If you are reading this guide then, probably, you are new to the Thundersprint so the most important thing is to welcome to you to the Thundersprint family.

The Thundersprint is one of the biggest events in Europe but we still keep to our original idea of having a huge, friendly party to which everyone is welcome. Let's stress that point. The Thundersprint is for everyone - young, old, hard core race fans, classic enthusiasts or simply anyone wanting a wonderful day's entertainment

British Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari and the HM Plant Honda team will be at the Thundersprint to entertain you!

You won't see any in-your-face-activities at the Thundersprint. We specialise in Maypole dancing rather than Pole Dancing! What you will find is incredibly exciting motorcycle sprint racing right in the town centre, a huge trade area, masses of entertainment for the children, fine food and the unmissable Thundersprint Cavalcade of Motorcycling History.

First, a critical issue for everyone these days: cost. Despite being a world class event the Thundersprint has completely free admission. Parking too, is free of charge in Vale Royal Borough Council controlled parking areas - although some local companies do charge for using their private car parks. The choice is yours whether you wish to pay or not.

The main parking areas are well sign posted into Northwich from every direction.

The Thundersprint sets out to welcome the whole community and so we have excellent disabled parking, and viewing, right in the town centre. Because of the pressures on space, we would ask that you respect these areas and only use them if you have a real need.

The whole of the Thundersprint is completely pedestrianised with the emphasis being on providing a safe environment for those who are perhaps not quite as nimble as they once were, children and families. Right in the centre of the show, Adelaide Gardens is kept as a quiet, peaceful area where you can take a break from the excitement of the rest of the event.

Disabled toilets are at the bottom of Adelaide Gardens, outside Marks and Spencer's store, and inside the Salvation Army Citadel which is at the other side of Adelaide Gardens.Also in the Salvation Army Citadel is a "Mums and Babies" area where little ones can be serviced and cared for. It's also a quiet area where Mum, and maybe Dad too, can take a peaceful five minutes just to collect their thoughts before joining the action again. We remember the "Baby Days" too and so have provided what we would have liked for ourselves all those years ago.

We pride ourselves on making the Thundersprint very family friendly.

Here eBike's Alex Phillips tries to convince a young customer of the importance of puncture insurance! Knowing Alex, he probably signed up too!

Now let's have a look at what you can see, and do, at the Thundersprint. For 2007, we have a really packed weekend of entertainment so you will need somewhere to stay to enjoy the whole show. We have some very good hotel deals and excellent camping. Follow the links in the previous sentence for full information.

In fact, why not turn the Thundersprint into a short break and enjoy the rest of Cheshire. Click on the Cheshire link for ideas on what the whole region has to offer. Cheshire.

The weekend begins with the Thundersprint Bike Show which is being held at Winnington Park Rugby Club. This beautiful venue is 2 miles from Northwich town centre and will host a superb display of modern and classic bikes as well as being the venue for the Thundersprint camping.

Admission to the show is free and there will be good food, and liquid refreshments, on sale all day. Get full details on the show from Saturday Bike Show.

There is lots of parking in Northwich, and much of it is free and very well signposted. However, please bear in mind that the town gets extremely busy on Sunday 13 May.

Please leave yourself plenty of time to park and walk into the Thundersprint itself which is located in the area of Marks and Spencer's store and is about 10 minutes comfortable walk from the main parking areas. The earlier you arrive the better!

It's 6am and the paddock is already busy as racers prepare for the pre-event safety check.

Despite the early hour, it's a fascinating time to see behind the scenes of a major race event - and admission is completely free.

Here TV star James May's Moto Guzzi is given a thorough check over by Thundersprint Technical Officer, Les Trotter.

For really keen Thundersprint fans, the action starts very early on Sunday morning as the bikes, and riders, undergo their pre-event safety checks beginning at 6am. This is a wonderful chance to meet the stars close up and to see the bikes as our technical staff give them the eagle eye.

The technical inspection takes place on Cumberland Street car park, which is opposite the main Matalan store.

Practice begins on the tight, 440 yard circuit, promptly at 8.30am with six times World Champion Jim Redman first to come to the start line, heading the Masterclass. Practice goes on from 8.30 until 11.30 without a break.

The Thundersprint races have only one bike on the track at a time racing against the clock. Each run is short - under 30 seconds - and the action is intense. You can find out more about sprinting by going to sprinting where there is a lot of information about the sport.

Here's Peter Whitelegg, and the mighty Alto Performance Cagiva Raptor, limbering up in practice. You should see Pete once he really starts trying!

We take immense pride in our safety record and so all the racing takes place behind a two metre high steel fence. This means that spectators can get close to the action without being in danger.

However, if you are new to motorsport please bear in mind that some of our bikes are far from quiet. One of the highlights of the Thundersprint is being close to the sight, smell - and sound of these fabulous thoroughbred machines so if you have children with you get them ready for the whole experience before you take your place next to the track: they will love it!

All the viewing around the track is free of charge - and this includes the grandstands. All places are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis so please make sure that you are at the side of the track nice and early for the best view.

The grandstands are free - but get full very soon. Not surprising when you can get this close to superstars like Leon Haslam.

Directly after practice concludes it's time for the Thundersprint cavalcade. This spectacular sees 200 race and road machines, from 1914 to the present day, strutting their stuff through the streets of Northwich. Good viewing spots are outside the Seafarer"" Fish and Chip Restaurant - which also does excellent takeaways too - Northwich Police Station or the NatWest Bank.

