Record entry for Scottish Pre-65
By TMX Archives on 7th Jan 09
THE closing date for entries to the Silver Jubilee Pre-65 Scottish Two Day Trial, 2009, which will take place on Friday/ Saturday, May 1/2, has now passed. There were a record 339 would-be entries with the secretary by the closing date of Friday, December 12, 2008, plus a few more late ones which were not included in the inevitable ballot which took place on Friday, December 19. As expected, the secretary has already had a few disgruntled riders airing their views on why they should have been allocated an entry but it is not possible to make 339 entries go into 180 spaces - and not have159 riders disappointed on this occasion.
Please remember that this is a trial for Pre-65 bikes and not Pre-65 riders and that the ballot is done by category and not just the first 180 out the hat.
Every effort is made to ensure that riders don't go too many years without getting a shot at this popular event but this is not a guarantee as the numbers involved are so great. Please do keep trying though as you have to be in the ballot to get a ride and each year the club's database gets better which makes it easier to pick out the people who have been knocked back several times already.
Please be assured that the organisers are trying to make this as fair as possible but are victims of their own success and sadly, casualties are inevitable.
A quick scan down the list of 180 riders accepted (no numbers yet) shows the usual mix of entrants with famous and not-so-famous names included plus an equally eclectic mix of machinery with plenty of bigger capacity machines amongst the expected pack of Tiger Cubs.
Famous Scottish brothers Vic and Robbie Allan are in plus Scottish Six Days legend Mick Andrews who is back, entered on his James. There's Arthur Browning on his 500 Jawa and French waiter' Jean Caillou back with his Ariel. Double-winner Tony Calvert returns with his John Holmes Triumph, Clive Dopson and his rigid 490 Norton, Channel islander Graham Du Feu, fathers and sons Colin and Scott Dommett and Peter and Neil Gaunt, Mick Grant, Len Hutty, multi British sidecar trials champ Robin Luscombe on a 500 Triumph, Davy Morewood, Mike Ransom, Norman Shepherd, Dave Thorpe and Alan Wright are just a handful of names plus a hatful of foreign riders.
T+MX will keep you up-to-date with what's happening in Scotland this year, both with the Pre-65 and Scottish Six Days with regular bulletins and of course a final preview. Keep tuned in!