11/10/05

Well that's another season over as fast as it began. The Stratford-Rudge only had its one outing this season, as Merv focused on the Greeves this year with selected CRMC meetings, plus the Bob Mac and the two Isle of Man events (Pre TT and Manx GP). Merv took the Greeves to his best ever position in the Manx this year with 6th in the Lightweight Classic. Sadly though This Years Manx will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, with six fatalities. We lost two very good friends, fellow Rudge Man Tim Johnson, and fellow Greeves exponent John Loder.

RS.

15/8/05

Whilst the Stratford-Rudges 'rest' for a while Merv heads off to the Manx with his Greeves Silverstones and a Seeley G50, belonging to another Rudge regular Don Ellis. See www.greeves-racing.co.uk for a full preview. Another Rudge regular to watch, back this year after taking a year out is Tim 'Big End' Johnson who will be campaigning the Trusty Velocette and a 350cc Aermacchi.

RS

10/5/05

The Stratford-Rudge had its first outing of the season at the CRMC Lydden meeting over the the weekend (7th & 8th May). A good entry of nearly 250 solo and sidecar competitors filled the paddock for what was a weekend of mixed weather conditions. Saturday saw everything from brilliant sunshine to hail!!

Merv's first race of the weekend showed a good grid of 250s with a handful of post-classic 125s running concurrently. Starting from the fifth row of the grid Merv made a good start and was up to 5th by the end of lap one in a race which started in the said brilliant sunshine. By mid distance the Rudge was up to third, a position which he held to the flag. However the race ended in rain with the showers coming down about three laps from the end making the track a bit greasy and catching a few riders out. Mike Smith was the winner on his 250 Ducati with Graham Wade also Ducati mounted taking second.

Race two saw Wade absent from the starting line up as he had bent a valve on the Ducati on the previous outing. As the race got away Mike Smith once again hit the front, with Merv taking up second by the end of lap one, positions which stayed the same until 2 laps from the end. Merv knocked the pace off a little too much allowing Tony Heirons (Saxon Ducati) to nip past to take second, with Merv unable to do anything about it in the remaining laps.

At the evening's trophy presentation Merv picked up the Kinell trophy for his days performance, so a good end to day one of proceedings.

Sunday's racing started after lunch because of the circuit regulations. The first 250 outing was a little earlier in the programme this time. Graham Wade had replace the valve on his Ducati, so he lined up on the grid this time also. With the race away, Mike Smith again took to the front with Merv in second and Wade chasing in third. Lap four saw Wade move past Merv up to second spot, as the front three of Smith, Wade and Stratford all closed up. The penultimate lap saw wade take the lead and go on to the win ahead of Mike and Merv, all covered by 1.79 seconds.

The final 250 race saw the same result, but this time less eventful and with three seconds covering the first three.

RS

11/4/05

The CRMC held their first meeting at a Bright & Sunny Mallory Park on the 10th April. Merv was out in action on his Water-Cooled Greeves, after its winter rebuild.

The first race saw the usual roar of Ducatis take to the front. At the end of lap one Merv was up to fifth, and up to third by Edwina's on lap two, however at the end of this lap the Greeves jumped out of gear around Devil's Elbow, dropping him back to sixth. At the end of the six laps, Ducati mounted Graham Wade took the win with Tim Oliver second and Mike Smith third.

Race two saw a better result with Merv up to second by the end of the first lap, which he held to the flag. Graham wade again took the win, with another Ducati of Nick Roberts in third.

Next Meeting is at Lydden on 7 & 8th of May, where the Stratford-Rudge will be out in action.

RS

14/2/05

The Historic Racing awards night for the 2004 season was held on Saturday (12th Feb) in Coventry. This saw most of the 2004 award winners there to pick up their gongs! Merv picked up his trophies for 2nd in the 250 and 4th in the unlimited to '34 championship, missing out on third by just one point from Paul Dobbs on Roger Moss' 640cc Scott. Merv also collected the Bob Parr trophy for the Manx GP, and the Milnes 250 trophy from Mallory Park. Graham 'High Tower' Rhodes collected the 'Motor Cycle' trophy for his Manx GP efforts also. Mike Farrall took the Rudge trophy for Mallory Park, although not there in person to collect he also received trophies for 5th in the Pre '34 and 3rd in the Pre '48.

The Rudge club's own racing trophies are to be presented next month at the AGM also in Coventry. Merv Receives the Jack Lennon Shield for best overall racing performance, while Mike will pick up the Ted Pringle trophy, and the Keith Prime trophy for Cadwell park. Miki Sprosen takes the Syd Wills 250 Cup.

The Stratford-Rudges will be 'resting' for most of the 2005 season, but should be appearing at a couple of selected meetings during the year.

RS