Stand behind the protective railings and all these are safe areas for children. Each one is about 10 minutes relaxed walk from the Thundersprint itself.

The Cavalcade is an unmissable experience - so make sure that you don't miss it!

Aristocratic 1930s road bike and white hot 1960s classic racer share the same highway. It just has to be the Thundersprint Cavalcade!

Northwich is a beautiful little town and on your way back from the cavalcade, take some time to enjoy the unique Victorian buildings and perhaps the many shops which open for the Thundersprint.

Beautiful buildings, friendly people - and thousands of bikes. That's Northwich on the weekend of the Thundersprint!

The problem is what to do now! We have almost a mile of trade stands selling everything from the latest motorcycling gear to high fashion clothes and alternative therapies. In fact, there is a busy two-days just browsing for show bargains.

Make sure that you visit our Fine Food Court too. Hand-made ice-cream, curried goat (not in the same tray!) and a wide range of exotic food are all on sale at very attractive prices.

Just as important is a visit to the paddock. Uniquely for any major motorsports event, the Thundersprint paddock is completely open with free admission. You will be able to meet the bikes, mechanics and riders in a way which is just not possible anywhere else. Everything is open and everyone will give you a warm welcome. The paddock is at the far end of the show, opposite Matalan's car park.

One side of the Thundersprint track is surrounded by a huge grass bank which provides a wonderful natural grandstand. And, like everything else at the Thundersprint, it is free!

At the Thundersprint there is a vast amount to do for children young and old. For the little ones, head for the area behind Adelaide gardens and Stan Barley's Inflatable Fun Centre. Stan will have everything, well almost everything, which inflates and is fun. And Stan always brings the very latest in children's entertainment for that show season.

Opposite the paddock is Luke Knightly's fun fair with some stomach churning adrenaline rides - ideal for the older kids or Mum and Dad who like being scared.

Make sure that you leave everything by 1.15 and take your place on the banking above the track. This is the best place to see the heart stopping display by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire.

Again, this is another sight unique to the Thundersprint because there is literally nowhere else in the world where you can see a full Spitfire display in a town centre. Make sure that you bring plenty of hankies to wipe up the tears as the Spit climbs away to the North-West with the roar of the mighty Merlin engine echoing off the banking and the sun reflecting from those evocative, elipitical wings. And, like the rest of the Thundersprint, the Spitfire display is free to view. Beat that for value for money!

Spitfire in a town centre? The last time you could be sure of seeing this was 1945 - or Thundersprint 2007!

As the Spitfire departs, it's time for the National Anthem and a moment's quiet reflection before 100 highly tuned race engines burst into life precisely at 1.30.

Garry Gardiner, "The Voice of the Thundersprint", will have you cheering, screaming and Mexican Waving. The racing is about to begin and it's party time!

British Superbike star Leon Haslam, at play. And yes, it is a lot harder than it looks!

There is truly something for everyone. First off the start line will be six times World Champion, Jim Redman, riding Clive Brooker's stunning Honda CR750. Get on your feet to cheer one of the world's greatest riders as he opens the action for what will be four hours of intense excitement.

Six times World Champion, six times Isle of Man TT winner and one of two riders to win three Grands Prix in day. Superstar Jim Redman is at the Thundersprint all weekend to talk to you.

We've used the word unique a lot here but where else can you stand close enough to screaming classic Grand Prix bikes and the latest Superbikes to read the bikes' rev. counters as they hurtle down the track?

Hard core race fan, or Thundersprint first timer, nothing is as intense, as involving, as the Thundersprint where you do much more than see the bikes - you can smell the race fuel and see the oil stains so close will you be to the racing. What a spectacle!

Top Gear's James May enjoys an elegant cruise around the tight Thundersprint course. World Champion, Jim Redman, is rather more focussed! Both stars have a wonderful time at the Thundersprint.

There are 11 race classes with everything from a 1914 Douglas - and you don't even see many of these bikes in museums - to the 2007 HM Plant factory Hondas all in action on the same action packed track. Stay for five hours or five minutes but make sure that you do see the racing!

The Thundersprint attracts riders from all over the world. Here is German star, Karin Leffrang flat out on her incredibly rare AWO racer - one of only a handful of these bikes still in existence.

The track action finishes around 5pm but the Thundersprint is still very much open so take your time to enjoy the attractions before heading for home - and getting ready for Thundersprint 2008!

And remember spectator admission to every part of the Thundersprint, and parking in Council controlled parking areas, is completely, 100%, free of charge.

You can keep up with all the Latest News by clicking on this link - Thundersprint News

Or if you would prefer, we can e-mail you directly with all the inside stories. If you would like to join our privileged mailing list, which will also give you free pictures of all our star riders, please send us your contact details. Our e-mail address is news@thundersprint.com

And no, we won't sell, or pass on, your details to anyone, anywhere, for any reason. Honest!

Nor will we try to interest you in lucrative money transfer deals or offer to increase any parts of your body in size with pills, patches or potions.

The only thing you will ever get from us is Thundersprint information.

Thank you for becoming part of the Thundersprint family.

We're delighted to have you join us so make sure that you come and say hello to the Thundersprint team on race day.

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