Thundersprint organiser, Frank Melling, said: “In the 17 years we have been running the event we have never had a response like this. Darley Moor is very popular with riders and its central location, easily accessible from every part of the country, means that we are attracting entries from all over the British Isles.
The first rider to sign up was Stockport’s Michael Hunt who actually entered as the Thundersprint invitations reached other riders. Mike said: “I cheated a bit because I met Frank on his way to send out entry forms and signed up on the spot.
“The Thundersprint is my favourite event of the year. It’s a wonderfully relaxed and informal meeting and yet amateur riders like me get to ride with some of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. There’s no other event like it.”
Jim Ross is making the long trip from the north of Scotland with his extremely rare ex-works Aermacchi. Jim said: “I always try to do the Thundersprint because it is such a unique event. It always attracts a huge crowd but the atmosphere is really laid back and I take a lot of pleasure in being able to show my Aermacchi to such appreciative fans.”
However, the biggest and most enthusiastic Thundersprinters of all come from Spondon in Derbyshire in the form of “Sideways” Moz Baines and his passenger Peter “The Cat” Jordan. Pete said: “We don’t enter anything until we know the date of the Thundersprint because this is our #1 event of the year. If we never raced anywhere else we would be at the Thundersprint.”
Other entries have come from as far away as Hampshire, London, Cumbria, Wales, and Ireland.
Entry forms for the Thundersprint Hillclimb and track sessions and the Thundersprint Cavalcade are available now from info@thundersprint.com
