Thundersprint News

May 10 - The Thundersprint Bike Show - Winnington Park, 3 Miles From Northwich Town Centre

The stars are piling into the Thundersprint and one of the all time greats is Sammy Miller.

Not only is Sam one of the finest trials riders of all time - the first true trials superstar - but he was also a brilliant enduro rider and, as a road racer, seemed to be heading for many road racing world championships.

As things turned out, the lure of trials was too strong for Sam to ignore and he gave up tarmac racing on the verge of greatness. Road racing’s loss was trials’ gain but many bike fans still wonder whether Miller could have been one of the best road racers of all time.

Sammy is eleven times British Trials Champion and has won the European (World) Championship twice. With over 1300 wins to his credit, Sam has been more than a little successful! In addition to being a brilliant rider, Sammy was also responsible for the design of the Ariel, Bultaco and Honda trials machines.

Now, Sam splits his time between his world renowned museum in New Milton, Hampshire, and riding in trials and historic track events.

A rider of Sam’s seniority and status might be expected to come to Northwich and simply ride round and wave to the crowd - but that’s not the Miller style.

Sammy is 101% totally committed to anything and everything he does and is blisteringly fast in high speed demonstrations throughout the world.

Sam will be giving the first outing to the latest addition to the his museum’s collection: a replica of the fabulous Honda RC181 as ridden by Mike Hailwood.

The bike is a wonderful tribute to the machine on which Mike Hailwood battled Giacomo Agostini during the 1967 season.

Thundersprint fans will be able to step back in time to the Golden Age of Grand Prix racing and see the Honda scream past just a few feet away. Truly, an unforgettable experience!

Sammy said: “I came to the Thundersprint two years ago and had an excellent day at what is a truly unique event.

"With the arrival of the Honda, the Thundersprint was the perfect place to show one of the icons of the motorycling world to a huge audience. I just can’t wait!”

We're really pleased to welcome Danny Webb, one of Britain’s brightest hopes for MotoGP glory, to this year's Thundersprint. Danny will be lining up alongside motorcycling legends Giacomo Agostini, Jim Redman and Sammy Miller and he is seriously pleased at the prospect.

Danny said: "When I was offered the chance to ride at the Thundersprint I jumped at it.

"I have heard so much about the Thundersprint and I just can’t wait to see how a small town like Northwich can be packed solid with over 100,000 race fans.

"MotoGP is a serious business so I am looking forward to a really relaxing weekend meeting fans and cruising round on my Aprilia which has been supplied by the North-West's top Aprilia dealer, Wallasey Motorcycles.

"The Thundersprint is a perfect opportunity to meet a lot of my fans personally - and that’s something which is really important to me.

"My weekend will start at the eBike Thundersprint Bike Show on Saturday afternoon and then on Sunday you’ll find me in the paddock and on Wallasey Motorcycles' stand when I’m not on the track.

Danny and his Molenaar Aprilia have made a huge impact in this year's MotoGP series.

"I’ll be at the Thundersprint all weekend to talk with anyone who has a passion for bikes - except when I’ve sneaked off to see all the fabulous classic race machines.

"There are no restricted areas or special passes at the Thundersprint. Wherever you see me I’ll be there to talk to you. "

We think that it will be great to have one of the fastest young racers in the world join us alongside some of the most famous riders from the past.

Linking the past, the present and the future of motorcycling is what the Thundersprint is about and certainly Danny is the future of bike racing.

Danny is not only a brilliant rider but one of the best representatives for bike racing one could hope to find.

We want Danny to treat the Thundersprint as a weekend off from the pressures of chasing the World Championship on his Molenaar Aprilia.

Danny will be having a play in the Motorcycling Personalities class on Aprilia's lovely little RS 125 which has kindly been supplied by Wallasey Motorcycles (0151-637 2225).

After the Thundersprint you will be able to see Danny's bike displayed in Wallasey Motorcycles' showroom.

Danny will be spending a lot of time with fans and no doubt admiring some of the wonderful classic bikes.

We wouldn’t mind betting that he’ll also be chatting to Giacomo Agostini who has Danny’s Dad, Jim, as his greatest fan!

The Thundersprint will provide a unique opportunity for spectators to meet Danny without any restrictions or pressures and we hope that many of his thousands of supporters will be in Northwich to cheer him on."

Things are always changing at this time of the year! First we heard from our good friend James May that the BBC are unexpectedly sending him to film in Japan at the start of May. Then our star rider Leon Haslam has been called away on Honda duties on the same weekend as the Thundersprint.

We never advertise a rider's presence unless we have written confirmation that they are 100% certain that they are going to ride with us but equally, we can't expect either of these stars to put the Thundersprint before their "day" jobs.

