Exloo

While most of us were getting over Christmas and preparing for New Year some of our dedicated lad’s were on the Continent flying the Flag in Exloo.
Tony Cook/Dan Crawford, Gary Southgate/Adam Young and Andy & Laura Kerrison were out on the Chairs with Craig Drury and Josh Goodwin contesting the 125 class.

Apparently it was so cold everyone was struggling to start their bikes using all sorts of tricks, even their drinks were freezing as the temperature dropped to -9 degrees.
The crowd were keeping warm by huddling together and drinking copious amounts of home made meths, they had to ban smoking for fear of igniting the fumes.

All our boy’s featured well throughout the night with a few of the guy’s suffering a bit of misfortune along the way.

The first sidecar race saw all three English lads out together, with Gary & Adam making the gate with Andy & Laura in 2nd Cookie and Dan managed to Line both crews up forcing their way to the front with Andy & Laura also passing the unfortunate Gary & Adam who found themselves catching a rut and nearly ending up in the Boards.

Andy & Laura then had a 2nd place to the flying Matthijssen’s with Tony recording another win over Wierenga/Auwema and Gary & Adam, there was such a battle going on with sparks flying where Cookie & Wierenga were battling so hard, Gary forgot he was supposed to be trying to get on terms with the other two he was so mesmerised by the action up front.

The next set of heats saw Cookie & Dan come up against the Matthijssen’s who inflicted their first defeat and Andy & Laura notched up a good win over Wierenga/Auwema and the French team of Grenier/Rossit who were having a bad night with two non finishes, Gary & Adam again had a no score where they were struggling a bit with gating and coming up against the two fastest teams of the night not helping matters.

So going into the last set of heats it looked like Tony Cook/Dan Crawford and Andy & Laura Kerrison were on their way to joining The unbeaten Matthijssen’s in the final, Cookie had only dropped 1 point throughout the night with Andy dropping two but both ahead of Wierenga who they had both beaten previously.
Unfortunately Tony had to come from the unfavoured outside gate and found him self getting pushed wide in the first turn, it ended up with Wierenga winning from Andy & Laura with Tony & Dan bringing up the rear.

This meant that all three teams finished with 5 points and with only three teams progressing to the final one had to miss out as the Matthijssen’s were sitting on 8.
On count back it should have been Cook/Crawford straight through with two wins with Team Kerrison and Wierenga having a runoff for the final spot as they had identical results.
Still this was Holland and as many know from past experience the clogs know how to bend a rule or two.

So mysteriously Tony Cook and Dan Crawford were the team to miss out which was such a shame as they were clearly after the Matthijssen’s the quickest team on the night.

So the Final Line up was William & Natalie Matthijssen, Philipe Wierenga & Hessel Auwema and Andy & Laura Kerrison taking the last position on the grid.
The Dutch run the main Finals over two races, both were won unsurprisingly by the Matthijssen’s who were immaculate all night, with Wierenga/Auwema taking 2nd in both races, Andy & Laura were disqualified in the first race for a coming together with Philipe & Hessel and then ran third in the 2nd after having to come from the outside gate, the only winners to come from the outside gate all night incidentally was William & Natalie.

So after a really hard fought evening of racing Andy & Laura finished on the rostrum in 3rd place with Tony & Dan taking 4th poor old Gary & Adam now know how our Eurovision song contestants feel with nil point, but I must point out they really enjoyed their evening and were a bit unlucky not to finish with a better result they battled hard all night.

Josh Goodwin was our biggest star of the night and although he finished third in the final he deserved a higher place, after missing the gate he had to chase and couldn’t get back on terms with the other boy’s, he was the only rider to beat the flying midget Romano Hummel all night and with three wins and a third going into the final was in with a good chance of the overall win, Craig Drury was also in good form with a win and 3 2nd places going into the final one point down on Josh.

Our lads were both unlucky in the final with Josh missing the start and young Craig taking a tumble putting him out of the running, this left Hummel to take the win with Postma who hadn’t got near our lad’s all night to take the runners up spot.
On this showing both Josh and Craig look like having a good future in the sport, and I can see them doing well in the coming season, Josh in particular has improved no end and would have made his Dad proud, well done lad’s great results good luck in 2009.

Danbury Review

One week to go and its lift off for the first meeting of 2009, I hope to be able to go but must book a pass with my little prison officer first. I have watched every episode of Prison break though so I have a plan B prepared.

