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  • Gosfield pre 65 Status

    All - With current weather secretary is assessing whether the event proceed's

    This is latest update posted in the pre65 forum this evening
    Following today's weather forecast reported in the media as "a months rainfall in one day" (notice they haven't said which month or for where ), there appears to be some nervousness regarding whether this Sunday's meeting at Gosfield is still on.

    The current situation is that it is still ON.

    Should things change, there will be further updates tomorrow (Saturday), so please check again.

  • #2
    Gosfield in on!

    Confirmed by Sam Appleton on the Pre 65 MX Club website this morning (Saturday) that the Gosfield scramble tomorrow (26 July) will be run.

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    • #3
      Can't wait to see any pics or vids from this meeting! Must be been a touch muddy at the bottom part of the track!

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      • #4
        Plenty of pics on the Pre-65 page of Facebook. It looks to have got a tad muddy! There are messages thanking people for helping them out of the paddock.....I seem to be suffering from clashes with dates, but hope to get to Maylandsea, as long as I can learn the new vehicle's sat-nav by then!

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        • #5
          It wasn't just the bottom part of the track, Andy. Doubtless, Kim will be putting in his report in due course. Meanwhile, suffice it to say that conditions were challenging, both on and off the track ......... Dave G was kept busy with a tractor at end of the day helping visitors exit the paddock.
          I was pleased to have my little 4x4, and that I didn't have a trailer to hold me back!

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          • #6
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            Gosfield

            Afraid I have no action shots from Sunday Andy but you did miss a cracking day, despite the weather best intention to do otherwise. This is a shot of me during the morning session before it got even more muddy

            Surprisingly it's was dry when we arrived but it wasn't long before the rain started to fall. The grassy meadowland was wet from the Saturday and practice was slippery especially the little wooden bridge. The temptation was to put the power on as you crossed it entering the straight into the short wooded section, but this was at your peril as even with no throttle you were in a turn and there was no grip.

            Several of us greeves riders were parked close together Mike Bell & son, Coxy, Bob, John Bathgate, The Flyer and myself. John came in from practise with no clutch action, the centre nut having come loose. It started to chuck it down just as he removed the clutch case. He sheltered under my gazebo and was soon progressing repairs with the help of Bob's expert technical instructions. He just about managed to sort it before race 5 the 1st greeves race, 1 of 3.
            The rain was constant and a full line up of greeves waited patiently for the off. Flag up and away I was next to The Flyer and he was off like whippet on his ultra trick Hawkstone, up the hill we went with grass and mud filling your goggles, a 180 left hand bend at the top greeted us. Throttle back on along the top into third perhaps 4th for the faster boys before a delightful right hand adverse camber drop which was a butt clenching moment each lap, no throttle on round here certainly not from me anyway, then a nice jump down into the 2 field a fast section (4th when dry) to the far end of the field with a couple of left and rights before 180 left hander following the other field edge coming back again with flowing left and right curves before anchors on into a low gear for a sharp 180 right hander left over the bridge into the woods up to 3rd a short left and right for the finish flag then left braking sharp for a low gear tight left hander in to the pit area where spectators gathered a gentle right bend accelerating hard with a small jump as you entered the start area at the bottom of the hill, throttle full on and total exhilaration with the gentle ascent allowing you to get the bike into top on full tilt as you commenced the 2nd lap.

            I 've no idea of places I can only recall following John for the race and getting filled in all the way round. The Flyer to his credit finished ahead of us I was relieved not to have come off as there were casualties all over the track Aaron Graves dad on the bsa hawkstone came a cropper in front of me going into a right hander fortunately I wasn't directly behind him or on his line otherwise I'd have hit the dirt also.

            I believe it was the 2nd race when John had a Nasty off on that right hand camber breaking his clutch lever cracking his exhaust with the silencer bent over the rear wheel , he was absolutely covered and relieved as no one hit him although I Think it was close. I saw one of the leading bunch extracting himself from the hedge none the worse!

            Again no idea of finishing places but the leaders were Matt McCulloch, Ricky Widdowson, Matt Valentine, Gary Smith and of course the Slayer going well on the challenger.

            The rain continued and conditions deteriorated as the afternoon went on. The final greeves race was late in the programme and a rather depleted line up by this time, perhaps 16 to 18 of us. I got a decent start but only managed about a lap and a half before coming off in a rut (still can't ride them after all these years) slayer was right behind unbeknown to me, and he some how managed to avoid running over me, thanks Richard .

