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Classic Action Motorcycle Sport
Classic Action Motorcycle Sport Inc. is a non profit organisation affiliated to Motorcycling New Zealand (MNZ) with a base in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Committee meetings are on the 2nd Thursday in the month at 7.30pm at the Cashmere Club, Columbo St, Christchurch.
We organise street and race circuit racing. At some of these meetings we cater for BEARS and modern machines. We do occassional hill climbs and also organise road rallies for members. We have a reciprical arrangement for entries organised by both BEARS and CAMS with the exception of single club only events. i.e. no Japanese at Sound of Thunder events.
Our prime activity is to provide classic motorcycle racing in various South Island locations, currently on Ruapuna International Raceway in Christchurch, Levels Raceway in Timaru, and Teretonga Raceway in Invercargill. One street race is planned for this year that will be the Waimate 50 on the 30th November in Waimate, South Canterbury.
CLASSES:
C.A.M.S. classic classes eligibility rules apply
Girder Fork
Classic up to 250cc
Classic up to 350cc
Classic 500/open
Post classic A pre 1972, up to 250cc
Post classic A up to 350cc
Post classic A open
Post classic B, pre 1982
CALENDER 0F EVENTS
Race and Training Meetings, relevant to South Island riders
For year 2007/8 Upgraded 20 Nov 07
Some Provisional only see club for confirmation
Nov 23rd Burt Munro Beach Race, Oreti Beach Invercargill
Nov 24th Burt Munro Circuit Race Teretonga
Nov 25th Burt Munro Street Race CAMS Rd 2 Wyndham
Dec 15th CAMS Christmas Meeting CAMS Rd 3 Ruapuna
Jan 2nd Nelson Street Race Port Nelson
Jan 27th CAMS Road Ride Christchurch
Meet opposite PMH 10.30 am
Feb 8/9/10 Placemakers Classic Levels
CAMS /Classic cars
Feb 23/24th Bears Sound of Thunder Ruapuna
May 24th CAMS AGM Ruapuna
The current yearly subscription is $30 and the financial year ends on May 31st. Currently a MNZ Competition Licence is required and lasts for 12 months. Application forms can be obtained from the secretary.
President: Paul Dyas
e-mail: monzamoto@clear.net.nz
Secretary: Sandy Tinning
e-mail: the.tinnings@xtra.co.nz
Mail address:
Classic Action Motorcycle Sport Inc
P.O. Box 16 335
Christchurch
New Zealand
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ONE LAP OF THE FESTIVAL OF SPEED
DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND. 14 FEB
"Mumble, mumble, classic, mumble, bikes to, mumble, mumble, now!" Came the distorted demand
over the speaker. Then Pat Achison started the hurry up message. OK, I've got my hat on and I'm moving. Why do we have to be on the dummy grid so early? I ask myself as I wind my way through the classic sedan pit area out into Crawford St.
Damn, the classic sport cars are still waiting to go. Mental note not to rush next race. Kill the engine; god it's hot. To hell with this for a game of cowboys, off with the gloves and helmet. Look for a
friendly looking lamppost to lean the bike against. Push the bike over to a soft looking one and watch the others slowly getting the message and removing their gear in the heat.
Bill Veitch asks someone to remind him to bring his cap next time as he lays one glove over the bald spot to give it some protection from the sun.
Up goes the 2 minute board and out go the cars. Now it is time to move up a spot towards the gate. No not yet, still time to talk or maybe a nervous one. After one lap of the cars a flashy little BMW coupe moves through our ranks to the gate. The sign on the back says FOLLOW ME. Someone says it will do 200kph with still one gear to go. Hope he doesn't go too fast and leave us behind.
Out of the Portaloo and don the helmet and gloves. Bugger, left behind the foam pad for under the front of the helmet to raise the horizon, never mind I'll fold up my CAMS cap and stick it under the front. Damn, those edges stick in, never mind I will have something else to think about when we get going. Up goes the 2 minute board and the crowd cringe as 24 engines start up and break the silence along with a blast of smoke from a 2 stroke. The gate opens and we are away, out onto Andersons Bay Rd, right up the motorway, down the off ramp into the glen and mark the oil slick covered in cement dust just over the brow before the hairpin. 340 degrees and up the cemetery hill, then down to the start finish line by the Oval. First up best dressed and I'm in the third row, oh well always a chance to improve from the back. The guy giving the safety warning was right, not a hay bale in sight.