It’s nice that Danbury have kept the tradition going of the hangover meeting as it’s proved to be such a success in past years, it promises to be one of the best ever with quite a few guy’s trying other classes which should stir up a lot of interest.
The 1000 boy’s are really getting into the spirit of things and out to play in force, there are a lot of Cossar’s taking part with Mark riding both Solo and Passengering Craig Smith in the 1000’s he’s so brave, I think it’s Craig’s first go driving he has been very successful in the past Passengering for Nick Radley so he is a versatile Grasser and should do well.

We also have Marks Dad Andy out on a 1000 with younger brother Tom in the Chair who is expected to take over from Tris Winterburn this season as Tris is going to be driving his own outfit this year, which should prove interesting.
We also have younger sister Jeni out for the first time with Alan Morgan on a 500 sidecar, Jeni has ridden before with Gary Southgate but plans to ride full time with Alan so we wish her luck, recently there was someone moaning about women involved with Grasstrack but I think we should welcome them with open arms because as well as having a clean bike you get a packed lunch to….bring on the Girls.
Not to be out done Tracy will also be driving at Danbury, she will be out on the water cart so hope fully it won’t be needed which should save risk of serious injury.

Matt Fumarola and Andi Wilson will be out on a 500 kindly loaned by Tony Cook, Cookie is trying to work out how to alter it so that Matt can fit, but is confident he will work something out by the weekend, he’s attached some elastic tie’s to make sure Andi stay’s on board to. The lad’s are hoping to have their new 1000 ready for a trial skid but still won’t know until nearer the time, they also have outfits for the Fancy Dress and are hoping for warm weather because they are supposed to be on the skimpy side, definitely one for the girl’s.

Another interesting one is Paul Whitelam Jnr riding with little bro Ben on the back, is this a sign of things to come with Paul senior getting on a bit now, I’ll have to remember to duck when I see Helen next. Apparently Paul Snr is going to be signed on so he can run round the infield shouting instructions to Paul Jnr during the race.
Jnr has now packed up riding as passenger to Colin Blackbourn to concentrate on a solo career on both grass and shale this year so we wish him luck with that, Paul is a really good lad and I will miss watching him passengering I think he is the most spectacular passenger I’ve ever seen, (other than Helen of course).

We also have another interesting combination of Kevin Colborne passenger to Neal Owen Driving his Dad’s 500 with Gareth Bemister on the back who is also going to be passenger for Phil Syms on the 1000’s.
Gareth has had experience on a 500 where he was Passenger to Mike Read when they came 3rd in the 2003 Burn up. Kevin has done a deal with Dad to get his hands on the bike more often, Kev has to work an agreed amount of shifts in Pete’s pub and Pete will let Kev ride the bike at Winchester meetings in 2009, that’s a good deal if ever I heard one.

The list goes on of people making debut’s and swapping machinery, Stuart Chapman who gave up riding the upright class to get used to his 500 sidecar in 2008 will be back on his 500 Weslake as well as having a skid on the chair, once again with the lovely Kelly Herd as ballast, Stuart’s 60 year old Dad Brian will also be out for the first time on his ex Scott Francis Jawa 500 with rookie passenger Glen Waterfield who is also out on a solo.

Brian intends teaching his 16 year old Grand Daughter Krystal to ride the bike with him as passenger in the future, Brian has never driven before but used to passenger on the 1000’s so should have a good idea of what’s required, should be really interesting to see a girl driver as there have only been a few in the past the most successful being Penny Hook who used to give the boy’s a run for their money.

The solo class is looking pretty good, as well as all these sidecar boys having a go we have the likes of Charlie Saunders, Rod Melksham, John Jefferies, Tom Perry and the ever improving Dan Berwick, also ex Andrew Appleton sponsor Eric Pike who retired a few years ago is having another ride, Eric was always a good performer so could surprise a few people. In the 250’s Richard Warry will be out to maintain his good form of 2008 and should be somewhere near the front.

This could also be the last appearance on grass of current Cornish Champion Nick (Timmy) Mallet who has taken over as the youngest ever promoter at Newport Speedway, Nick is also a good rider and will be looking for a good result to end his career, so I’m sure you will all join me in wishing Nick every success in his new venture, life as a speedway promoter can be very tough at times so good luck mate hope it goes well for you.

There is a strong line up of youngsters to with the inters looking particularly strong, Darryl Ritchings is probably favourite but he will have it tough with the likes of Sam Radley Smith improving all the time and looking very good by the end of 2008, Billy Milton also a strong contender will be getting stuck in, if he can hold it together young Matt Saul can really go to but unfortunately he learnt his mechanic skills from me so often suffers for it, Matt is so enthusiastic and a good lad he deserves a good result.

