Radnor Hunt Concours 2011

The 15th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d' Elegance featured Stutz automobiles, Jaguars E-Types and the designs of Virgil Exner, the great finned dream machines of the 1950's. The motorcycle group featured Ducati, from Cucciolo to Desmosedici and a special group of Italian lightweight machines.

Take one : A behind the scenes look filming at the Simeone Museum. Two of our guests share an on-camera moment for the TV show project that we're working on. Dave Hailwood interviews Nobby about his time in the Grand Prix scene and the famous 1967 Isle of Man TT battle between David father, the late Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini. Nobby was Mikes Honda mechanic and was also with him when he made his famous comeback in 1978 at the Isle of Man on a Ducati.

The Radnor Hunt Black Tie Gala with guests Cook Neilson, Harlan Hadley, Dave Hailwood , Nobby Clark and John Lawless

John Stoddart of Fast by Ferracci hosted " Drinks with Dave" at the Desmond Hotel in Malvern, PA for a  group of select customers  to meet and greet our guests.

Dave, at an event in Europe, where he gets to ride some of the greatest bikes in the world.

Nobby meets Eraldo Ferracci on Sunday, Sept 11 at Radnor Hunt Concours. Both gentlemen were guest judges for this years event.

2011 RHC Motorcycle Trophy Class Winners

1) Preservation Award: Christopher Jensen - 1952 Ducati Cucciolo Model 48

2) Road Motorcycle 500cc & under: Peter Calles - 1957 MV Agusta 175 Turismo Lusso

3) Competition Motorcycle 500cc & under: David Markel - 1957 Rumi Junior

4) Road Motorcycle 1000cc & under: Roy Kidney - 1973 Ducati 750SS

5) Competition motorcycle 1000cc & under: Robert Mirabile – 1954 MV Agusta Squalo 175

6) Postwar Class 1950-1961: Roy Kidney – 1957 Ducati 175 Sport

7) Classic Class 1962-1973: John Henry – 1963 Ducati 250 Diana Mk III

8) Modern Class 1974-1986: Peter Calles – 1979 Ducati 750 Mike Hailwood Replica

9) Post Modern Class 1987-present: Gary Maucher – 2001 Ducati MH900E

10) Best of Show: Peter Calles – 1957 MV Agusta 175 Turismo Lusso

11) The Hailwood Trophy – Gilbert Patterson – Ducati GP Due by Alex Ortner

Our judges take a short break from the proceedings. With 50 motorcycles to be judged, it was an exhausting afternoon before the winners were chosen.  This years judges included Dave Hailwood, Cook Neilson, Nobby Clark, Gary Fisher, Eraldo Ferracci, Ned Owens, Michael Lawless, Michael 'Tex Mawby, Patrick Dean, Kurt Rappolt, Stephen duPont, John Lawless and Chief  Judge Taylor Ogden.

Hailwood rides again! Dave give the superb 1973 Ducati 750SS a try for size. Easy does it Dave, that one's worth six figures plus !

Stutz was the featured marque for the Radnor Hunt Concours and Nobby got a chance to test one at the museum before the big event. Driver Kevin got it going quick enough to leave black marks on the asphalt during cornering.

The Fast by Ferracci showroom in Willow Grove, PA, sponsors and exhibitors at the 15th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d' Elegance.  

Dave tries out the Eric Buell Racing Superbike at the FBF showroom.  In the background, the ex-Luca Scassa MV Agusta AMA superbike, the pre-production '99 MV Agusta F4750 Oro that has a film history and the 1000ccCC Model F4MV, the ultimate version of the stunning MV superbike. Leathers from Mladin to Spencer, Kocinski, Corser all hang in the rafters. Mr. Ferraci and Doug Polen won two World Superbike titles before scooping up two AMA Superbike titles. This dealership has a worldwide reputation for winning performance. 

During the RH Road Rally, these two young ladies were driving a Porsche quickly thru the Chester County , PA backroads, but the cool Mr. Clark stayed in close proximity in the Audi A7 with Dave at the wheel. The young ladies found out he's the real deal, with true to life stories from the Swingin' Sixties club of London. I believe they were duly impressed.  

Cook Neilson at Simeone Museum

 Cook Neilson and renowned neurosurgeon, Dr.Frederick Simeone with the Ducati 750 Super Sport, "The OverDog", a pre-production 750 now owned and restored by Roy Kidney.  

That's Cook in 1977 on the Ducati, winner of the 1977 AMA Daytona Superbike race. This race was as critical to the Bologna-based manufacturer's ambitions for the big-bike market as Paul Smart's win at the Imola 200 in Italy a few years prior.

This night was also a special reunion for Cook and Charlie Kowchak. The last time the two speedsters saw each other was a chance meeting in 1973 at the dragstrip in New Jersery.  Prior to that Neilson and Kowchak set a land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats in 1969, where their bike, a highly modified PS class (partial streamliner) Harley-Davidson Sportster set a World Speed record at 190.8, the two-way average, with the second clocked at over 192 mph, eclipsing his own 1965 record of 153.mph..

The former editor of Cycle magazine tries out his old Harley after a forty plus year absence.  In the background the photography of world-class photographer Dawn Deppi. Dawn owns  Eye of the Beholder, Inc, a photography and marketing company in the Philadelphia area. Ms. Deppi supplied the photos for this blog post unless otherwise noted.

 Ms. Deppi jumps in for a photo with Cook.

 Photo by Bill O'Connell, 'Rally Meister' of Radnor Hunt Concours.

 

 

 

As the evening wound down, I was privileged to interview Cook for the crowd. His resume is lengthy and his achievements many. The 2006 AMA Hall of Fame inductee was a gracious and well spoken guest. He concluded his remarks with a reading of his 1997 article " The Reunion", a look back at his time at  Daytona Speedway twenty years after his historic win on the Ducati 750. He made sure his longtime cohort and former Cycle magazine editor Phil Schillng was credited for his efforts in the project that has come to be the defining moment of both of their impressive careers. His sincerity was matched only by his modesty in his own achievements, preferring to heap praise on the talented individuals who helped make his life so rich in experiences. 

The Ducati 900cc GP Due project, one of the many machines that are on display until September 8, when the exhibit closes. This amazing Alex Ortner built Ducati is one man's interpretation of the ultimate Desmo track day weapon. Photos of the Due and Red Bull Ducati supplied by Gilbert Patterson.

Contributor Gilbert Patterson also brought along the Red Bull sponsored Ducati 996 featured in these photos from Daytona Speedway a few years ago.

You don't question authenticity when Doug Polen's World Superbike AGV helmet is presented for display from Larry Ferracci, son of Eraldo Ferracci. Polen and Ferracci won both the World Superbike series and the AMA Superbike series on the potent Ducati 851.

Please visit http://www.simeonemuseum.org/ for details and hours of operation. The Ducati exhibit continues until Sept 8, 2011 when the motorcycles are transported to the nearby Radnor Hunt Concours for judging. Dave Hailwood, son of the late 'Mike the Bike ' Hailwood, MBE will be our special guest at that event. Details can be found at http://www.radnorconcours.org/     

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the late Claudio Castiglioni, a central figure in Italian motorcycle brands during the last three decades, MV Agusta, Cagiva and Ducati. Godspeed Claudio.