Oliver’s Mount comes back to life
Bikers flood back to legendary seaside venue
Road racing returned to Scarborough in sensational style last weekend as an estimated 15,000 fans descended on Oliver’s Mount for the Barry Sheene Classic. The atmosphere along the famous banking was charged with excitement throughout the day, fuelled by spectators eager to inhale the aroma of Castrol R and immerse themselves in the ear-splitting symphony of screaming two strokes and thundering superbikes. Famous names in attendance read like a who’s who of road
racing legends past and present – from John McGuinness, Dean Harrison and Lee Johnston to Jamie Whitham and Carl Fogarty to name but a few – all of whom took to the track for some thoroughly crowdpleasing parade laps. Perhaps most significant among them was one of the sport’s most enduring heroes, seven-times TT winner Mick Grant, who not only scored 22 victories at Oliver’s, but also made his debut here 50 years ago in May 1969. Mick, together with Eddie Roberts and Andy Haynes, stepped in after the tragic events of the 2017 Gold Cup to save England’s only street circuit from extinction. MCN caught up with him on Sunday afternoon to ask if it was mission accomplished. “We never expected this,” laughed a jubilant Mick Grant on Sunday. “It’s absolutely brilliant. We’ve had 12 months of really hard work and it’s just come together for us. It’s been fantastic.” Oliver’s Mount’s new licensees can now look forward to a freshly rejuvenated Gold Cup in September.
‘We’ve had 12 months of really hard work’