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Honda Private Test: Ascot '83


This in from Dave Skooter Farm.


This footage was only uploaded yesterday afternoon. It was originally filmed and uploaded by Masakazu Matsuzawa.

I didn’t recognise the riders but somebody tagged Bubba Shobert and Doug Chandler and a coupla other folks confirmed it was them. With Bubba commenting himself. Sadly Ricky Graham is no longer with us.

Within dirt track circles, Ascot is regarded as ‘Hallowed Ground’ and the photos you would typically see (usually shot at night under floodlights) are always evocative and perfect-looking.

However, in this footage, it could just as easily be Scunthorpe on a grey Tuesday afternoon. The track is ungraded, dry and marbled. It looks unpredictable to try and put fast laps in. I can really relate to that.

The surroundings have that decayed, ‘Scrap yard-dead-industrial’ look to them, that will be familiar to every racer. If you add to that, what would be the unmistakable smell of the CR250 two-stroker, a subconscious recognition of metallic spit and broken collar bones is conjured up.


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