Race Meetings

Favourite destinations were to motorcycle race meetings at local track Mallory Park, Cadwell Park, Brands Hatch and so on. One year Benny Caravelli was elected Runs Captain and set off leading the group to Mallory Park.

Mallory Park

For some reason the occasion went to his throttle wrist and he set off at a high rate of knots on his Bonneville. Stan Naden on his outfit was riding number two (slowest at the front) and didn't want to be left behind so he went in pursuit. The rest of us knew where we were going and couldn't see any point in keeping up. On the A47 near Leicester Forest East Benny and Stan were being written out tickets as we rode innocently past.. With his ticket in his pocket Benny tried hard to catch us before we reached Mallory and just succeeded in taking his place as the run leader as we entered the car park. With his huge ear to ear grin he pulled up the Bonnevelle to park it and put his foot down a hole in the grass. He fell off the bike which he could only stop from falling on him by holding it up with one leg. We left him in that position for several minutes while we parked and stowed our kit.

Martin Sentance adds:

Start of quotation Myself, Mike Parry and Dave Stocker thought of ourselves as fast riders. Dave used to wring the last ounce out of his 250 Yamaha with Jane as pillion and was well able to keep up the pace with bikes two or three times its size.

I recall a run we made to Thruxton to see the 500 mile race, which was a high speed dash to get down there in time for the race start. On our return run in the dark and rain that evening we all had the closest of shaves with a poorly lit articulated lorry on the A34. This was the same road where we had stopped at the Little Chef, requiring a sit down and a bit of a dry out. The Little Chef was very full, and at that time Dave had a terrible cough. In his dripping wet state, coughing his heart out, we propelled him through the door first, whereupon several customers immediately took fright, grabbed their coats, and within seconds there were several tables free and we all trooped in and deposited our wet riding gear at various points in the restaurant. It is amazing how much space four people and their wet riding gear can take up in a café!! End of quotation

- Martin Sentance

1 Derek Jordan Chris Mansell Ken Stevens John Muschialli Brian Porter Paul Wilson