Thundersprint at Northwich on May 10/11th

Giacomo Agostini - the World's Most Successful Motorcycle Racer - Rides at Thundersprint 2008: Agostini took 15 World Championships. 122 Grand Prix wins. 10 Isle of Man TT victories. And now Thundersprint competitor! 

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.

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." 

www.thundersprint.com

Central Wales Auto Club returns to BEC

The ACU Trials & Enduro Committee are delighted to announce that CWAC have agreed to host a round of the Metzeler /ACU British Enduro Championship on 20/21st September in Mid Wales , replacing the SCEC round for that date which had to be cancelled due to land issues.

Clerk of the Course for this event "The Knighton Enduro" will be Mark  Vaughan and the Secretary of the Meeting, Marty Jones .

Further details will be released shortly

ACU ACADEMY LAUNCHES ROAD RACE SCHOLARSHIP

The ACU Road Race Academy is delighted to announce a new scholarship programme aimed at assisting young British Road Race talent.

The new scholarship has been created through a partnership between the ACU Road Race Academy and leading IT firm Symitry IT (North) Limited.  The Market Harborough based company are providing a scholarship fund that will be directed towards an Academy rider who is competing in the 125 British Championship.  The fund will be managed by the ACU Academy, who will also allocate an Academy coach to work with the rider at race meetings throughout the season.

The scholarship will be known as the ACU Symitry North Road Race Scholarship and the recipient of the 2008 scholarship fund is 16 year old Shaun Horsman from Bolton, Lancashire.  Horsman, who moved up from the 2007 ACU MotoStar Championship, will be coached by former 125 GP and TT racer Clive Horton at rounds of this years 125 British Championship.

Managing Director of Symitry IT (North) Limited, Steve Holbrough, is delighted to be supporting this unique rider support programme,
“I have enjoyed being involved in racing for a number of years and as a company we have supported a number of young riders along the way,” said Steve.

“This new relationship with the Governing Body of the Sport takes our sponsorship of riders to a new level and I am delighted to be supporting Shaun through the ACU Symitry North Scholarship” he continued.

Rider Shaun Horsman is understandably pleased with the new deal,
“I am honoured to be the first recipient of the ACU Symitry North Scholarship and to have someone like Clive Horton helping me.  I am confident that with the support of the ACU, Steve and Clive, our team will be able to put on a good show and get some decent results in what is my rookie British Championship season”

ACU Academy Manager Dave Luscombe believes that the new partnership with Symitry IT (North) Limited will help develop some new talent in British racing, “The ACU Academy has assisted some of this country’s top domestic talent since its creation in 2000;  Cal Crutchlow, Tom Sykes, Bradley Smith and Craig Jones are just some of the young stars who were assisted by the Academy in their early years” explained Luscombe

“Thanks to the generosity and vision of Steve Holbrough and the creation of the new Scholarship programme, we will be able to assist riders even more than before, hopefully finding more Crutchlow’s, Smith’s and Sykes’s” said Luscombe.

CALLING ALL ROAD RACE MARSHALS .................

MOTO GP - Donington Park - 20th-22nd June 2008.

Track and Flag Marshals.

If you are not one of the 800 Road Race Marshals registered with the ACU and you are experienced and would like to be considered for Marshalling duties at Moto GP then please contact Michelle Haynes, 01788 566405 or email:  michelle@acu.org.uk and she will be delighted to send you an availability form.

British Motocross Grand Prix Mallory Park

The 2008 British Motocross Grand Prix will be held at Mallory Park on June 1st. 

Mallory Park has always been known as the 'friendly circuit' and will hope this can be carried into the world of motocross. The event is  being promoted by RHL activities the renowned organisers of the Weston beach race and together with Mallory Park are building a World class motocross circuit at the venue. 

Information about the event and tickets can be found at  
www.britishmxgp.com  or  
www.mallorypark.co.uk

Isle Of Man TT Countdown

A star-studded line up promises scintillating racing at the 2008 TT, which is now only weeks away.

