The Solent City Scooter Club-Mallory Park

Mallory Park

Mallory Park was the best, I agree with my mate Dave Tooley. From the grandstand (so called) you could see most of the circuit and check your teams progress, the pits were covered if you were quick to nab the best spots. The track was fast with a large sweeping bend round a large pond. The only problem was that we mostly raced there in the early spring when it was to put it mildly bloody cold. We had some great times there arriving usually around 8.00pm but luckily well in time to pile in to the bar for some much needed refreshments and a chat with the other teams.

One race meeting saw the first real race for Les Rafferty's secret weapon a 158 dykes ringed rocket. The bike saw its first outing driven by me at Castle Coombe, we over jetted the carb to basically run the beast in, as my engine had failed Les said try this out but don't seize it up, as the piston was a one off, he used a piston from an Italian two stroke and moved the ring posts to miss the Lambretta ports. I thought it came from a Ducati but Dave rightly said they were 4 strokes, anyway it was an Italian bike, but I digress, the bike came through the Castle Coombe race without any problems and was duly fitted into Daves Bog brush painted lambretta, lovingly built from scratch by his Dad in his spare time. So the race started and soon it became clear that Dave was pulling clear of the pack, at that race they had a PA commentary, all that was heard was "and its, who the Fu-k is that in the lead, much rustling of papers Dave Tooley is leading from (silence) The Hampshire Union" the commentator was so surprised as it was Daves first outing and he was an unknown.

Dave first race at Mallory

I had an eventful race at Mallory, I had built a 225 special which as Geoff Stevens Said "went like shit of a shovel" but it blew up before the first race shame coz it was a real goer. Les Rafferty was racing a 125GP that day so he kindly said I could drive it in the 225 race, it was of course at a great disadvantage but I didn't come last.

Marten Holdway on a GP125 in the 225 race at Mallory Park

Memories of Westlers Burgers and hot dogs with onions cold nights and freezing mornings are all memories I retain from Mallory.

● Solent City Scooter Club

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● Other Tales to Tell

□ Tales from the River Bank
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□ Taking the Mick
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□ First Blood
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□ Martens Wildcat Gp225
□ Such a Teaser
□ Braggers and Bullshitters
□ End of an Era

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