Pitching a ride

The long-running sport of motoball arrived at Brooklands for the first time, in September 2020.

- ALAN TURNER

The right crowd – and no crowding,’ that elitist Brooklands’ strapline had a new relevance over September 26/27, 2020, when, for the first time in its existence, and in the face of Covid-19 restrictions, the Surrey circuit played host to motoball. But what is motoball? “

The most obscure sport you’ve never heard of,” Ray Attewell says with a smile. He is the manager of the Hayes and Southall team, which operates as a section of the ACU club of that name. As a club affiliated to the ACU, this enables the section to organise events, as the ACU remains the governing body for motoball although, sadly, the Hayes and Southall team is currently the only one still active in this country.

Thankfully, there is sufficient interest among the Hayes and Southall membership to still be able to form two teams. For Brooklands, the pool of riders was divided to become the ‘Upstarts’ and the ‘Veterans’. They played two matches each day. Ray Attewell explained it was the first time they had played in 14 months. A winter lay-off is normal, but coronavirus and a lack of opportunity meant riders, but definitely not the bikes, were still rather rusty.

Motoball machines can be no more than 250cc. Seventies Japanese off-roaders are favourites, but Bultaco, Maico and BSA could all be seen zipping around the pitch. The pitch was the great unknown, as the match was being held on Brooklands’ Start/Finish straight, so it was the first time any of those involved had played on a concrete surface.