A PACKED SCHEDULE

The CRMC’S 32-race programme provided the perfect complement to the Donington Classic Motorcycle Racing Festival, where Graham Lawlor and Pete Morris were on hand to enjoy the spectacle alongside a big turnout of race fans.

1. A star is born. Sixteen-year-old Joe Woodward (158, MT125 Honda) caught the eye with three wins ahead of a quality field in the 125 Piston-port category, including the Gerald Davison MT 125 Challenge Trophy. Not altogether surprisingly the talented Leicester youngster earned Saturday’s Rider of the Day award.

2. If anyone out there still thinks classic racing is slow and uncompetitive just look at this! Richard Molnar (Molnar Manx) leads the Minnovation G50s of Joe Barton and Lee Hodge during their pulsating ACU Classic 500 battle. Barton eventually edged Molnar out by just 0.37 seconds in a thrilling finish.

3. Steve Parrish on the Minnovation/acu Classic 500 podium between winner Joe Barton and third place finisher Lee Hodge (both Minnovation G50). Richard Molnar (left, Molnar Manx) looks pretty happy with second place after his previous round DNF and an earlier crash here.

4. There was much excitement when Bruce Anstey announced that he would be making his racing comeback here on the Padgetts/ Milenco RS250 Honda after two years of absence through illness. Although only needing two steady rides to get the vital signatures for the Classic TT the Kiwi just couldn’t resist giving it a good go and enjoyed two strong second places behind Lee Hodge’s Minnovation TZ750.

5. Saturday’s second Classic 500 race saw a great Goldstar scrap between Ady Armson (36), Steven Hands (142) and Andy Guy (11) in soaking wet conditions.they finished in that order, with less than a tenth of a second covering them.

6. Early stages of the final Classic & Production 1300 race and Mike Smith (57, Rocket 3 960) is on his way to a clean sweep of all three legs.

7. After a major engine blow-up on his Suzuki X7, Jerry Longland thought he’d waved goodbye to his air-cooled 250 championship chances, but the RAF team’s Andy Green stepped in to donate his own X7 and Jerry duly blasted it to a last race win to keep his title hopes alive.