Classics at the coalface
There’s no shortage of persistence among the enthusiasts in Thanet, at the far east of Kent.
After many years’ absence, in 2015, the Western Undercliff at Ramsgate saw competition motorcycles once more in a revival of the Sunbeam MCC’s sprints that were once a popular attraction.
For the time being, the Ramsgate course remains unavailable, but a weekend of bike entertainment was very much still an ambition.
Eventually, Betteshanger
County Park came up on the radar. This is a leisure facility located on what was the largest of the Kent coal field pits, near Deal, which closed in 1989. Even focusing on this as a venue proved to be less than straightforward with the restrictions generated by that well known virus to combat. Finally, in 2022, on August 14, it happened!
The organisers made a full weekend of it, starting off with a Friday evening session that included Steve Parrish as special guest. The Country Park proved an ideal location, the entrance area offered enough space for a long line of display bikes, including some racing exotica with examples from British SuperBikes and even some campaigned by
Barry Sheene.
From the entrance level, a climb up a long hill brought visitors to the show area for a selection of stands from clubs, custom operations and traders both local and further afield.
The centrepiece, naturally, was the ⅛-mile sprint course. A smooth piece of tarmac that was long enough for the timed zone and the even more important shut-down area. The paddock was open to all and offered much variety, as the event obviously had broad appeal.
On track, a number of experienced sprinters mixed it with some who just felt the compulsion to stretch their classic’s throttle cable. Modern electronic timing recorded the results, combined with ‘old school’ dropped flag starting signals. For those new to the discipline, achieving a steady reduction in times was very satisfying over the track sessions each day that gave everyone the opportunity to pack in as many runs as they wanted.
Earliest bikes dated from the 1930s, including an interesting 1937 Matchless G90, shared by Graham Proctor and Alison Self. This was a sports 500cc single that was discontinued post-Second World War and both riders were credited with 13-second times. From the classic era there were representatives from most of the major manufacturers.
Sprinter Andy Forward kept busy, riding his 500cc Morado Triumph, as well as his more recent ‘Parabellum’, a 750cc version to the same formula – long, low and light.
Forward also had a couple of outings on Paul Standing’s Impulse. This outfit was built in 1966 by Vic Phillips, using a 1000cc Hillman Imp engine, with the intention of going for the World Sidecar Speed Record. It failed to achieve that particular aim, but remained a competitive three-wheeler for a number of seasons. It was laid up for many years before Paul Standing secured it for complete restoration.
Roy Robertson made a rare appearance on his Egli-Vincent, a first effort in the 11-second zone was promising, but the loose surface on the return road proved his undoing and a lowspeed tumble resulted in the green V-twin becoming a static exhibit among other Stevenage representatives gathered on the Vincent club stand.
“Fun for all the family,” the organisers had promised, and the Taylor family took that at face value. Tim had the exPete Allum Hagon Triumph sprinter and with 9.43 the best of several nine-second runs took the ‘Fastest Pre-65 Award’. Wife Amanda has graduated to a Triumph T110 and she posted consistent 12 seconds.
Her former ride, a Hagon BSA sprinter, is now raced by son Ronny in the Junior class and a 10.90 effort netted him joint second in the Under 250s. He shared this honour with Ken Thorn. Ken has sprinted his Crusader-based Enfield special for many a year with numerous awards to show for it, but gear selection problems were spoiling things at Betteshanger.
Both riders had lost out to long-time sprinter John Brent who was riding the 125cc Yamaha formerly campaigned by Howard Smith, and a 9.87 secured an impressive customart trophy for fastest 250.
Assorted bikes, assorted riders, a relaxed atmosphere and with most folk having a good, even a great, time, the organisers seemed to have nailed it, their first attempt at a heritage sprint having all the ingredients of what they sought to re-create. Having climbed way up the learning curve over the weekend, they declared they would try to make next year’s sprint even better.