Dave Aldana (36) & Wes Cooley
The meeting was the Gauloises Powerbike International 27/28 October 1979 run on the Brands Hatch GP circuit.
Dave Aldana No 36, Marty Lunde No.38 and Wes Cooley No.31, along with Jeff Sayle, Jean Peyre, Graeme Crosby, Roberto Pierre and Gary Locklin were the ‘Rest of the world’ team pitted against the GB team of S Manship, R Haslam, S Parrish, M Grant, S Woods, R Marshall, C Williams and James Wells, in the TT Formula 1 Challenge races.
Marty Lunde
Amongst the head down, aerodynamic machines that are circuit racing bikes, were these three monsters, Naked and with upright wide bars. They looked as though they’d taken a wrong turn in the car park and ended up on the track!
That impression didn’t last the first lap as the three yanks squirmed out of Surtees on their back wheels and stayed that way well up Pilgrims before they bothered using the front wheel!
That set the tone for the rest of the race, The Americans, looking as though they were hooning their way round the circuit having a ball, everyone else tucked down behind screens, looking deadly serious.
Wes Cooley
We have no idea who won, but even from this distance in time can still remember standing in amazement and along with everyone else around me cheering them to the echo every time they passed…
Thanks to Mike Hallam for the photos.
Check out the Wes Cooley replica…
