Classic conundrum

As you’ll see from my old mate Hamish Cooper’s report, elsewhere in this issue, another Island Classic has taken place in a land down under. Reading Hamish’s report it was a pretty exciting affair with close racing, lap records broken and a victory, once again, for the British team, despite the fact that the Brit captain is Irish. Reading down the leaderboard in the Match Races there are enough names to fill several Isle of MANTT and BSB podiums, with a Grand Prix winner and one of the brightest up and coming Aussie Supersport riders in the mix. Sound familiar? the burgeoning Classictt throws up a similar result, with current TT stars locking out the leaderboard on similar trick ‘classic’ superbikes as those to the fore down under. Big budget four-stroke Yamahas, trick ‘XR69 Suzuki’s’ and the rest. Interestingly, only the Americans seem to be playing by the original Island Classic format by fielding regular classic front-runners from the US, although their top man, Pat Mooney, is really a Brit, who had the sense to escape to the Sunshine State years ago. So what does this say, or more importantly do, for classic racing in general? top men who could get a ride on anything, anywhere, and likely get well paid to do it, nicking all the good bikes and, of course, the glory that goes with being at the sharp end. For me the answer to my question is obvious and clear to see. Why would these guys, all with big reputations to protect, risk being beaten by lesser lights? I’ll tell you why! Because they enjoy riding those old style monster superbikes. They love the laid-back atmosphere in the paddock, at both the Classic TT and Island Classic and, above all, they just love racing motorcycles. But for my money the most important aspect is the one that is completely missed by many armchair critics! What it does is make the mainstream motorcycling media, fans, and sponsors alike aware of classic racing. These two events do more to make the outside world aware of classic racing than a whole season of domestic classic action. In doing so it also makes the real world outside the somewhat insular classic scene aware of the young talent that exists in real classic racing. What young guns Richard Molnar, Levi Day and Alex Sinclair achieved in the support races showcased just how hard-fought real classic racing is, and what talent exists. Hopefully, they will have converted at least some of the mainstream media, fans, and sponsors to our world.