A new event at Cadwell for 2017, Moto Time Attack. This is kind of different as it's a time trial rather than racing, and it's a free event for spectators. Sounds great. There'll be a few names there, and apparently Guy Martin will be there with Jonah in tow... shame really as of all his kit I'd have liked to have seen / heard the Martek going round there. Mark Boxer introduces the event here... we're going along for a nosy, all being well, and Sunday is forecast (hahahahah) dry and 22c.
Not sure I understand... not to the extent where you lose control of your bladder and feel the need to apologise... Cadwell blurb reads: Moto Time Attack (MTA), is a brand new motorcycle sport that will have its global debut at Cadwell Park on Sunday 16th July 2017. Based upon the highly successful Time Attack competition format [for cars] where the competition is won by the quickest lap time, not first over the line, the originators of Time Attack in the UK are pleased to make their plans a reality with the launch of Moto Time Attack in 2017, bringing the sport to two wheels as well as four. Cadwell Park has been carefully chosen to debut the brand new motorcycle sport, a natural choice for motorcycle riders and fans. Cadwell is a circuit which is adored the world over for its steeped history and love affair with motorcycle racing and of course featuring the ever spectacular mountain section. The competition format of MTA will follow in the footsteps of its four wheeled counterpart with different classes for bikes and riders dependent on bike size, specification and most importantly rider ability and lap time potential on track. These classes and classification make the process of Time Attack participation wholly unique to our sport and competitors will ride against the clock to set the quickest time possible. Spectator access is free of charge for this event. Now, knowing what Palmer is like... this is a free event and is likely to be quite good to get some decent press etc. about how marvellous it all is. Then the next one will have some kind of spectator entry fee for the "new sport" and then before you'll know it it'll be £15 on the gate. And frankly, even if it was just "a trackday"... well, Cadwell is pretty nice and there's a decent cafe (nice lunch, half-decent coffee, real-world prices) and you can easily lose a couple of happy hours wandering around the paddock looking at bikes and whatnot, watching a bit of action and having a nice trot around the grounds. Don't see really why that's deserving of incredulous mocking. Anyway, would you like a towel? That'll make your legs chafe if you don't mop it up, and it'll smell... it's nice to be nice to one another.
Love cadwell. Cafe is good, and spectating is good. This track attack gimmick, sorry 'new format', has been touted about Facebook and elsewhere as a new form of 'trackday experience'. And anyone who pays for a trackday and doesn't ride need to bang their head against a wall several times, just to make sure they still have all their senses
TBH, as long as the venue is thriving and there's something to watch with a competitive element then I'm happy to support. The time trial format doesn't seem a million miles away from the TT format (although the course is clearly very different) and I'm interested to see how they structure it. If it's individual bikes just racing the clock then that'll be one level, but if there's then more than one bike out and there's a bit of inter-rider competition on the track then that might also lead to some exciting riding. I agree that watching a bunch of novice and inter's wouldn't have me reaching into my pocket, but if they get a few classes including some Pro classes where the competition is hot then I don't mind a light gate charge for that, for sure. I'm really interested to see who turns out for it, and what the entertainment factor is like. Anyway... it's free this year at least so let's see. If we're having a gyp, then the place that does wind me up is Oliver's Mount, as unless you buy an advance full-weekend ticket for the Auto 66 events you cannot get into the paddock. You can't even pay a top-up charge for paddock access. That's a real shame as the wandering around having a nosy aspect is something I love. Cadwell is brilliant for that, as from trackdays to BSB you can get up close for a look behind the scenes as well as enjoying the track action. Perhaps I'm a proper trainspotter or something but for me that's a big part of the enjoyment of an event and Oliver's Mount makes that expensive and difficult.