Craig Drury fresh from his disappointment in Exloo will be out to make a point in the senior’s, he has been riding so well in recent years and will be another young gun stepping up to terrorise the adults soon.

So with the addition of Quads and the fancy dress this should be a really good fun meeting, the only thing I will miss is the traditional appearance of Tony Nash as father Christmas, Tony was always there and made a great Santa, he had the girth for it and a permanent smile, I haven’t seen Tony for a long time but maybe he will show up to show us how it’s done.

I have had the distinguished honour of winning the Fancy dress on two occasions in the past once on a solo and once on a sidecar, the picture quiz last week was of Brother Ron and I winning as Present under the Christmas Tree in 1987, My Kid’s were devastated when they got up in the morning and discovered the Tree gone.

So I look forward to seeing you all there, remember the meeting has been put on by only 5 dedicated club members so lets give them our support and it would be nice for every one to give them a bit of help at the end so they can get the track taken down and put away before it gets too dark.

Rider of The Year

Well this fantastic competition has finally come to an exciting climax with a flurry of late votes, the results have thrown up some surprising winners.
The amazing thing is there have been more votes for the uprights than any others which suggests that it may be the most popular class, we often hear people saying that the pre 75’s and the uprights should be left in the past, I include myself in that but this pole say’s not, so here we go here are the results:

250’s 1st Ollie Rayson, 2nd Tom Perry 3rd Georgie Wood.

350’s 1st Michael Faulkner 2nd = Richard Smith & Harry Betteridge.

500’s 1st Jason Handley, 2nd = Dan Berwick & Dave Mears. 

Uprights 1st Karl Rushen, 2nd Peter Baker 3rd Arnie Fenner

Surprisingly there was no votes for any sidecars in any class so I have decided to vote for myself which means I am the over all sidecar winner, I must say I am honoured and can’t believe I am the most popular sidecar driver of 2008, I dedicate my win to my Psychiatrist, thank you very much.

I also recently found out that Karl Rushen is a very distant relative, his cousin married mine, fancy that small world isn’t it.

Well done to all the winners, interesting to see the amount of young riders that made the top three in the main solo classes, just shows that the sport is starting to look healthy again.

Page 7 21st December

Thank god it’s all over at last, we can now get back to normality. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year.
I actually scored a personal best on New Year and lasted till 2.30am successfully seeing the New Year in unlike last years miserable effort of 10.30pm where I could be seen half naked hugging the toilet bowl and sleeping like a baby.

The worst thing was that Brother Ron had just been introduced to the world of technology, had his first camera phone and decided to send a picture of me all around Europe which destroyed my macho hard drinking image totally.

Jay’s Jottings

Jay has again blessed us with a little cracker, giving us an insight into the twisted minds of the three stooges that are; Jay, Steve & Bert, sit back and be amazed.

Life with Bert and Steve

Bert on his knees

Bert

If you have not got a sense of humour - then don’t come anywhere near us three when we are together!

From the time we meet each other on a Sunday morning, till the time we part on a Sunday night after a meeting you have to be on your guard!

The first argument is usually about whose turn it was to buy the sweets, when it’s my turn I buy wine gums, cos they get stuck to Bert’s teeth so he won’t eat any - that means more for us!

Steve the Tart

Steve

 The Tom Tom

 If Bert takes his Tom Tom then the Tom Tom gets so much abuse he usually switches it off before we get to the M11, which is only 10 miles away!  !

 Previous incidents are as follows:-

Tom Tom -”Straight over the roundabout"  
Reply you stupid cow - we are going AROUND the roundabout not ACROSS it!!!

 Tom Tom -”At the junction turn left"  "At the junction turn left"   "At the junction turn left"  
Reply - Ok, Ok we heard you the first time!!!

 Tom Tom - “Get in the nearside lane"  
Reply we are in the ****ing nearside lane!!!

 Tom Tom   "You have gone the wrong way - turn around"  
Reply - No we haven't - clever dick - we are picking Steve up on the way!!!”

Sometimes the speed limit indicator on the Tom Tom is wrong, so you can’t trust the darned things. Since a succession of speed tickets I tend to stick to the speed limit now - so does Bert after his "Police Camera Bert incident”!  That will be repeated for those that never read it! 

