Welsh road races, 2018 solo only but possibly in future sidecars included

[steve-e]

[steve-e]

[oldbelly]

Just watched the onboard lap of the new circuit which will hopefull be part of modern day road racing. The Irish lads will be totaly at home but Sidecars ? I must be getting old lol. Best of luck to all involved though.

[Dan]

I agree with you Geoff........... you must be getting old .

Compared to the Billown circuit and Oliver's Mount it looks like a 'softish' circuit with hardly anything solid to hit if you are unlucky enough to get off the grey bit. OK, the earth bankings aren't going to be a pleasure to tangle with but they will be a darned sight softer than stone walls and trees. It is a bit difficult to judge the width of the Welsh circuit from the video, I don't know if it states the width anywhere, and it does look a bit narrow but I think would be easier to pass there with a sidecar than at Oliver's Mount.

Oh, I forgot Geoff, you will be looking through F1 eyes and I can see the problem with the long 'uns on that track but I think a lot of the F2 teams would be up for it, especially with a 5.25 mile lap distance. I bet your Ian would have been well up for it, he would have been as brilliant there as he was everywhere else (still miss him).

The following extracts from the website seems to have forgotten that Oliver's Mount is run on closed public roads and I think Scarborough is still on mainland UK

"Eppynt Welsh TT Ltd, is the culmination of an idea had many years ago, to stage the first (legal) motorcycle road race on a public road on mainland UK."
"We aim to deliver the first closed circuit, motorcycle road race on the UK mainland during the current era."

[lee a]

having done a few sprints and been to watch rallying there the surfaces are outstanding and very fast roads its a bit on the narrow side but saying that so is olivers mount .id love to passenger around there hope it all goes ahead

[oldbelly]

The bit that worrys an old bloke like me is that a modern F2 will be off the road quit a bit over the rises and it will be fast . Outfits arent good in the air but you will know all about that Dan.Its a fantastic venture and I wish everyone involved all the best . Hopefully it will become a permanent part of British Road Racing.

[lee a]

see what you mean Geoff. think if it was a bit wider in certain parts would be good but its very exciting and local to me which makes a change .wheres my leathers

[oldbelly]

You mean you can still fit into them Lee .

[Dan]

The bit that worrys an old bloke like me is that a modern F2 will be off the road quit a bit over the rises and it will be fast . Outfits arent good in the air but you will know all about that Dan.Its a fantastic venture and I wish everyone involved all the best . Hopefully it will become a permanent part of British Road Racing.

Flying through the air wasn't a problem for me Geoff, it was landing upside down that hurt and did the damage . I see what you mean though about being airborne at the speeds that could be reached there, the track is rather undulating and the commentary does mention about solos being on their back wheel a lot. Still wouldn't mind giving it a go though, if I could manage to sit on an outfit for 5 and a bit miles......which I can't

As you say, it would be good to see a new circuit come into being so good luck to the organisers (even if it is only for those two wheeled contraptions)

[Alun]

They are faithful to the original circuit and when I went up on Sunday, the piles of logs were gone and the surface is new all the way round if a bit green here and there. It will need a bit of ground works to pipe a few ditches and move a few banks and blocks of limestone that mark the corners. Like all road circuits there are bits that need to treated with caution. Lots of blind crests and downhill blind bends.
I remember parts of it were used for rally stages in the 1980s. On my way up I called in on Peter Jones and he has a program from the 1953 Meeting, The Coronation Year Meeting, signed by Pip Harris and showing Bill Boddice as the sidecar lap record holder.
There are lots of motorsport events there, car rallies, enduros, car hill climbs and a few bike hill climbs organised by Port Talbot Club.
I’m going to give it a go on the minitwin, if can get an entry. It’s only 40 bikes per class starting in pairs at 10 second intervals. With lap times of 4 minutes or so that is about the limit.

[steve-e]

From Twitter:

Welsh Road Race Sponsorship& Facilities Director, Phil Morris, has confirmed that over the first two days of @motorcyclelive at the NEC, no less than 82 road racers have registered their interest in racing on the 5.25 mile circuit situated in the Brecon Beacons in Wales!

https://twitter.com/wrrsc/status/932658359085518850

[lee a]

You mean you can still fit into them Lee .

yes indeed i can thank you very much come on get yourself out again im looking for a decent driver

[steve-e]

From Gary Thompson on Twitter

This week’s MCN says I’m CofC for the Welsh Road Race next year. I can’t do the event as I am out of the country. As a courtesy, I have offered to help with the Risk Assessment but I am not officially involved with the event and I don't want anyone mislead thinking that I am.