            I eventually finished and made it back to the pits. I wandered over to join Coxy , Bob and Bell senior who were in deep discussion with Coxy and Bob in fits of laughter as Mike was convinced he got the chequered flag and had won. This didn't last long as he was soon marched down to the St Johns to receive treatment and was subsequently diagnosed with total hysteria!
            Punchy 336

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            • #7
              Battle of Gosfield Report

              You wait all week and then two reports come along !! Thanks Punchy - for bringing back the memories !!......Here is my take on proceedings

              Well what to say - Gosfield will be remembered as one of the toughest rounds in the Greeves Championship for years. Practice was slippery - and then it started to rain and each race got more challenging - and by the last race - it was as sportsmen always say "survive one lap at a time ".Hat's off to the organiser's and MArshall's and also the many spectators who turned out in the driving rain . No Chesty Cam footage - but I have shared a link to Michael's video footage on Classic MX.com. On the middle of this footage is Greeves Race 2

              Great to see Punchy Dickerson back in the fold, his wit and riding style revelling in the conditions, neatly turned out in a Durex Gossamer riding suit

              . At the front it was mainly a battle of the Matt's. McCulloch and Valentine fighting it out - seemingly disregarding the conditions. Which went well for Matt M apart from one sudden Cartoon moment as he flew off into a hedge.

              The mystery of the day was the first left hander at the end of the start straight (hill) - which bizarely still churned out dust in each race .

              John Bathgate had a tough day.Went flying past me in race 2 like a bat out of hell - and then decided to spreadeagle himself and bike neatly on the second off camber - un-sighted right hander - an interesting sight as you slide round the bend to see John on his knees half waving and half praying

              Richard Hayward put in some good performances on the Challenger and should also score well ........

              Adam Bell was really pleased to reach the dizzy heights of 3rd overall in the championship .........but will find it hard to improve on as he barely made it out of the comfort of the Van all day ...he said something to do with a Chinese takeaway the night before taking his Mojo away ...

              Ian Cox put in some good rides as well on his Griffon - despite falling off in Race 2 (complaining it was because I went round a bend too slowly in front of him......go figure !) .........and to keep us busy press ganged us to take the engine out of his Challenger between races.

              Lot's of banter - especially with the riders waiting for the race - under the big oak tree for shelter - trying to keep goggles dry and clear before the start.
              Race 3 was horrendous. I got a good start behind Matt M - and went for it - lying off the back of the leaders at the far end of the circuit - trying to keep speed to clear the tyres - got cross rutted and fell in the deepest mud.....After re-starting in last place covered in mud and slipping all over the place ...........I finished the race - although was sorely tempted to retire to the pits (which were pretty slippy as well !) - and only picked up places where Greeves were parked at various points of the circuit as conditions went from bad to worse......
              The final challenge of the day was the exit from the circuit - which was more like a tricky hill climb section - individual escapes aided by a combination of Dave Godley's tractor and many willing helpers pushing van's cars/trailers and motorhome's.......
              All in a day's classic racing - and somehow the bad conditions brought every body together in the Pits - with stories of Off's, near misses and incident's . Every body got home without injury and I will be ready to resume battle at Maylandsea on the 30th August ..........once I have sorted out the life-size Clay Model of a Griffon in the Garage...........



              Cheers Kim

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              • #8
                Thank you, Kim and Rob, for what can only be described as "graphic accounts"! And you all looked so "in control" from my vantage point in the (relative) safety of the paddock spectating area!

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                • #9
                  Great articles both and very well put Kim and Punchy, they summed up the day perfectly without the aid of graphics.
                  I have to take my hat off to both of you and all those who saw the card through to the end. Hero's all, especially John Bathgate who refused to let the weather, a faulty clutch and a spectacular crash stop him from prising a few more valuable Greeves points out of the day. Not only that he was there at the bitter end helping clear the track away.
                  Knowing my limitations I called it a day at the interval and spectated from then on. Ten out of ten to all of you for endeavour and entertainment value after the break.
                  For further information Punchy, my ultra trick Hawkstone was a square barrelled MDS and still running on points ignition, just!
                  Thanks for the link to the static video Kim. You impressed me all day with your riding and enthusiasm in the most foul of conditions.
                  Having seen how your low profiles struggled in the paddock upon exit then I wonder if a couple of "Town and Countries" wouldn't go amiss before the next one.
                  Looking forward to Maylandsea although not planning to enter the thirty lap two man team event.

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