The other classic was when Bert was trying to find out how to use the Tom Tom, Steve told him to get the menu up by tapping the screen, and Bert started tapping the WINDSCREEN, not the Tom Tom screen! 

Bert hasn’t bought any updates for it - so when we went down the A2/M2 the other week it was telling us we were off road and in a field!

  The caravan

If it’s an overnight stay then we take my caravan, it’s a bit basic, but the Mk 2 model actually has a heater!

A chap at the Dartford Bridge actually tried to charge me an extra pound for towing the caravan over the bridge, I asked "what caravan?

He said” the one behind you”
Me and Bert both turned round and said -” how did that get there - it wasn’t there when we left Dunmow!”   We threatened to take it off prior to the toll booth and leave it there cos it wasn’t even worth a pound, but he threatened to do us for dumping, so we scraped around and found a pound - in small change.  

 So there you have it - that’s why there is always a queue at the toll booths!

 On the weekend away days  Steve and Bert usually retire from the beer tent early and I return when it closes, I always wake them up to make sure they know what time it is, sometimes with a whistle !  They usually get me back in the morning when I am still trying to sleep in as long as possible. I have started to use the corner jacks on the caravan as on one occasion Bert released the jockey wheel clamp.  I dreamed was falling - I WAS!

I took  the Mark 1caravan up to Preston for  the National  championships a few years ago, it  finished late - don’t they all ,  and was so keen to get away to  the local  little chef  afterwards I drove off leaving the water bottle behind and with  the pipes  trailing behind  the caravan !     

 Someone asked if I worry about the caravan breaking down - No, I replied - cos I will just park it in a lay by and set fire to it!

Talking of breakdowns, we broke down one sat night just off the M20, the Turbo went on the car and I called out the AA. They said we can either recover the car tonight, or the caravan, and the other one the next morning. I chose the caravan, the AA bloke was speechless, and he said you have chosen that shabby old caravan over a 2 year old car, why?  I said it’s quite simple - no-one is going to nick the car cos it is U/S, but the caravan is still working (just!).  He then had the cheek to ask me if the caravan was going to fall to bits before we got back to Essex!  As if!!!! 

Bert is looking forward to The Masters Qualifier at Pickering this year, last time we went to Indian country; he was impressed with the ladies!
On the Sunday night we found a local pub, as soon as we walked in, a buxom northern wench WALKED ACROSS THE TABLES, grabbed Bert, snogged him and said I think I like the look of you!  Bert was so keen to get out he even bought the round when it was not his turn!

Hot and Spicy

Curry, spicy food and hot sweets are taboo with me. So many years ago at Danebury when it was decided to cook stew on the Saturday night I insisted my stew came out of the pot before they put the curry powder in!

Having extracted mine, Bert proceeded to put the curry powder in, Steve was outside somewhere, and I told Bert that Steve likes his VERY hot, Bert said he did too so put a double dose of powder in. Bert left it to simmer, and Steve returned, he asked if Bert had put the curry powder in yet.

"No" I replied!

So Steve proceeded to put some in, and had put half the powder in when I grabbed the jar and said "Put it all in - Bert likes his hot!”

Some minutes later they sat down to their meal and Bert said he liked it hot, but this was the hottest he had ever had stew!

Steve was sweating profusely, and kept drinking glasses of water.  Before he had finished eating he had lost his voice - vocal chords burnt to a cinder!

Bert had his revenge though - at the local work men’s club I have a habit of picking up anyone’s crisps or peanuts on the bar and eating them. I went in one night and saw some peanuts there, but didn’t take any for ages, but as the bloke went to the gents, I checked the bag to ensure they were not spicy then scoffed a handful.  Well - I was in the gents in no time at all - knocking the other bloke over with the door as I entered. Bert had bought spicy ones and swapped them into a salted peanut bag - and I fell for it hook, line and sinker!

Baaaaaaaaaaaaa

Returning from a night in the beer barn at The Poacher in 2007, I found there was already someone in my sleeping bag....................... A blow up sheep!
Now, I am game for a laugh - but this was a second hand one!!!!!  

Flying the flag!

At the Burn up a few years ago Steve had slept on the floor of the caravan and complained it was draughty down there (Only cos there was a bunk bed and neither he nor Bert was in a fit state to climb up to the top one!) We didn’t think about it any more until one cold day at Tallington I noticed it myself, it was like a wind tunnel, the fridge vent ran straight across the caravan floor. It’s now pop riveted up with a nice piece of shiny aluminium we found on a track somewhere!
The fridge - its a pain in the bum cos it works on the mains but not on battery, nothing worse than warm beer is there - ask the Aussies who were at Kings Lynn!!!

