How strange it is to spend a second Easter in lockdown, albeit with somewhat reduced restrictions. I recall Easter being, essentially, the start of the UK motorcycle racing season. I used to particularly enjoy the Anglo American Match Race series. I live in the North West of England so Oulton Park was, and still is, our favourite 'local' circuit and I remember my brother and I attending the Match Races on Easter Monday from 1971 onwards. The first series was particularly interesting for us as I think all the machinery in the races were either BSA or Triumph triples and, more importantly, we won! It was a great series and introduced some fantastic American racers to the UK, one who stuck in my memory being Cal Rayborn riding a Harley Davidson. He was brilliant.

+1 on that. It was a brilliant series and as you say, the "start" of the season really.
Oh, and the sound of those triples were gorgeous.
Mallory park and Oulton park were the most visited circuits by me and my dad. Lots of butties and flasks of tea....wow, what fond memories.

I was a Marshal at Brands Hatch in those days and vividly remember the Match Races.  It was great that we won, but to see the American dirt trackers on the tarmac was brilliant.

I started watching more and more YouTube videos in the last couple of years and for reasons I'm not sure of a whole load of 90's supercup races started showing up on my feed and I've really enjoyed watching them. Somehow the racing in those days feels more accessible - sort of like the last of the days before professionalism and glitz really took over.

Any how quite a few of the match races started popping up if you're interested in watching again - mostly Schwantz Rainey era stuff though.

Sam

(02-04-2021, 12:22 PM)bsa499 Wrote: How strange it is to spend a second Easter in lockdown, albeit with somewhat reduced restrictions. I recall Easter being, essentially, the start of the UK motorcycle racing season. I used to particularly enjoy the Anglo American Match Race series. I live in the North West of England so Oulton Park was, and still is, our favourite 'local' circuit and I remember my brother and I attending the Match Races on Easter Monday from 1971 onwards. The first series was particularly interesting for us as I think all the machinery in the races were either BSA or Triumph triples and, more importantly, we won! It was a great series and introduced some fantastic American racers to the UK, one who stuck in my memory being Cal Rayborn riding a Harley Davidson. He was brilliant.

I know some might think I am bulling but I was in charge of paddock assembly for the Trans Atlantic series at Oulton Park. Can't remember the year but it was the first time the Americans won. They had in theory won before the last race and were slow in getting to the assembly area for the last race. I went over to Randy Mamola's motor home were most of the team were celebrating their victory. The look on their faces was superb when I pointed out they could still theoretically be beaten if they didn't go out again!

(02-04-2021, 08:05 PM)dommyman Wrote: I was a Marshal at Brands Hatch in those days and vividly remember the Match Races.  It was great that we won, but to see the American dirt trackers on the tarmac was brilliant.

I too was a marshal at Brands back then, it seems our paths may have crossed before - methinks we should discuss over a coffee at Peel breakwater cafe at the 2022 TT

Slightly back on topic: Cal Raybon riding and winning on an iron barrelled Harley has him amongst my all time favourite riders