Report: Hawkstone Park Festival of Legends
By Sean Lawless on 16th Sep 16
Cumbria Twin-shock turned back the clock even further than usual at the weekend when it staged the first annual Hawkstone Park Festival of Legends at the iconic Shropshire circuit.
Famous names from as far back as the '60s returned to the famous sand for a weekend of nostalgia with the racing for once almost taking a back seat as old friendships were rekindled and old rivalries renewed.
Modest and unassuming, 1981 world 250cc champion Neil Hudson travelled from his Bristol home and even though he no longer rides he was clearly enjoying being back at a track he first rode 44 years ago.
"Hawkstone's got a lot of good memories for me but I don't get a lot of opportunities to come up here so it was too good a chance to miss,” he said after leading the Legends Parade Lap.
"The racing's very good. I'd prefer the track to be like it was when I was racing here without the jumps so there would be a bit more open racing but that's just my opinion.
"There's so much history here for me that it's just nice to be here again. The first time I came here was in '72 with a 125 Maico. It was a British championship round but I didn't qualify for the main race – I don't think I'd seen sand before!”
The action was split over the weekend with three blocks of racing on the Saturday and two on the Sunday with the Legends races taking place on the second day of competition.
Pete Mathia knows his way around Hawkstone better than most and the 63-year-old former GP racer and 1981 British 125cc champion topped the Over 50s Legends from Alan Eaves, Alan Bott and Tony Caig.
"It's bloody hard work but the experience was great and the track did come up good so I'm more than happy,” he said.
"It's been a grand day. I'm trying to make it so I've ridden here for 50 years and I've got another two to go.”
The Over 50s Twin-shock win over the weekend went to Gary Parker who took three race victories on Saturday. Eaves was second ahead of Mathia and Alan Bott with Norman Emery rounding out the top five.
Martin Snape topped the Over 60s Twin-shock class from Alan Hambridge, Peter Lightfoot, Graham Challis and Phil Wilkes.
The biggest bit of silverware – the Frank Mercer Memorial Trophy – went to former factory Greeves rider Dick Clayton.
Frank's son Dougi was delighted with the success of the event.
"It's been a fantastic weekend and I think it's going to be a big building block for the future,” he said.
"I think it's going to build and build each year although we might have to reposition it on the calendar.
"It's a fantastic memorial to my dad and I'm really proud of it. For 50 years motocross was his life and he loved it in every shape and form from the early '60s with the works Greeves and BSA riders all the way through until literally three months before he died.”
Dave Watson, who finished on the podium at the British 250 GP at Hawkstone Park on his way to fourth in the world in 1982, showed a serious turn of pace in the final Over 50 Twin-shock race of the weekend with a dominant gate-to-flag win.
"It's a great meeting and I like the whole concept of what today's about so hopefully Darren Hudson can make it grow,” said the 55-year-old.
"I've seen faces here today that I haven't seen in 30 years and it's good to catch up and reminisce – that's what it's about for us old guys.
"Of course, the racing's fun as well. Riding Hawkstone is never easy – it's a real man's motocross track – and you've got to be aggressive and attack it so it's tough but it's nice to be out there again.”
In common with many of the invited legends, the Irishman has a deep affection for Hawkstone stretching back many years.
"I first rode here in the frost and snow on New Year's Day in 1977,” he added.
"But I first came here to watch the 500 GP in '76 with Mikkola and De Coster. That got me excited but I never thought I'd be here racing GPs myself.
"Hawkstone's the first GP track I ever went to and I've got a lot of good memories from here. I love the place.”
Former AMCA 750cc champ Keith Ree also figured in the Over 50s Legends top 10 but by close of play on Sunday he was feeling the pace after an heroic seventh in the final moto on an '88 YZ125.
"It was such hard work on a 125, just crazy,” he said. "I haven't ridden for six or seven years and I'm 60 next year so I should know better but I wanted to come and show my face and give some support to a meeting that's going to go on and on.
"I enjoyed it and think the event will build and build but it was painful for me – it's a tough track. Tomorrow and Tuesday I don't think I'll bother getting out of bed.”
At the other end of the age spectrum, 22-year-old Maxxis MX2 contender Jake Millward was out in the Evo 125s on a borrowed Honda and would have run out a comfortable winner if he hadn't suffered a mechanical DNF in Sunday's opening moto.
"My engine tuner Steve Clitheroe asked me if I wanted to ride his bike this weekend and I couldn't say no really as it's towards the end of the season,” he said. "I've had a really good time riding it and have won four out of the five races and snapped a chain in the other. It's been a great weekend.
"It's obviously a lot slower than my KTM race bike – the start straight feels about four times as long – but it's great fun if you just keep it wide open and don't shut off anywhere.”
Dave Blackburn won the race that Millward DNFed to take a one-point win from Andy Lawton. Victory in the 125cc Twin-shock class was taken by Jon Davies.
Top dog in the Over 40s Evo Legends was former 500 GP racer Dave Campbell who traded places with his great mate and long-time rival Paul Coward who, generously, lent the Scot his spare bike for Sunday's action. "I've loved it,” said Campbell.
"The whole weekend's been great. I didn't have a bike for Saturday so I rode in the modern group which I enjoyed and then Paul lent me his spare KX500 so I could do the Legends races today.
"I don't class myself as a ‘legend' – I still look at riders like Thorpey and in my eyes they're still my legends.”
Bill Brown definitely fits in the legend category and the Wulfsport boss still looked quick even if he's never felt entirely at home at Hawkstone.
"Hawkstone's always been a mystery to me,” he said.
"I've ridden it now for almost 50 years and I think the trouble is that we were all brought up in the north of England and southern Scotland on grass. The first time I ever rode here in the late '60s or early '70s was the first time in my life I'd ridden sand.
"It's a great venue and I have great memories of it but I've never felt I've been able to attack it. You've got to get your timing right for every bump and if you don't it can be very unforgiving. It's a man's track.
"I've really enjoyed the weekend. It's always good to see people dragging themselves out, people who wouldn't normally come to a meeting. The likes of the Small brothers – I haven't seen them for 20-odd years – and Ian and Mark Preston.
"We used to sponsor all those lads one way or another. It's a nice excuse to get them all out and have a party. There was a good band on last night and a good atmosphere – I've really enjoyed it.”
The West Mid Evos were also in action with Dom Durkan taking a narrow 500cc victory over Nathan Smith. Jim Shand and Neil Griffiths shared the wins in the WME 250cc class with Shand's three victories just edging it.
Two race wins saw Dave Frampton come out comfortably on top in the WME 125cc class.
Michael Smith took the final race win in the 500cc Evos to make sure of second overall and stop Barry Turnbull taking a maximum with Coward's super-consistent 3-3-3-3-3 card securing the final step of the podium.
Despite faltering in race four Andy Hinchliffe beat Jake Thornton to take top honours in the 250cc Evos.
Smith won the Expert Twin-shock class from Stephen Miller and Terry House. A DNF in the second race looked to have knocked Ben Price out of the running in the Intermediate Twin-shock category but a DNF in the final moto by Jamie Biddulph handed him the win.
Mike Tucker didn't win a race all weekend but was never out of the top three in the Clubman Twin-shock class to claim the overall from Martyn Williams and Trevor King.
In the Open Modern class it was Lewis Bellfield who came home first after Gav Robertson recorded a DNF in Sunday's opening moto.
