The Place

Having spoken to a number of folk recently it seems that there is a wish to include a special Memorial Lap at the forthcoming Festival of Sidecars at Mallory Park as this seems to be the most appropriate time and place. Dave Stewart has kindly agreed to arrange this tribute to be included in the weekend programme.

As you are probably aware there are a number of Memorial Races each season in honour of competitors who have died due to their involvement with racing, it would be a suitable gesture to remember not just them but everyone lost whilst racing whether a humble clubman or a world champion. Over the years, a few too many to really want to count, a number of friends have died doing what they loved best, this would be a fitting tribute to everyone.

I was privileged to take part in the Camathias Memorial Meeting at Brands in the 60s where the entire sidecar entry rode for one lap slowly and helmetless in tribute, that was a moving and wonderful thing to be part of.

Would you support a memorial lap at the the FoS, please complete the poll above, you may vote for two options.

Bob I can see where your coming from, but I firmly beleive that racing is about the present and the future. There are various memorial meetings for past riders, great but racing is about young people and the future. The past is the past, especialy in the eyes of younger riders.

Geoff, you have PM

Dear Sir, I like your idea of a tribute slow lap to round any given track for what I would call 'Absent Friends' in the same way as they applaud rather than hold a minutes silence for a sports man/woman in his/her given discipline.......A slow lap rather than the parade debacle we saw at the MGP recently .

Regards



Fritz,,,,,,,,,,,

Fritz - thank you! That is the whole concept of the memorial lap and where better than at an all slidey meeting. The idea came from talking with slidey friends because we were discussing riders who have died due to racing. Over the years I have sadly lost many dear, good friends and purely on a personal basis this a good way to remember them with other people. Hardly a day goes by without at least one of them coming to mind or in conversation.

l like the idea, l don't think its meant to be a Miserable lap,its just one to say yes we know who you are, and we enjoyed your friendship, and in my case LOVE. and it gives the spectators a chance to see lots of different sidecars out at the same time, which l think would look fantastic,.

It may aslo give slideys a great opportunity to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the greatest number of slideys ever on one track simultaneously Not that this is the idea of course but just a thought ...

I would rather see a memorial race, parade laps just take up valuable track time and should be used for racing that's what all the lads and lasses are there for and those that are no longer with us loved racing not parading, just my humble opinion

never forget the past and those who went before you , the great things that were achived and the freindships that were made . i remember a number of years ago at an irish meeting the entire sidecar paddock walking onto the grid at lunchtime with a lone outfit sitting empty on the startline to pay a few moments of silence in memory of the late stan cooper, they have great respect for anyone comming over to support their racing and in a sport like ours if you kick one we all limp . i will remember them all

I personally think it's a great idea Bob. I can understand the aspect of taking up valueable time at a meeting but if we can't give up a little then maybe we are missing somethng. I do however think it needs careful planning to ensure it runs quickly and smoothly.

With Dave Stewart and Thundersport Syd at the helm I Think there are few qualms about careful organisation

Great idea, get behind it guys, we have all lost good friends and what better tribute than to honour them at the festival.

I like Robert Semple's idea. That way all the ex racers (who are without a bike) can show our respect to those who are not with us any more. But if it is done at the Festival that would probably be 80% of the total people at Mallory!

great idea robert i would love that great way to rember absent friends

wasnt intended as an idea ,just a recollection of an event that happened and stuck in my mind but i suppose its food for thought.i can understand some people not wanting to make too much of these things as memories can often be painful and focusing on them too much might affect their racing head. iam sure someone will strike a balance and a suitable /tastefull moment will be made to remember the people and days from the past that make sidecar racing the family it is.