Rizla Suzuki hot-shot Cal Crutchlow will be at Castle Combe this Sunday to support a busy race schedule with demonstration laps aboard his GSX-R1000 race bike.
Cal, who scored his best ever British Superbike result of fifth at Oulton Park earlier in the month and equalled it a week later at Mallory Park, is one of the rising stars of British racing. As the season has progressed he has risen to the challenge and is now showing what he can do aboard the ever-improving Rizla Suzuki.
“I’m real comfortable on my Rizla Suzuki and although it has been a steep learning curve, I could not be enjoying my job anymore than I am, I love racing Superbikes,” enthused Cal. “I can’t wait to ride my bike round Castle Combe, it’s a fantastic technical circuit and although I’m not racing, I’ll be giving it some anyway – it’s the only way I know how to ride!”
Castle Combe Circuit’s only motorcycle race meeting of the season sees a packed 21 race programme over this forthcoming weekend of Saturday and Sunday 28th & 29th July.
The Fowlers Motorcycles Dunlop Motostar meeting is headed up by two 15 lap races for the ACU Replicast British 250 Championship. It’s the fifth round and there is much local interest centred around Darrell Higgins from Melksham.
An HGV Fitter by trade, Higgins will mount a strong challenge in this class, being something of a Castle Combe specialist, having won over twenty races there over the last ten years.
The Dunlop Motostar 125 Grand Prix races have Bath’s Ross Ashman, Chippenham’s Freddie Nickless and Bristol’s Martin Glossop.
The Fowlers Superbike Grand National is well supported by local riders, including Richardson, Bradford On Avon’s Richard Dobson, Marlborough’s Nick Pusey and Bridgwater’s Chris Pope as well as Swindon’s Darren Neal.
Many other local riders feature throughout the packed programme, with a plethora appearing in the two races for the ACU Clubmans Open Championship. Radstock sends Jeremy Thomas and Rob Jones (Suzuki 600), Bath has Sean Ridley on a Suzuki 1000, there’s Charlie Bishop from Paulton, whilst Chippenham’s David Hockham has his Suzuki 1000.
The ‘Sound of Thunder’ races for big hunky twins, triples and 750 classics comprises two seven lap races with local riders including Bristol’s Chris Richardson, Swindon’s Duncan Abbott and Dursley’s Simon Knowlson.
Abbott and Stonehouse’s Graeme Melvill are the local riders in the Ducati Desmo Due races, whilst Colin Rowe from Salisbury features in the Bracken KTM 660 series races. Spectators loved this event when it appeared at Castle Combe last year, the interest being that these are basically moto cross machines on slick tyres, with ‘feet down’ cornering a feature!
Sidecars are always popular at Castle Combe and with points in the ACU Yokohama Dunlop Tyres British F2 Championship up for grabs the 12 lap race is likely to provide plenty of thrills.
Nostalgia lovers have plenty to keep them occupied too. There is the welcome return of the Bonhams and National Motor Cycle Museum supported Lansdowne thoroughbred Series catering for original bikes from the sixties, together with a special tribute to Mike Hailwood.
Nine times World Champion, ‘Mike the Bike’ was a regular winner at Castle Combe and this weekend will mark the 50th anniversary of his second ever race, back in 1957, in which he finished 4th.
There will also be a number of lunch time displays and parades of classic bikes, both on and off the track, including Cal’s riding demonstration. The event gets under way on both days with practice from 08-45 am, with the first race on Saturday at 1.20pm. Sunday’s first race is at 10.25.
Admission prices are £20 for an adult weekend ticket, £10 for OAPs. Saturday tickets are £8 and £15 on Sunday. OAPs, £4 on Saturday and £7-50 on Sunday. Paddock transfer is free on Saturday and £2-50 on Sunday, with accompanied children under 15 free on both days.
Full details of the event will be found on the Castle Combe website at
www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk.
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