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AltoVyrus - Thundersprint Bike Show - May 08
Northwich town centre was once again the focal point for the amazing Thundersprint. An ACU licenced sprint around a 1/4 mile more or less D shaped course held in a man made ampitheatre. The Thundersprint has always been interesting and fun for us as a team. From the first year we took part where we displayed a Laverda race bike in 2002 to the first Thundersprint held Northwich where we premiered the Cagiva Raptor 996. The success at the first event started us down a route we can still see flowing through the team today. Professional visual image backed up with doing the goods on the track. We have come a long way since the first rubber turned on the carpark surface. Now we are a fully sponsor funded race team, with ambitions and achievements way above our initial expectations all those years ago. I would have to say though we still feel a sense of pride to attend this meeting and to give something back to Frank and Carole who organise the event and who have stoutly supported us.
As an added bonus the Thundersprint organisers offered us the chance to provide Giacomo Agostini (15 times world champion) and Stephen Ladyman (ex minister for transport) with competition machines they could compete on track and also enjoy riding the cavalcade.
This meant a logistical headache as we would be taking 5 bikes (4 riders and a spare). Our new sponsor W. Gross main Vauxhall dealers in Northampton kindly came to the rescue and agreed to help us with a second van in the shape of a super huge Movano decked out in a racy silver (we will be getting a new van after the experience...bigger is better!). After an early start we arrived at the race paddock at 6.30 am in the morning and the entire team worked like Trojans to set up and get everything ready. Every bike had at least one mechanic and often 2 (these logistical nightmares are not possible with out the man power).
Giacomo was introduced to the team and in turn he was introduced to our Melissa and Wendy, who would look after him for the day. Melissa sticking to him as personal assistant armed with a radio and time schedule and Wendy supplying the refreshments for all the guests who attended during the day and acting as base control.
We decided to run the event like any other race event for us, using radios to keep in contact and everyone informed. We are glad we did as walking around an event with 130,000 people is no easy feat. Every where you look is a sea of faces.
We normaly attract a fair bit of attention but with the addition of a motorcycling superstar AND the Vyrus we couldn't move all day long. It was fantastic.
Champion gave us 2000 + free hand out postcards of really super quality...they were all gone by lunchtime and none were on the floor after the show. Giacomo signed countless number of them too for fans. Kriega also gave us handouts and they are all went by mid day. If you want to make an advertising leaflet with the Vyrus on it and the race dates please give me a call and we can give them away at the festival of 1000 bikes and other shows meetings we attend.
Phil and Pete walked the course with Giacomo and Stephen to show them the tight but interesting track. Giacomo was interested to find it really is a competitive meeting ...and Phil found out just how close the trees and crowd were. More like the TT course narrow than a Silverstone race circuit.
The bikes were wheeled down to the collecting area, riders inserted into leathers and now the first serious times could be taken.
The riders are collected in groups according to their category and then run in numerical order, Giacomo number 2 on our Alto MV Agusta, Stephen number 9 on the Alto Laverda, Peter number 23 on the fiery Alto Raptor he has made his own at this event and Phil number 34 on the new Alto Vyrus.
Each made 2 practice runs and although timed we didn't pay much attention as we knew times later in the day would be very different. A mean mix of adrenalin and competition is a wonderful stopwatch breaker, add 130,000 screaming, clapping and shouting fans only 2 metres away and its surprising we got a bike back in one piece as the riders nailed the throttle in competition.
Giacomo and Stephen ran around the cavalcade in front of half of Europe or at least it looked like that (see photo).
After another session of trying to keep fans and interested onlookers happy with autographs and pictures of the bikes we lined up in the collection area for the official photo sessions and Spitfire flypast....I want one!
The crowd had now swelled to 7 and 8 deep, fences being pushed, the sun shining and hot engines and tarmac. Being in the centre was always going to be a pressure cooker. The older stars obviously astounded at the numbers and remembering perhaps, days gone by....you don’t get events like this now, health and safety see to that and we know Frank and his team have a lot of hurdles to jump through to ensure they pass.
Jim Redman ex world champion lead away on his Honda but it was clear Giacomo wasn't going to just wave at the crowd...you cant take the racer out of them...and I for one don’t want too. It’s a great sight seeing racers come alive.
Giacomo finished 4th overall and not a shabby time, well what did you expect. Every one went home with at least one photo and I suspect a few more on Sunday night.
Stephen took it a bit more easy not wanting to go to the commons on Monday with a newspaper story and possible cast on his leg but still finished a creditable 10th, well done. I am sure we shall see more of this very friendly MP in the future at some of our events and it was a pleasure to look after him and his wife Janet for the day.
With the master class finished, our boys lined up with a more determined attitude. Like I said to them, any finish is ok providing we fill the top two slots! I dont think I needed to say anything...they had no intention of being beaten and the phrase "like a scolded cat" comes to mind. All wheelies and rear end slides, both riders put on a frankly stunning display. Each time the riders went faster the crowd shouted louder it was a sight to see and hear. The atmosphere simply cannot be described. It may be a strange setting, but the competition is real, the trees and proximity of the curbs are real, and the 130,000 plus people are real too.
Film crews, camera men, motorcycle magazines, and newspapers all snapped away as we do what we do best.......racing.
We finished:
- 1st : Vyrus and Phil Read
- 2nd : Cagiva and Peter Whitelegg
- 4th : MV Agusta and Giacomo Agostini
- 10th : Laverda 750 and Stephen Ladyman
....out of 150 odd riders.
Well done all both team and riders, you did a cracking job and we had a great time too.