The good news is that both Leon and James are already looking forward to Thundersprint 2009.

Diane Youdale, (www.dianeyoudale.co.uk) who wowed over 10 million viewers with her stunning performances as "Jet" in the TV programme "Gladiators", will be in action at this year’s Thundersprint.

Diane is a huge bike fan and is looking forward to riding again - particularly in front of the massive Thundersprint crowd.

We met Diane for the first time a few weeks ago and she really is a lovely person and a huge bike fan. She's very approachable and will welcome meeting Thundersprint fans.

Diane said: "I’ve always been a biker at heart and I loved presenting motorcycle programmes in the past.

"My favourite machines are Harley-Davidsons, which say exactly what I feel about bikes.

"The thought of launching a 1200cc Harley Nightster off the Thundersprint start line in front of 30,000 cheering fans is both incredibly exciting - and more than a bit terrifying - but I’m 100% up for the challenge!

"When I’m not in action on the track, I will be with my Harley on Mosshaselhurst Solicitors’ stand and I’m really looking forward to meeting as many fans as possible.Make sure you come across for a chat."

Gerry Rooney, Senior Partner at Mosshaselhurst Solicitors (www.mosshaselhurst.com), added: "We are thrilled to welcome Diane as the ‘face’ of Mosshaselhurst.

Everyone is invited to visit our stand, meet "Jet" in person and talk to members of the Mosshaselhurst team to find out more about the range of services we offer local businesses and individuals.

One of the highlights of this year’s Thundersprint Bike Show, which is being held at Winnington Park Rugby Club, Northwich, on Saturday 10 May, will be the chance to test ride one of the very latest 2008 Ducatis.

Test ride one of these Ducatis, and many more not in the picture, at the Thundersprint Bike Show on May 10

The test rides are being hosted and organised by Manchester Ducati (www.ducatistore.co.uk) and General Manager Chris Booth is extremely enthusiastic about letting as many riders as possible experience the very special pleasures of riding a Ducati.

Chris said: "Riding a Ducati is so different from an ordinary motorcycle that you just have to experience it.

"There are a lot of safe, fast bikes on the market but a Ducati gives you its heart and soul. It’s more than just brakes, engine and a frame - every time you fire up a Ducati you are reminded of why you wanted to ride motorcycles in the first place.

"We’ve got an excellent route planned on some fabulous Cheshire roads and when you return to Winningrton Park after your ride we will have technical experts from Ducati to provide you with the most detailed information.

"There will also be Ducati owners available to chat with you - and an endless supply of free coffee and Ducati gossip!

"As far as we are concerned, this is not about selling bikes but introducing riders to the Ducati family."

Ducati Manchester's hyper enthusiastic General Manager Chris Booth who (allegedly!!!) uses red and white toothpaste every morning and gets tucked up under a Ducati duvet!

Chris is one of motorcycling's good guys and if you want to ride one of the fabulous Ducatis 'phone him now on 01925 756 232

Stuart Manning, best known as "Russ" from Hollyoaks, will be revealing his talents away from the screen on Sunday 11 May when he takes to the challenging Thundersprint track in Northwich town centre.

Stuart is already an accomplished motorcycle racer and will be riding a Ducati SR4S Tricolore in the Thundersprint with the support of Manchester Ducati and Ducati UK.

Looks as good as this always get the girls' hearts racing. That's the Thundersprint G.50 of course!

Stuart is really looking forward to the experience and said: “I have heard so much about the Thundersprint that I just can’t wait to be involved.

"I am used to racing on tracks but the idea of threading my way through a super tight course laid out right in the town centre is mind-blowing.

The two very ordinary looking ones are Jamie from eBike and Frank. Waiting patiently just out of shot for the other bloke's autograph are about two million girls! Can't think why...

“Racing in front of so many spectators is also going to be a daunting experience - a bit like winning an Oscar on a bike!

“I love all forms of motorcycling but I am particularly excited to be right in the middle of so many legendary bikes and riders.

I am really looking forward to meeting superstars of the past like Giacomo Agostini and Jim Redman and having some fun with current British Superbike star, Leon Haslam.

“It will also be great to meet many Hollyoaks fans and I hope that lots of you will come to Northwich and say hello.”

We first met Stuart at the Manchester Bike Show and were really taken with his enthusiasm - and by his smile when he knew that his entry had been accepted.

We think that one of the great joys of the the Thundersprint is that it appeals to such a wide range age range.

Dads, and Mums, are going wild at the prospect of seeing Ago in action again and teenagers are already full of smiles just thinking about Stu riding.

There's one thing for sure. This year's Thundersprint is going to be THE biking event of the year!

