A Celebration of Barry Sheene
11 September 2016
Barry Sheene would have been 66 today. Twice 500cc World Champion, Barry was one Britain’s greatest motor-cycle racers, a fact that was recently underlined when Cal Crutchlow won the Czech Republic MotoGP Grand Prix, the first victory at this level by a Brit since Barry’s Swedish Grand Prix win back in 1981.
Barry, who died in 2003, was an enthusiastic competitor at the early Goodwood Revival meetings. The track continues to celebrate his memory with a two-part Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy, the second round of which has taken place this morning. Fittingly, Barry’s nephew Scott Smart has been one of the leading competitors.
Today’s 25-minute race has been an emphatic victory for Goodwood debutant John McGuiness sharing Fred Walmsley’s 1953 Norton Manx with Glen English. Glen set off like a terrier, establishing a substantial lead to hand over to the 23 times Isle of Man TT winner. John successfully maintained the gap back to the scrapping pack, thoroughly enjoying his first weekend competing at the Sussex track. ‘It’s on my diary or next year,’ he said.
Star of the weekend, though, has to be 1933 Rudge TTR that won yesterday in the wet. Rider Charlie Williams, himself a veteran and winner of eight TTs, the first of which was back in 1973, reckoned matters would be very different in the dry but he and owner Mike Farrall defied the bike’s age and its primitive handling by finishing third. Second, for the second day running, after another fine ride, was the 1951 Norton Manx ridden by Duncan Fitchett and, standing in for former World Champion Kevin Schwantz, Sam Clews.
(Ends)
Editor’s Notes
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