham and Tony then went on to take a closely fought second place behind the immaculate Morgan of Mike Guess and John Smith in their very fast Morgan.
To finish the day, Moz Baines and Peter Jordan took the award for the most committed ride in a lurid display of sidecar action in their "Big Wheel" Norton."
One day, Moz will have the Norton going in a straight line somewhere. Well, perhaps...
Moz Baines and Peter Jordan in typically lurid action. The pair deservedly won the award for the day's most committed ride.
From our point of view, Thundersprint 2005 has been the best ever.
Most importantly, we had zero accidents on the track, in the cavalcade or with spectators. We had the best racing provided by the highest quality entry we have ever seen at the Thundersprint and the best ever cavalcade. Our traders took the most money and wanted to re-book instantly for 2006. With the help of the weather, it was a cracking event.
Thanks to everyone for your help in making it all happen.
Contact us at: info@thundersprint.com
or 'phone us on 01928 740 498 between 9am and 8pm