Racing classic motorcycles with the Lansdowne
Melting Mallory
The Stan Woods Trophy was the second round of the Lansdowne Championship and took place at a sweltering Mallory Park on 13th June. Organised by the ‘Classic & Modern Motorsport Club’, this one day car event saw the circuit prepared how it was designed to be with no chicane or Bus Stop. The full entry with reserves were in fine fettle with banter aplenty and the subject of noise, sshhhhh! high on the agenda. Most arrived Saturday evening and the group barbie was called into action to complement the drinks.
Sunday is Funday
First call was noise testing, a torrid affair for some, with a concoction of ideas fixed to the silencer to knock a couple of dB off. Seb Perez making more visits than most, with plumes of fresh silencer packing snowing from the ’zorst on his final successful visit.
Finally, with everyone through the sshhhhh-test, next up came the ten minute qualifying. This saw a sweltering hold-up in parc fermé as cars left the track, an unfortunate ritual after each call, before we could ‘lay some rubber’, so to speak. Our Avon tyres resembled chewing gum but still performed amazingly well for such skinny tyres. Everybody soon picked up pace as the session progressed with first reserve and current Lansdowne Champ Peter Bardell posting a 54.440 on his Ripley Land G50 to take pole over Lansdowne ‘virgin’, the very impressive, David Tetley looking at one with his Manx Norton.
ACR’s Sam Clews had an unfortunate off at the end of the session when a broken rear wheel spoke punctured the tyre as he powered around the fast ’Devil’s Elbow’. But, he did enough to slot in third just ahead of Michael Russell also from the Championship class.
Matthew Hebb found Mallory to his liking in the WRR class 0.033 ahead of Tony Perkin, both Manx mounted, posting a 56.002 lap and taking fifth and sixth on the grid ahead of BSB/TT legend Michael Rutter in seventh, out on Richard Adams Manx for the day. Eighth place saw the flamboyant Fernando Mendes riding the wheels off his Gold Star like he does, just making it work.
John Lee Pemberton made a welcome return to Lansdowne action placing just ahead of Duncan Fitchett. In eleventh saw a hapless Ian Bain have his contact lenses catch the wind and leave him riding by instinct/brail ?
Race one
Muffled music filled the air as the Lansdowne pilots gathered in the oven (erm parc fermé), attracting maximum heat clad in black leather and helmets whilst marshals ushered in the remains of the previous car race. Grid positions taken and a warm up lap to ready the riders, a drop of the union flag had the thumping British iron thunder down Kirby Straight. David Tetley headed the mass entering Gerrards Bend, each rider vying for position as they pilled on the power through one of the best corners in British racing.
Duncan Fitchett also making the most of a good start looked hungry, even though a little rusty as first time out in along time. Peter Bardell was to charge through the pack to mount a challenge at the finish but DT held on to cross the line by a nose. Sam Clews was next over the line riding Andy Clews’ G50 for the first time from first WWR runner Tony Perkin who put advice from Stan Woods to good effect. Mike Russell kept second WRR runner Mathew Hebb honest in fifth place, a great ride from Matthew and a real challenger for the Championship. Ian Bain, Robin Stokes and Andy Hornby had a right ding dong all crossing the line covered by a blanket, great racing!
In fourteenth and first in the pre-55 Championship was Ben Kingham on his superb Vincent beast, which is some achievement to put one over Mike Farrall on his super-quick Rudge who followed Ben home less the a second behind. Steve Linsdell took third place in the pre-55 on his well presented Royal Enfield. The 350 class had a run away winner in David ‘Dad’ Hebb, a classy ride showing a few of the 500s the way home, whilst the wonderful Cliff Ransley held a spirited AJS mounted Mick Baldwin at bay to take runner up spot.
Race two
Hot, Hot, Hot! roaring away at the drop of the flag, a couple of laps in saw two riders buffing the tarmac with their butts exiting the hairpin, the red flag came out and the field again took their positions on the grid. I noticed my back brake was detaching from its mount and was able to remove the whole thing and hand it to a marshal – much to the quizzical amusement of Robin Stokes beside me.
The re-start saw one man had one thing in mind. The ‘Smiling Assassin’ Peter Bardell was on a mission and this time he was not to be denied taking the win from that man Tetley who was suffering arm pump whilst maintaining a healthy pace just staying ahead of Mike Russell. Meanwhile, BSB star Michael Rutter started to click with the Manx just holding off Duncan Fitchett’s beautiful Baird Manx and a flying Matthew Hebb as he sealed the WRR win from the incredible Fernando Mendes on his Goldie wringing every ounce of oomph out of it’s power-plant.
Tony Perkin held off Robin Stokes even when retaking Robin at the hairpin on the last lap had the front brake fade and as both ran right to the outside of the corner, good understanding of each other, and Robin clocking the removal of the brake saw us safely exit with me just holding Robin off at the line. Next over the line was the current WRR Champ Chris Bassett, salvaging points after a DNF in the first race. Ben Kingham again just managed to keep Mike Farrall’s galloping Rudge at bay for a double class win with some great control of his big V-twin. Seb Perez, Steve Parrott, Ian Lucas and Harry Cole had a good mid pack battle.
It was great to see Andy Hornby back in a Lansdowne race, and he hopefully enjoyed his battle with Ken Perch and Stuart Tonge. David Hebb was another to take a double win, this time in the 350 class chasing Angela Cragg on her Domiracer. Jimmy May took a deserved third in the pre-55 class leading home second 350 in class, Mick Baldwin, rounding out with Tony Hazeldine riding the second Domiracer in the field.
To round up
Thanks to the incredible Sally Russell for once again organising a fantastic event. To our hosts the ‘Classic & Modern Motorsport Club’ for a great meeting, to all the marshals, Red Cross and scrutineers Andy and Shelagh Reynolds. Last but not least all of the sponsors. The weather has been booked for the next round at Cadwell Park 17th-18th July, enter now to secure your place. See you there!
Photography kindly supplied by Peter McFadyen
2021 calendar
7–8 May • Oulton Park
13 June • Mallory Park
16–18 July • Cadwell Park
31 July–1 August • Donington Park
21–22 August • Castle Combe
2–3 October • Croft
20 November • Awards Dinner & Presentation
