Guest blog from Sideburn DTRA vintage class racer John Harrison (#72 in the photo above).
Round 2 of the DTRA's National Flat Track Championship took us to the popular Lincolnshire track at Greenfield, home of Pro & Hooligan class rider George Pickering and his family.
A bumper entry of 30 riders was listed for the Sideburn supported Vintage Class, many returnees and lots of new faces and names. It appears that a few of Ferran Mas' Astros have found their way into the DTRA ranks. Sadly, I didn't get an opportunity to meet them all, but there's always the next round.
Danny Wilson's 'brand new' Bultaco Astro as featured in Sideburn 41
As I had missed Round 1, there were a couple of lovely new machines for me to drool over, namely Jason Cursley's gorgeous Trackmaster BSA A65 and Vince Hurst's 750 Norton, like many of the bikes in the class, a converted road bike.
Regrettably, perennial contender in the Vintage pack Mike Fisher #80 Bultaco (above) suffered from ingested reeds while racing with the big boys on Saturday and didn't get any further than practise for the Vintage race despite the best efforts of fellow racer Rick Bearcroft #39. Two-strokes, eh?
Some of us on Triumphs pitted together and sported a line-up of six 750 twins: three framers and three stock framed bikes. I counted five Triumph framers in total at the race, an impressive collection to find in a farm field in rural England.
It was also a huge pleasure to welcome Peter 'Wilky' Wilkinson (#47 above) back to racing, on the 750 Triumph framer that he loaned to Anthony Brown for the last few years. Three of the original Skooter Farm team riders from the Short Track UK era back on track over the weekend is an indication of how hard a habit flat track is to kick.
Jeremy Skipp on his super-cool Harley/Aermacchi Sprint
30 entries meant that the lucky crowd was treated to 3x3 vintage heat races plus the final that the top 12 qualified for. Ten Vintage races.
Gareth Howes slinging his Staracer Yam 360 sideways
Hero not zero: Adrian Soanes debuting (we think) his BSA
Imagine the sound of Simon Bird's expansion chamber. Now imagine it before he fitted the VW silencer
The only disadvantage of riding in the class (for me at least) is that one doesn't get a chance to watch the other Vintage races, but my last heat was the first of the bunch and I managed to get back trackside in time to witness a fantastic, race-long, three-way dice for second spot between Odgie (633 in the top photo), Vince and Dave Webb. The three predominant British marques - BSA, Norton and Triumph - from the 1960s and early-70s battling it out.
DTRA Sideburn Vintage 4-stroke Podium: 1. Odgie (BSA) 2. Jason Cursley (BSA) 3. John Harrison (Tri)
DTRA Sideburn Vintage 2-stroke Podium: 1. Sean Kelly (Suz) 2. Simon Bird (Yam) 3. Billy Smith (Bul)
Photos: Paul France (Action), Braking Point Images (trophies)
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