Talking of a pain in the bum - Steve Brace woke up one morning to find he had a UNION JACK planted in his!  Fortunately it was only a trackside one, not a centre green scaffold pole - it was something to do with Bert I think!  I will spare you all the picture of that!!!!

Oh and the caravan has a resident frog in it too, Lance from Aussie land thought it was quite cute!

Latest fun thing we get up to is to creep up on a rider going to or from an event on a motorway - and then red flag him as we go past - at 70mph a red flag takes some holding onto - I am sure we are going to lose one soon!

Takeaway after the Masters 

A much talked about meeting at Northiam, but really, the track was not that bad at all, yes the delays slowed the meeting more than anyone wanted and a very late finish, but better the track work than bad accidents. Not my ideal afternoon either - grabbing handfuls of loose soil with my bare hands and moving it off the ropes during every stoppage! After the meeting ended I had a quick beer in the beer tent and then went to the local pub opposite to get a bite to eat - as usual all the catering outlets had sold out or gone home by the time the officials had finished their work. I ordered a beer and then proceeded to order food in the pub, but alas - no food on Sunday nights. I couldn’t waste the beer could I? So I drank it, and then dashed off to the nearest town for a food outlet. The mobile phone went off on the way - "Is Glen Philips in the beer tent?”    
I replied that he was when I had left 5 minutes ago. But before I put the phone down, guess who was staring at me from a side turning - yes - PC Plod!
I threw the phone over my shoulder into a  pile of clothes and other clutter laying on the back seat, but alas - as a I pulled up at some traffic lights, he had caught up with me , he tapped on my window and asked me to pull into a pub car park opposite which I did..
:-)
He asked me if I knew why he had asked me to pull into the pub car park. I suggested that I was not lucky enough for him to be inviting me in the pub for a drink!
He said he thought he had seen me on a mob phone a few hundred yards back down the road. I admitted to having one and checked my pockets and the charger pocket too, but it was nowhere to be found. The 2nd policeman then rummaged through stuff on the back seat.  OH MY GOD IF IT RINGS AGAIN NOW I AM IN SH*T STREET!
Well, as luck would have it, he didn’t find it, so he came to conclusion he was mistaken and apologised to me. 
He asked where I was going and I said I was looking for a food outlet, and he pointed one out to me across the road, great I said, glad that you stopped me now!
But as I proceeded to cross the road, he suddenly decided I should blow into his device!   He had to give me 20 minutes as I coughed to having one just down the road. I said that’s fine, I will get the takeaway and come back and blow for him, but he wouldn’t let me!  So I had to wait 20 minutes whilst starving, watching people come and go from the takeaway - I even offered to pay Plod number 2 for him to go and order something for me whilst we were waiting - but he said that if he wanted to be a pizza delivery boy he would be riding a moped, not driving a police car!

Thanks again Jay another little Gem, Jay’s stories are very popular and I hope he can keep them coming, I’m sure the three amigo’s will create a lot more stories in the coming season.

European Championship place

Just a quick follow up on the last column regarding the disproportionate allocation of 500 sidecar places afforded to the Dutch, it has been said that the place allocated to the Russians that was taken back off the UK has actually gone to Dutch rider Sven Holstein, this means that the Dutch have 6 out of their 7 drivers in the European Championship. This loop hole is starting to be really abused all at a cost to our Drivers, I think it is high time we all stood firm and started to stand up for our riders the Dutch federation have always had it their own way and are happy for one of their riders to go this route as it means they get virtually all their riders in, come on if you are fed up as I am that we are having the Mickey taken out of us put it in writing to the TRC the more complaints the more chance of change.

TRC Chairman

Peter Gregory has been elected to take over the role of chairman from the 1st of January, I’m sure he is going to make a good chairman as he is one of Grasstrack’s nice guy’s and really cares about the sport and competitors. He has always been a great help to the riders when he has been riders rep at International meetings particularly when Tony Cook was taken seriously ill at the European Championships in Stadskaanal one year, Peter was on hand and provided valuable support I know Tony really appreciated his help. Peter also took the trouble to visit me in hospital in August when I was in Germany which I was very grateful for, so I am sure every one would like to join me in wishing Peter the very best of luck in his new role.

Well that’s all for this week I hope you enjoyed it and remember if you have any similar stories or subjects you would like discussed please contact me either on the number supplied or my email address.

Be careful out there.

Trevski