Davida Interviews Racers From Donington Classic Bike Festival 2014

Davida Interviews Racers, Mike Hose, Duncan Fitchett and Joop Van de Pol after the Donington Classic Bike Festival 2014

From left to Right Racers; Penti Elo, Mike Hose, Duncan Fitchett, Charlie Willams, Ian Bain & Joop Van de Pol at Donington Classic Bike Festival 2014

Classic Bike Racer, Mike Hose out on practice laps at Donington Classic Bike Festival 2014. Entering 5 bikes into 23 out of the 43 races and for being unbeaten on the Honda and Ariel, CRMC gave Mike Hose ‘ Rider Of The Meeting Award’.

“Compared to my full face helmet, which is like looking down a tunnel, the Davida Jet and Aviator Goggles were brilliant, they just gave me so much more peripheral vision. I understand why Bill Swallow uses the Davida all the time.” – Mike Hose

” I’d previously won the Wheatcroft Trophy for Gary Bryan, the designer, builder and owner of the Bob Smith’s RGB Triumph Westlake replica. Not an easy thing to do in this bike considering the variety of the bikes allowed to enter. The Wheatcroft Trophy is impressive and massive , looks a bit like the FA CUP ! Gary quite liked having it in his garage for a year so he asked me to race the Westlake again in the 2014 Wheatcroft Trophy”

“When everyone found out I was racing again in the UK at the CRMC event at Donington Classic Bike Festival different bike owners began ringing me, wanting me to race their bikes in the various classes within the Donington programme. Over the past year I’d forgotten how many times I’d said yes. A short while before Donington, CRMC’s,  John Davidson informed me I was entered on 5 different bikes in 23 of the 43 races taking place that weekend”

“Did I really want to enter that many races ? “asked John.” No problem, I am still fit enough”. I said. ” If I collapsed half way through the weekend then that’s what happens”.

“Quite an undertaking”, warned John, ” it would be inevitable Mike would be jumping off one bike and straight out onto the track on a different bike”.

” I knew,  I wouldn’t know which bike I was racing next until it was brought up to me so I asked Tony Smith to oversee the event for me,  making sure each of the bikes was prepared, refuelled & warmed up etc ready for me to race.  Friday and Saturday was pretty hetic, but it calmed down Sunday morning with rain and a flooded track forcing organisers to postpone or cancel a few races.” Mike Hose weekend looked like this;

250cc European Class – 1st Place with 3 wins on 1958 Ariel Arrow

300cc Twins Class – 1st Place with 3 wins on late 70’s 350cc Honda K4

500 Twins Class – 6th & 4th on 450cc oversized Honda K4 ( last race postponed)

ACU Classic 500cc – 4th Place on 350cc Honda K4

ACU Classic 350cc – 3rd & 11th & DNS. 5th Place on the TZ 350 Yamaha

Wheatcroft Trophy – DNS on the RGB Westlake Triumph

At Donington Classic Bike Festival, Duncan Fitchett took his Lansdowne Cup total to 5 wins

” I took 2nd place in the first race, following a tight scrap with the eventual  race winner and current Lansdowne Cup leader, Mike ‘ Spike’ Edwards.  I took 1st place in the second race and in the last lap of the last race, with a lot of oil on the track that had been covered with cement dust, I was in another tight scrap with Cup leader Mike Spike Edwards and my GB Access Team Mate Alex Sinclair. Out of the three of us I knew the winner was going to be the one who was the bravest and go straight through the cement dust and not go off line to miss it. So I just went for it & came 1st. Mike’ Spike’ Edwards has 15 wins so far this year so  he will most likely win the very worthy winner of the 2014 Lansdowne Cup .”

Duncan Fitchett raced in the Wheatcroft Trophy on a 1952 Beart Manx owned by Andy Savage and entered by GB Access Team Manager, Pat Barford. It was a warm up for 2014 Goodwood Revival September 12th-14th.

Joop Van de Pol, 2013 CRMC 250 Classic Singles Champion Begins His IOM Campaign

Joining as a newcomer,  Joop will be racing a Bob Light 500cc BSA Goldstar in the IOM Classic TT next week as well as a 350cc Honda K4. Rookie, Joop, has been around ‘The Island’ on his road bike over the past year and will get a 1:1 session with Manx Man, Milky Quayle prior to his maiden race next week.

The 2013 250cc Classic Singles Champion and current leader of the 2014 Classic 250cc Class, Joop Van de Pol (yellow leathers) took 2nd place overall on Paul Atkinson’s 250cc Greaves at this years Donington Classic Bike Festival .

Charlie Williams brought along some interesting TT  memorabilia from the 1974 to Donington Classic Bike Festival . Works Racing Team, Pat Walker and Charlie Williams competing at the 2014 IOM Classic TT next week.

Both with broken wrists, Mike Grant and Charlie Williams at 250cc IOM TT, 1974. 3rd place man, Chas Mortimer, looks the other way.

Charlie Williams takes the original Ballaugh Bridge at IOM TT in 1974

Charlie Williams 1974 Maxton Yamaha 385cc. The oversized TZ350A engine was originally built by Dutchman, Caas Van Pongen for use in the 500cc Class

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