Classic Dirt Queensland -Non Comp

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West Oz
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Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 3:00 am

Classic Dirt Queensland -Non Comp

Post by West Oz »

Suzuki Australia Classic Dirt 7 June 2010-Green Park Conondale, Queensland

With the birth of Classic Dirt seven years ago in the east of Australia, I doubt Ray Ryan would have ever imagined the shear size of the turn out that Classic Dirt 7 would bring. The sheer size of this year’s event has reached mammoth proportions and I’m sure Ray would have had a smile on his face like the 1000 odd people that attended this Classic Dirt in 2010.

10th June Thursday evening after flying in from Western Australia we headed up to the one and only Manley Hotel (Glass House Mountains) for an evening meal. We had been 10 months previously in 2009 for the Classic Nationals. We joined the locals in the main bar and some non local vmx enthusiasts from NZ, Gold Coast, MacKay, Inverell and Sydney. We had spoken earlier in the evening to two hosting club members on the highs and lows of running such events, we could relate very well to this as being involved in more than one bike club back home in the west.
Ken and AJ won the pool table, so challenged us Westerners to a game, to which, sadly we where annihilated. A great evening and catch up all round.

11th June Friday morning got us up on the laptop to confirm our travel insurance. Avis had given us a new car with just 20km on the clock, I wonder why paranoia sets in when ever you step into a new car vs and older one.
Headed out to the track early as Roger Harvey had emailed us previously and mentioned that Friday was the best catch up social day for the three day event. He wasn’t wrong at all.
We dropped into the VMX Magazine tent and had a quick chat to the pool comp winners and looked at the wares of stubby holders, shirts, posters, stickers, magazines and a stack of the latest issue VMX # 42. I purchased # 42, as ours was still in the mail and hadn’t arrived before we left. I promptly began asking for signatures from ozvmx forum members and others attending CD7.
The campground of about 100 acres was slowly filling with a sea of red and yellow pre85 bikes, manly big bore. The far campsites filled with the addition of Don Newell’s Bultaco camp, IT Yamaha and Suzuki PE owners groups, along with a smattering of other collectables including the Craig Dack Marlboro Yamaha. Down by the river (beautiful spot) some really sweet Can-Ams lurked, along with a factory 500 Kawasaki and the Wiltec Honda camp. Kamp Kevlar arrived with their array of British and Euro bikes, with Husky Central next door. The sidecar crew camped near the start gates of 2009 Titles :-D
The camping area’s where expanding at alarming rate and it was only 5pm Friday.
I was a bit saddened not to see many pre75 bikes around -maybe they would arrive later.
The familiar sound of home came later on in the evening, with Klub Kevlar firing up some of their collection. Amongst them was a Yamaha Cheney, American Eagle, GBR, Greeves. It quickly took me back to the sounds and smells of our pre75 club in WA. ( who where having a club run - which I later learned 68 bikes had entered).
Nick Maxfield and girls dropped in on their way through from a Queensland holiday, leaving with an arm full of vmx gear.
Our social day at CD7 ended at 10.30pm or 8.30pm WA time. Bit early but we where pacing as it was looking to be a long full weekend.


Saturday 9.30am and the riders meeting of 586 riders with 7 odd passengers for the outfits, It would be interesting to get a break down on the eras entered.
The courses consisted of two enduro loops (short and long) up though the high rain fall hills, a trials course on the manicured lawns down by the beautiful creek area. The MX pre75 course which consisted of the smooth long lines of the August Classic Nationals and the pre85 course being the tighter Drunk’s hill sections of the Classic Nationals track.
The pre 85 course ran with a maximum of 60 bikes on the course at one time. While 60 bikes might seem a lot, there was never any real hassle and everyone seemed to fit. Once capacity was reached bikes were let onto the track when one or two had pulled off. Apart from the initial wait at the beginning of the session it all flowed pretty smoothly.
Suzuki Australia was kept under the pump retrieving there 2010 model test riders for the next eager rider to have there turn.
Seven sidecars took advantage of the pre85 course, with two 15-minute sessions each afternoon. As usual there weren’t many takers from the crowd for passengers.Wasp and Yamahas being the common choice of our machines in Aust.
Lunch break saw the piece and quiet rain over the air of Green Park, which also gave more time for riders to catch-up, swap meet or check out each other’s steeds.
It was suggested to Steven and I months ago to bring his riding gear along to CD7, as he would be able to get a ride, and did he ride! With offers coming in from the NZ team, 090 team, Sidecar Teams and Husky Central. Steven was on a roll. A quick spin as a passenger on a 1000cc Suzuki Wasp, then taking to the pre 75 course on YZ250A, then a 125A. Both set up beautifully and immaculately prepared. He rode those bikes around until he was buggered.
Saturday night was quiz night. With our arms held high to give the answer to the called question and the opportunity to pick up some of the Suzuki Prizes up for offer. “TM Bill” Doe from NZ was full of vmx knowledge and racked in the prizes for us.

Roger Harvey (VMX Magazine Illustrator) had painted an Elsinore cartoon on canvas and placed it up for auction with proceeds going to Bruce “Magoo” Macfarlane family. I started the bid at $350 as it seemed to be a tad quiet. I then had some tall bloke jump up next to me on the hay bale and yell out $500, he then proceeded to get me to bid against him to make it look exciting. Meanwhile some other Freddy Mercury fellow was pulling on my sleeve to keep going higher, all this time I’m saying “I’ve got no money”. As it was, the top bid was a thousand dollars (maybe I should of seen if he would go to 1100) It went to the tall fellow beside me on the hay bale, Mr Rob Shoemark . The guy pulling my sleeve was Mr Alan Jones.
The band “Grumpy Old Men” hit the stage, with the girls from the Canteen taking up the dance floor and showing us how it’s done in Queensland.
13th June Sunday we arrived track side at 9am, with riders meet at 9.30am.
The sidecars had two sessions for the day with some interesting combinations. Roger Harvey piloting a 650 Yamaha Wasp with Vaughn fletch as passenger. Roger did one lap to be able to have the privilege of saying “I rode a sidecar”. Geoff Udy and Vaughn renewed a 20 year rider / passenger relationship for a couple of laps also. Brad 090 also took up the challenge of piloting with Vaughn, all doing a few laps and loving it,
Absent was Popeye (John) who was laid up in a hospital bed with shoulder and organ injuries after he and Vaughn tipped the Wasp on landing from Drunks hill on Saturday afternoon.
The laps continued all day with the trials, enduro and mx tracks getting used to their full capacity.
The Legends interviews and laps where run after lunch on the two days with names like Dean Burt, Geoff Udy , David Armstrong, Geoff Ballard, Anthony Gunter, Stephen Gall, Glen Bell, Laurie Alderton, Andrew Bailey,……………………….

Up for another auction was a Yamaha Jersey signed by the legends of the weekend. I also started the bidding off as it was a tad quiet, this sold for $1000 to a gentleman from South Australia..
Steven continued his riding. Staring of on a big bore CZ on the pre 75 course, then a PE175 and CR480 on the pre 85 course. The 390 auto Husky featured on the latest VMX cover also got a run on the enduro loop. After lunch was the Noguchi YZ125 another swing on the sidecars and he finished the weekend off on TMBill Does three day constructed TS125. By this time his body and bones said enough was enough.
The pre75 track had a consistent number of riders doing laps and a real relaxed aura about it. For me there weren’t enough pre 75 bikes out there. A sea container from the west could soon fix it. 8-)

This was the most fun filled three straight days ever. Thanks to everyone for making it happen.
Cheers Steven and Alison West Side
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