Look around at the crowd. They have all come to see me! Wow, look at that bird in the tight tube top and white cut offs. She was at the head of the queue when they were handing out mammary glands. My hormone level increases rapidly with another fantasy locked into the memory bank. Yes girlie, sex would be great, but not just now thanks a bigger thrill awaits.
The 30 seconds board is paraded across in front of us and the bikes get slammed into gear followed by increased revs as the green flag is raised. All warnings about the precast concrete slabs, earth scrapper tires and water filled oil drums is lost as the flag drops and the rush to the first corner is on. The bike jumps up in the air, lean forward on the tank straightens it out and up a gear but the traffic
is too heavy for this boy and it's off with the power slightly. Hard right and the traffic is heavy for an immediate left right through the traffic light corner and a quick exit out of flaming Russell bend onto
the wide Andersons Bay Rd at the pit gate.
Bugger, the back breaks away under acceleration while cranked over to the left, a bit upsetting. Mental note to hug the gutter away from the white painted road markings next time. Up into third on the straight bit full noise and pass a few more, button off slightly for the right hander sweep onto the motorway and up the rise curving gently left, up another gear. Give the fingers to another Honda rival, its my day now but I know his turn will come. Then right with all taps open. The Honda is wagging its head and shaking its tail for all its worth. Mental note, check the steering head bearings.
The radius is diminishing and centrifugal force is stopping it from leaning over further. Button off and the shaking gets more violent; open the taps full again and it becomes manageable. On to the one
lane off ramp; 'faster, faster until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of falling'. Still wont come around quick enough; could use that edge kerbing as a ramp, after all Ainsworth uses the candy bars at Ruapuna. Stuff that I'd have to be an idiot to follow Ainsworth, so turn down the noise and lean over further but back to the head shaking so on with the noise until the memory of the cement dust over the brow comes back. Over the rise and down hill to the hairpin about 50 metres away; the front tire is protesting as the brake is applied hard. Gentle on the brake over the cement dust and then hard braking! Front tire is squealing, kick down through the gears also hoping for some engine breaking, now the back brake or I am going to overshoot. Clutch in and throw it to the right but another rider is inside me; knew I shouldn't have given the fingers. Damn now there are three riders
visible in front with a clean break out of Annan's gutter up the hill!
Drop the clutch, open the taps and the nose is in the air only this time I'm still cranked over and the front is wobbling violently; great stuff for the crowd but a little upsetting for the rider. The nose drops and she's away. Take the first bike on the change up to second and have the second rider in the sights as we came to the concrete road divider; but fear sets in again and off with the gas, trying hard to stop the hand covering the brake lever as I enter the blind left hand "limping Ferg" corner. Now down hill, and lean to the right, half throttle, now full power in the sweeping right hander followed by a short straight. Red line again and up into third, pass the next bike and up another gear for the last of the down hill dash. Might still get that third bike.
Hard braking and two quick down changes for the chicane around a traffic island and onto the start finish straight again, cutting diagonally across from right to left, setting up for the right hander again at the start of the second lap.
Now, those white cutoffs were somewhere along here.
Foot note:
'Limping Fergs' corner is at the top of the hill where Ferg Petrie tried to move the water filled drums with his Suzuki, and ended up in hospital for an extended stay a couple of years ago.
'Flaming Russell' bend is at the pit exit where Graeme dropped his Honda and he was most upset when the marshal with the fire extinguisher between his legs stood in amazement looking at the
burning bike early in the last meeting.
'Annan gutter' is where Joe tried to undercut Noel McCutcheon by making a route around the gutter at the hairpin, only to find that it was full of stones. Damaged bike, right hand, bruised bum and
damaged pride.
Last time Joe Annan got an engraved beer mug for gaining the most places. This year he gets another for the big cockup. A mug for a mug! Luck of the Irish I suppose.
DR
E-Mail address: des.kelly@xtra.co.nz. Tell me what your interests are.
Last updated 2 Nov 07
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Copyright © 2007 Des Kelly. All Rights Reserved