NL18 - Assen Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday.
Up early, for a Sunday anyway. Breakfast in the hotel and then all three of us in the car to the circuit. Neill's Beemer locked up alongside the hotel for the whole weekend.
Cars went in the same entrance as the day before. This time the stewards directed us into the parking square (dykes on three sides!!) much nearer to the entrance than Saturday! A shorter walk. There were only a few bikes on the tarmac section.
We went through to the uncovered stand nearer the chicane than the day before but although the view was good, we couldn't see the big screen that faces the main grandstand. So we moved. We couldn't get as far along as before but that was okay.
We had missed the BSB warm-up but were in tome for all the undercard... the same as the day before with the Talent Cup, ADAS KTM's and the Ducati Tri-Options.
On Saturday we had heard some cheering and chanting but didn't realise it was for Keith "Bugsy" Jaggard, a cult figure in the Tri-Options Cup aboard his Panigale. Keith is a big personality! A big lad too.
Unfortunately I chose to leave the Nikon in the car and so only had my phone and I missed him playing to the crowd before their warm up and in the race. My picture is a little blurry....
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| Bugsy - Panigale |
But we wanted the main event.
Race 2 saw the most drama. Right in front of us Dan Linfoot had a tumble and was run over by Tommy Bridewell. Both the Honda and Ducati mated together and careered across the track, the Honda bursting into flames. Did I have my camera or phone at the ready? Did I f***!
And then a few laps later we had Tarran Mackenzie with a death defying leap to avoid getting flattened!!
The gasps and shock at both accidents quietened the crowd before everyone rose to applaud the riders as they escaped death. Tarran must have had some Scottish Pixie on his shoulder.
Good news that all three riders are okay and there are no major injuries.
We stayed to watch the sidecars come out and as it was getting later we headed back to the car. Getting out was very easy and we were soon heading up the motorway.
One of the sidecar teams is sponsored by the dealer where I bought the Rocket. True Heroes Racing A team that gives disabled ex-servicemen a focus and gets them into racing. The website doesn't seem to have the sidecar team on it! My pic, as with Bugsy a little blurred.
One of the sidecar teams is sponsored by the dealer where I bought the Rocket. True Heroes Racing A team that gives disabled ex-servicemen a focus and gets them into racing. The website doesn't seem to have the sidecar team on it! My pic, as with Bugsy a little blurred.
Claire and Neill checked Google for somewhere to eat as the hotel restaurant would be closed. The nearest was "By Fabrizio", and Italian restaurant. We did a drive-by to check how far away it was. Google reckoned 1.2km from the hotel but Claire's hip wouldn't be able to do that twice so I opted to be the designated driver.
After a wash and change we were out for a 1930 sit down. To say Fabrizio is very outgoing would be an understatement. He came and sat down next to Neill to take our order and chat to us. The locals obviously know about him and were laughing. Claire spoke to him in Italian and he was our friend for life. What a superb guy.
I did have beer. Only one.
I did have beer. Only one.
His pizzas were really good too. Claire and I left about a third of ours and had it boxed to take away. Neill ate all of his! I actually had mine (and Claire's) for dinner the following evening after we got home!
It was a short drive back to the hotel. Monday we had to drive home.
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