Sun Shines on Thunderfest 2017

As the rain poured down all over the Midlands, the sun shone on the Darley Moor circuit for the seventh Thunderfest – and what an event it was with the tightest ever results.

Thunderfest is a time trial, not a race, in which competitors decide how fast they want to ride and then strive to keep to their target time for 20 minutes plus two laps. And they are getting incredibly good at this!

With just tachometers to rely on, and their own mental computers, every rider who took home a trophy got within less than 1mph of their target time.

Ian Munro, riding a 400cc Mash, rode within 0.06mph of his target time – despite threading his way through heavy traffic on the track – to win Class B and set the closest time of the day.

Dave Perry, with his formidable, six cylinder, 1300cc Kawasaki, was just 0.51mph from his target speed to win class A for riders with higher declared speeds.

Best of all, despite the huge number of laps ridden by the packed Thunderfest entry there was not a single accident – a great credit to the riders’ friendly attitude and skill.

All the winners staggered back to their bikes with the spectacular blue glass trophies provided by the event’s sponsor, Harleyworld of Chesterfield.

But it is the unique Thunderfest atmosphere which makes the event so special. Previous winner Brian Sadler, who made the long journey south from Northumberland said: “We had a brilliant day’s sport with the best bunch of people you could hope to meet. It was trouble free on the track, and on the long journey home, and what could be better than that?”

Class A - Declared speed of more than 60mph

1^st – DAVE PERRY

Declared speed - 67.10 mph

Achieved speed – 66.59 mph

Difference - 0.51mph

2^nd – TONY HEAD

Declared Speed – 62.52

Achieved Speed – 63.04

Difference – 0.52

3^rd – FRANK MELLING

Declared Speed – 66.15

Achieved Speed – 65.47

Difference – 0.68

4^th – SIMON WILSON

Declared Speed – 61.20

Achieved Speed – 62.17

Difference – 0.97

Class B - Declared speed of less than 60mph

1^st – IAN MUNRO

Declared speed – 53.57

Achieved speed – 53.63

Difference – 0.06

2^nd – OLIVER PRESSWOOD

Declared Speed – 58.64

Achieved Speed – 58.81

Difference – 0.17

3^rd – MIKE HARVEY

Declared Speed – 55.25

Achieved Speed – 55.06

Difference – 0.19

4^th – MARK STUBBS

Declared Speed – 55.30

Achieved Speed – 55.06

Difference – 0.24