All of the leading names from the Centenary TT return, and will be joined by exciting newcomers and a host of world class teams. There are World, European, British, Irish and American champions in both the solo and sidecar classes and the strength in depth is, quite simply, superb.

There are eight former solo winners with 39 TT wins between them. A staggering 38 riders from the entry have already lapped at more than 120mph.

Heading the list once again is the current ‘King of the Mountain’ John McGuinness and, for the third year in a row, the 13-times TT winner and current outright lap record holder, will carry the number 3 plate in all five of his races.

The Padgett’s Manx Gas Honda man will certainly be the one the rest of the field have to beat. However, the top dozen is packed with potential race winners and, arguably, the greatest challenge will come from Guy Martin, who will start at number 1 for 2008. The Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider came couldn’t have been closer to his maiden victory last year, and many have tipped him for at least one victory this year.

See more for the rest of the star rider list.

or visit the the IOM TT web site at www.iomtt.com  

Lester Goodwin Memorial Meeting International 18th May Main Track

Full details from the Tonbridge web site at www.tmmcc.co.uk

Juniors will be able to race on the Saturday
Classes: 24 x 500cc solos, 18 x 1000cc S/cars, 24 x 500cc S/cars
Top 7 solos & Top 5 sidecars straight to A final, Winner of B final to progress to A
Camping available, Live band Saturday night, Beer tent

Interphone National Road Rally 5-6th July 2008

Celebrating it’s 75th anniversary this year, the Interphone National Road Rally over the weekend of 5-6th July, has nevertheless moved with the times with its new on-line booking facility.  The new system has generated nearly 600 entries already, but with five weeks to go until entries close, organisers are keen to double that and believe that internet forums could be the solution!

The phenomenon of internet forums has allowed special interest groups to create virtual communities on line, with motorcycling being a very popular subject.  This lends itself perfectly to the Interphone National Road Rally, which will provide an ideal opportunity to meet up with ‘virtual’ friends. With 50 Control Points around England to choose from, riders will be faced with a  great choice and challenge in deciding where to ride, before heading for the final control of the event – Bletchley Park (famous for the Enigma code breaking work during WW2), where refreshments/breakfasts are available to all riders and pillions entering this famous ‘navigational scatter rally’.

NEW F1 / MotoGP / WRC 'VIRTUAL' MAGAZINE AT FULL REVS

World-first international 'virtual' motorsport magazine, GPWeek is setting a cracking pace after just three weeks of publication. 
Published every Monday morning (GMT), GPWeek is available on-line and FREE to motorsport fans world-wide, with more than 50,000 already taking advantage of the publication's unique digital delivery platform on a weekly basis:

"The reaction to GPWeek has taken us all a little by surprise," says Editor and F1 journalist Will Buxton.

"It is rare for a new publication, particularly one so revolutionary in its method of distribution, to be met with such universal approval, but this is exactly the reaction which GPWeek has received from people the length and breadth of the F1 pitlane. The figures for the first online issues back up these early plaudits, and we will continue to push ourselves in order to ensure that the standards we have set as our hallmark do not slip."

WHEN: GPWeek is available 24/7, with a new issue published at 09.00 every Monday UK time (corresponding times around the world).

HOW: Just go to  www.gpweek.com  and click on the front cover. (Motorsport fans who don't have high-speed broadband can simply download GPWeek in low-res pdf form from the GPWeek site, to read on-screen or even print out).

Open Trials Forum

The Trials & Enduro Committee would like to give advanced notice of a general Open Trials Forum for adults and youths, which will be held at ACU House, Rugby on Saturday 21st June 2008.

By holding the Forum earlier in the year it is hoped that there will be ample time to discuss the many and varied issues relating to Trials Championships and enable adequate time for any changes agreed to be included in the 2009 ACU Handbook.

Please note that a separate Forum will be held for the British Solo Trials Championship.