The Thundersprint has played host to many famous riders but we're really going to roll out the red carpet for 24 year old Superbike star Leon Haslam when he takes to the unique Northwich town centre track.

Since he last rode with us two years ago, we've come to know Leon well and it will be great to have one of the fastest young riders in the world join us alongside some of the most famous riders from the past.

Leon is not only a brilliant rider but one of the best representatives for bike racing one could hope to find.

Leon and his girlfriend, Oly, were with us at the Manchester Bike Show and the pair were simply brilliant with everyone from babies to hard core bike fans.

Leon made everyone welcome and posed for what seemed like a million pictures.

The Thundersprint will be a weekend off from the pressures of chasing the British Superbike Championship on his HM Plant Honda. Leon will be having a play in the Motorcycling Personalities class, spending a lot of time with fans and no doubt admiring some of the wonderful classic bikes.

Leon enjoys himself on the Thundersprint Matchless. We're still not convinced that the G.50 would be completely competitive in British Superbike races!

The Thundersprint will provide a unique opportunity for spectators to meet Leon without any restrictions or pressures and we hope that many of his thousands of supporters will be in Northwich to cheer him on.

“I am really looking forward to the Thundersprint. I came two years ago and had a fantastic weekend.

"I couldn’t believe how a small town like Northwich could be packed solid with over 100,000 race fans. It was an incredible experience and I am delighted to be invited back again for 2008.

“I’m also looking forward to a really relaxing weekend meeting fans and cruising round on my HM Plant Honda.

"It’s going to be a great experience having my modern Superbike in the same paddock as all the legendary classic Grand Prix machines.

“The Thundersprint is a perfect opportunity to meet a lot of my fans personally and that’s something which is really important to me.

"My weekend will start at the eBike Thundersprint Bike Show on Saturday afternoon and then on Sunday you’ll find me in the paddock when I’m not on the track.

“I’ll be at the Thundersprint all weekend to talk with anyone who has a passion for bikes - except when I’ve sneaked off to see all the fabulous classic race machines. There are no restricted areas or special passes at the Thundersprint. Wherever you see me I’ll be there to talk to you.

Giacomo Agostini - the World's Most Successful Motorcycle Racer - Rides at Thundersprint 2008:

Giacomo Agostini. 15 World Championships. 122 Grand Prix wins. 10 Isle of Man TT victories. And now Thundersprint competitor!

The one and only Ago! Film star good looks, 15 World Championships - and a lovely person too.

Giacomo is the rider who dominated World Championship motorcycling for thirteen incredible years leading both the MV Agusta and Yamaha teams.

On May 11, Northwich will once again echo to the scream of a racing MV as the immortal Ago is back in action.

Giacomo said: "Everywhere I go I keep hearing about the Thundersprint in Northwich - the huge crowds, the incredible atmosphere and the fantastic bikes racing.

"For 2008, I have decided that the Thundersprint is the one event I have to ride in."

As far as we are concerned, Giacomo is a sporting colossus - one of the true superstars, whose reputation stretches far beyond motorcycling.

Not only is Ago one of the world’s great bike racers - and arguably the best ever - he has a huge personality and takes a delight in being with spectators.

His programme at the Thundersprint will mean that fans will be able to see him in action, riding an MV Agusta on the track, during the lunch-time Cavalcade and on e-Bike’s stand throughout the day.

If you want to get close up and personal with Ago, the Thundersprint is the place to be.

Geoff Derham, Marketing Director of eBike, the Thundersprint’s title sponsor, said: "Giacomo is one of the great names in motorcycling and we are delighted to have him join us on the eBike stand throughout the Thundersprint."

The Thundersprint has won the prestigious “Business of the Year” award competing against a huge number of much larger businesses located in Vale Royal - one of the most economically dynamic areas of Britain.

The awards’ ceremony, hosted by the Guardian Series Newspapers, got off to a good start when we took the region’s “Customer Care” trophy.

The competition’s judges heaped praise on the Thundersprint for its attention to detail and the meticulous care shown to its customers.

The Thundersprint team - all four of us!!! - were delighted but there was more to come when we went on to take the evening's top award.

Elizabeth (holding the Business of the Year award), Frank, Ann and Carol (with the Customer of the Year trophy) were joined by

It was a very proud moment for the whole team and we owe everyone who supports the Thundersprint -

Frank is rarely short of words but on this occasion he was shocked into silence. Now there's a first!

However, he quickly recovered and went on to say: “Speaking for us all, we are genuinely delighted to have won this award - and truly amazed that such a tiny team could ever achieve such success.

