Aberdare Park Road Races

Now when your asked to appear any particular place you momentarily have a picture in your mind how the event will look? How wrong could I have been with Aberdare Park, my vision being a wooded type circuit in the middle of nowhere some part of South Wales.

In fact the centre of town their walled park hosts a mile long circuit round a beautiful boating lake where the biggest capacity motorcycle now allowed to race being 600 Supersport.

Two days of racing with plenty of characters there including some surprises. Firstly 50cc, 80cc and plenty of classic bikes being raced and of course myself Hicky and a few others parading some collectable machines.

Spent sometime e commentating also with many names racing that I recognised. Sunday morning I was summoned to the start/finish to present the 50cc class their trophies when I bumped into Shane Norval. Great 250 rider British Championship in his day & now messing around on 50cc race bikes for a little fun. Leading the championship no other than my old sparring partner Hudson Kennagh, having a ball winning races round the Park.

Big presentation Saturday evening with all us guys going along including John McGuinness still in plenty of pain with his injury, bumped into the legend Arthur Browning, star of Road Racing, Trials, Speedway and Endure. 73 years old now and still having fun, he’ll be competing the International 2-day Classic trial again in September on Isle of Man.

The weather was actually ok even though the forecast had been terrible, good atmosphere all round with some great bikes for me to ride.

Dave Jefferies 2001 R1 Yamaha, I actually raced against him on this bike.

Brock Parkes Aprillia GP machine from couple years back, one of fastest bikes i’ve ridden. Had chance to ride Suter 500 2-stroke 500 but decided to wait and test this one at later date for magazine against one of the old RGV500’s!

Picture Courtesy: Clive Challinor