This year’s Thundersprint, held in the pretty market town of Northwich over the weekend of May 9/10, has attracted a fantastic entry of classic motorcycle racers. The sprint races take place in West Cheshire Council’s car park right in the centre of Northwich. West Cheshire Council have brought the car park up to race standards and it now boasts an excellent, quarter mile, twisty sprint circuit right in the town centre. Leading the fantastic entry is six times World Champion, Jim Redman. Jim says: “I have ridden in every Thundersprint except the very first one and I think it would be illegal to organise a Thundersprint without me there! “Although I have ridden at many events in 50 years of competitive motorcycling, there are none better organised than the Thundersprint. It’s amazing how a town centre is transformed into a race circuit over night and I love the intensity of the atmosphere “The Thundersprint is the nearest thing to a classic Grand Prix that still exists in terms of the sheer excitement and scale of the event. There are many other classic bike events in the world – and I enjoy them all. But what makes the Thundersprint special is the atmosphere. It’s electric. The crowds packed next to the track, the noise, the smells – the sheer intensity of the event is unique. I ride all over the world and there is literally nothing else like the Thundersprint anywhere. “As usual, I will be in action on Clive Brooker’s immaculate Honda CR750 and this year I’m looking to win the Masterclass!” Another biking superstar is European Champion Sammy Miller who has just been honoured with an MBE. Sam will be racing the latest addition to the Sammy Miller Museum’s collection: a replica of the fabulous Honda RC181 as ridden by Mike Hailwood. The bike is a wonderful tribute to the machine on which Mike Hailwood battled Giacomo Agostini during the 1967 season. Thundersprint fans will be able to step back in time to the Golden Age of Grand Prix racing and see the Honda scream past, just a few feet away. Truly, an unforgettable experience. Sammy said: “I came to the Thundersprint last year and had an excellent day at what is a truly unique event. The Thundersprint is the perfect place to show our Honda, which is one of the true icons of the motorcycling world, to a huge audience. I just can’t wait!” Lining up with Sam in the Masterclass will be Manx GP and TT star Keith Heckles with, as always, his immaculate Manx Norton – completely original and in all its unsilenced glory, whilst Peter Kent will be screaming his ferocious TZ 750 round the tight track. One of the “must see” sights of the Thundersprint is Graeme Hardy, perhaps better known as “Forge Formby”, who will be blasting his 1924 “Shuttleworth Snap” through the trees. Last year, Graeme managed to break the one minute barrier for the quarter mile – a hugely impressive slow time by any standards! Lovers of exotic bikes from the post war period need look no further than Michael Wainwright’s ex-works 350 CZ – complete with Dustbin fairing – or Myles Raymond and his Daytona Gold Star in all its 1954 glory. Later classics are just as well represented. The hot tip for the 350 class is Thundersprint regular Jerry Ashton, on board his very well sorted MV Agusta, and he will be head to head with Polish visitor Tomasz Holubowicz and his 350 Junak – and you don’t see many of these rare Eastern European bikes raced in a season. Fans of heavy metal will love Paul Rushton’s mighty Rickman Commando. Paul rides the bike as if it is a lightweight round the tight, demanding track and has the huge crowd on its feet. Expect Paul to be chased hard by David Steele on his gleaming Egli Vincent. At the other end of the scale, the lightweights will be just as entertaining. Anyone who likes technical innovation will be delighted with Joerg Trautvetter’s MZ based disc valved racer. Joerg built the whole engine in his garden shed and intends riding the bike 800 miles to the Thundersprint, racing, and then riding home. How impressive is that? The Thundersprint finale will be the sidecar class with “Sideways” Moz Baines and passenger Peter Jordan slithering their outfit through corners against Thundersprint stars Graham Hilditch and Tony Dalton aboard their fire breathing Weslake.