Post by Dave on Jul 8, 2023 15:57:45 GMT
Motocross 2023 Championship 8th July 2023
What to do today? Cover a preseason football game as I might be expected to do, or find something brand new to me. I have ended up so surprised it has taken me nearly all my life to discover just how good motocross is as a spectator sport.
Practice sessions, a total of sixteen races and a free programme all for just £5, I could not believe I got all this for such a small amount of money.
It only took me just over thirty minutes to drive from my home in Paignton to the venue. I arrived there about 9.15am. The lady on the gate was so welcoming and told me if I had brought my insurance with me I could have taken photos on the racetrack. To be honest when I set eyes of the track and how steep it was, I knew I would be better off taken pictures from the spectator’s areas.
If Old Trafford is the footballs theatre of dreams, then the Little Silver Moto Parc must be the Motocross theatre of dreams. Set in a valley with the pits, car park and spectators area on one side, the track is cut into the opposite hill.
It is a big track, steep uphill climbs and frightening down hill sections, plenty of bends and jumps to keep everyone happy. If you had a chosen rider you could track them all over the track, it is all laid out right before you eyes.
The races are run over a number of minutes plus one lap. Seventeen for the Experts down to twelve of the juniors. I have never been to such an organised event, as one race draws close to an end, the next riders are all ready in the starting gate. As soon as the last rider leaves the track, the next race begins. Non-stop action from the second you get there right up until the final race.
I spent my time during the early races just taking photos and not really paying any attention to the race itself. Later on I decided to put the camera down and follow the races as others were surly doing.
It was easy to follow the race leaders and follow their progress around the track. After a number of laps the field does get rather stretched out around the track, it was soon clear who the top riders were.
Around 1pm I ended up in my car due to the heavy rain, but I still had a good view of the track, just had to keep putting the wipers on. I did buy a quarter pound cheese burger while I was there; it tasted good and was good value for the money.
This was as I said my first ever visit to the Little Silver Moto Parc, but it won’t be my last and I will be back again.
