Now in its eighth year and at its third venue, DirtQuake classifies itself as a motorbike festival centred around “Run what you Brung” flat track racing for all-comers. Originally managed on a shoestring by the folk at Sideburn magazine, it’s now run by media company Golden Goose with corporate support from Harley-Davidson, which has sponsored the show for a couple of years. There were other sponsors such as ITV4 (although Sideburn is still there to support the event) and the Dirt Track Association runs the racing. Kings Lynn in Norfolk has been DirtQuake’s spiritual home but now it has moved south to the Arlington Stadium near Eastbourne, home of the Eastbourne Eagles speedway team.
On the Friday the event still held the professional racing which, by all accounts, was ace, but I was there for the madness that is the various amateur classes on the Saturday. Not having been for a couple of years, it was time to find out if the move of ownership and venue has retained that special magic which was always prevalent at the East Anglian site and early events. So, packing my best waterproofs, and putting rocks in my pocket due to the howling gale—it is summer after all—I headed further south, stealthily avoiding all the fallen trees on the way.
My first thoughts were that it is a better venue, with free parking and free seats in the covered Grandstand, while the pits/communal area were accessible to all, which was superb as it was always a shame when the preparation area was closed in Norfolk. This gave us more opportunity to look at the bikes and riders, which is as much what this event is about as the racing. The food stalls were far better than before (even at southern prices ouch), but still with the queues, while it was nice to have some other stalls such as Gasoline Alley Speed Shop with its ever-smiling staff.
この記事は 100% Biker の Issue 253 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は 100% Biker の Issue 253 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
There's No Place Like Chrome
When settling down to write a feature for a magazine, it’s necessary to have two things, nay, three things in front of you. A computer is useful, it saves all that messy ink and blotting paper that we used in those long gone school days, a strong hot mug of tea should also be on the desk (goes without saying), and finally, a set of scribbled notes that a couple of months ago resembled a detailed description of a motorcycle, but that by now, are largely illegible…
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TWEETY
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THE DOUBTER
Every project starts somewhere and this one began at the Bike Shed Show at Tobacco Dock in London or, to be more accurate, when my mate Matt Donaldson turned to me and said, “I bet you can’t build a bike good enough for here.” Well, that set me to work!
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