“Although we have been given the award for the “Business of the Year” the success is not ours alone. The Thundersprint can only achieve what it does because of the incredible support we receive from our partnership with Vale Royal Borough Council and the huge amount of help provided by eBike Insurance, the Thundersprint’s title sponsor.

“Working closely together, we produce an event equal to anything in the world - and do so with pride that we are located within Vale Royal, a wonderful area in which to do business.

“The Thundersprint team is both hugely grateful to the judges for their faith in us and very proud of the recognition we have been accorded."

Without becoming all Oscarish, and thanking the contribution made to the event by our supplier of tea bags, we really do owe all the Thundersprint team a huge debt of thanks for their outstanding efforts.

Every single member of the team - and it is a huge group which works on the Thundersprint - makes an invaluable contribution and without their help we simply would not have an event.

Together, we try to produce the best event in the world - and it's that ambition for perfection which makes the Thundersprint worth doing. We might not have the resources of some of the other big motorsports events but in terms of giving our customers a spectacular day's entertainment we feel that we are equal to anyone.

Whilst the fastest riders screamed their race bikes round the tight Thundersprint track, gentleman racer, and Thundersprint regular, James May adopted a more leisurely approach.

The ever smiling James May prepares for another entertaining Thundersprint lap

“I really enjoy the Thundersprint for many reasons. You get to ride in what feels like a real race to me - the Thundersprint is the only competition I have ever done so I don’t have that much idea - but without someone using me for grip as they shoot past.

“I also like the paddock. The atmosphere is very intense - pure, distilled vintage motorcycling from an oak cask rather than the biking alcopop that some motorcycling events have become.

Not suprisingly, James won the "Most Optimistic Entry" prize for pitting his 87cc Honda against thoroughbred race bikes

“The highlight for me was an Egli Vincent that was more art than engineering: truly beautiful. I really enjoyed the custom bikes on the Krazy Horse stand too.

“My 87cc Honda is light, agile and, except that it has little more power than an energetically pedalled bicycle, would be ideal for winning the Thundersprint. But I didn’t!

“Another reason for coming to the Thundersprint is Gossips’ Fish and Chip shop. They serve some of the best fish and chips in Britain and the Council ought to erect a plaque outside their shop commemorating their prowess.

“Finally, I love coming to Northwich. I have never visited anywhere I felt so instantly at home. The relaxed 1950s atmosphere is wonderful and if it weren’t for work commitments in London, I would buy a house in Northwich tomorrow. But if I can’t move here, I definitely be back for next year’s Thundersprint.”

James really is the genuine article. Courteous, modest and helpful and a pleasure to have at the Thundersprint.

He is also outstandingly the most popular rider we have and it was a special pleasure that he won the: “Most Optimistic Entry” award voted by all the Thundersprint organising team.

And you can’t get much more optimistic than entering a 43 year old scooter against a class full of serious classic Grand Prix machines!”

Everyone from race and cavalcade entrants to traders and spectators thought that this year was the best Thundersprint ever - certainly until the heavens opened in the afternoon!

We had no serious accidents on the track and no incidents away from it. Overall, a great credit to everyone involved with the event.

We also want to offer a special thanks to the tens of thousands of spectators who stayed on right until the last race braving what were truly horrendous conditions.

"Pepin" splashes through the deluge to win the 500cc class with a time which would have been fast in the dry.

Councillor John Grimshaw, Lead Councillor for Events at Vale Royal Borough Council, said: “We are delighted with this year’s Thundersprint.

"It gives us tremendous pride that Northwich can so successfully host one of the biggest events in Europe - and one which brings so much pleasure to the local community”

Six times World Champion, Jim Redman, said: “I ride all over the world and the Thundersprint is still my favourite event.

“I want to offer my thanks to all the incredible fans who stayed on to cheer us on through the rain and floods. You are all brilliant.”

John Westlake, Editor of Bike Magazine, which is Britain’s biggest-selling motorcycle magazine, was a Thundersprint first timer and he commented:

“This was my first Thundersprint and I was shocked. I’d heard tales of enormous crowds, but the reality was astonishing – the grandstands were packed, the cavalcade route was six-deep with spectators and Bike’s humble stand was busy all day.

“But perhaps most heartening was the atmosphere. Wherever you went throughout the day, there was cheery banter from spectators, traders, racers and marshals.

"We’ll be there again next year - and I promise that my wheelies will be better!”

Fastest time of the day went to Irish Road Race Champion Gary Jamison with a truly incredible time of 24.54 seconds. Not the fastest ever lap but one which was incredible in the horrendous conditions which prevailed. We'll have a full race report very soon.

Thundersprint Superstar. Gary Jamison on his way to the fastest time of the day.

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info@thundersprint.com or ‘phone us on: 01928 740 498 between 9am and 8pm British time