Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance 2012

This year, the featured marques at the 16th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance included Historic Racing Ferrari's, Cadillac and Classic Motorcycles. The beneficiary of the event is Thorncroft Equestrian Therapy, a very deserving organization that provides equine therapy to those in need.

 

 

Radnor Hunt Special Guest Don Emde, winner of the Daytona 200 motorcycle race in 1972, John Lawless, Dr. Frederick Simeone and Ron McGill with the Testa Rossa Ferrari owned by The Simeone Foundation (www.simeonemuseum.org)

 

Ron, Don , Mike Tilson (founder of the RH Concours) and John with the Carriages, which are a unique touch to the show at Radnor Hunt, America's oldest Fox Hunting Club. Tilson is also master of the Hunt.

 

Don and father Floyd Emde (photo courtesty of the Don Emde Collection)

Mr. Emde was in town to complete the final leg of his Cannon Ball Baker Cross Country Trip(www.cannonballproject.com)

 

The 1963 prototype Ferrari 250LM being driven onto the showfield by Ed Tatios in the early morning hours. The car belongs to Luigi Chinetti, Jr. and was on loan from the Simeone Museum

 

Modern 2002 Enzo Ferrari packed with F1 technology

 

Ace, Henderson, Indian, Harley and many, many more unique

 and interesting motorcycles on the terrace.

 

 

Derek 'Nobby' Clark, dapper as ever and about to be inducted into the

AMA Hall of Fame in November 2012.  Mr. Clark recently was the

recipient of the Sportbikes Inc. Lifetime Achievment Award.

(Photo by Dawn Deppi)

 

 

Glorious weather greeted the crowds at RHC on September 9, 2012

 

Don Emde awards 'Best of Show' to Doug Strange for his ex-Red Wolverton,

Charlie Cole Ace endurance racer, a preserved, original equipment machine.

 

Marine Honor Guard and Harley-Davidson tuner Charlie Kowchak discuss motorcycles and life in the service. Charlie honed his considerable machinist skills in the US Navy. 

 

A 1938 Indian Four stands guard by the Two-Stroke Racing Motorcycle collection

 

1978 Yamaha TZ 750, TZ350, a pair of TZ 125's followed by a pair of Honda  MTR125's, 1976 Aermacchi RR250 and a 1978 TZ750 were just a few of the stellar bikes on display.

 

 

At the Black Tie Gala with Gary Maucher, JL, Don Emde, Nobby Clark and Bob Coy

RH Trophy volunteer Brittany Schwab likes what she sees in the jewelers case at the Black Tie

 

Dr. L. Found the new car of her dreams today

 

Cooper Formula car was another fine example of the competition oriented showfield this year.

 

                                                   Chief motorcycle judge Bob Coy
                                                (Radnor Hunt featured Artist 2011)             
                                             and his fellow judges sort out the details.

 

For complete details, see www.radnorconcours.org

 

 

AMA Museum Concours d' Elegance

If you love racing motorcycles, the AMA museum in Ohio, offers a stunning collection of some of the most iconic motorcycles in America. Above is the famous #9 two-stroke Kawasaki of Gary Nixon which did battle with the infamous TZ750's.

Yes, they really did race these Nortons on Daytona Beach in AMA Class C racing in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Norton won a number of the Dayotna 200 racers with legends like Dick Klamforth.

Wow, It's Wayne Raineys Kawasaki from the early days of 'Superbike'

 Racing in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

Senior Bulto would be proud of this line-up of Bultaco racers.

Much nicer than when it was produced nearly forty years ago, the TZ350

was a two-stroke powered giant killer.

One of the most beautiful Harley-Davidson racers on display at the concours.

Dave Edwards tasty BSA Bobber.

Chris Carr with the BUB Streamliner Seven after setting the

record at 367.36  mph at Bonnevile Salt Flats in 2009.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Some of the the top production racers of the 1970's included the Aermacchi RR250 and the Yamaha TZ350. Both helped set new standards of performance in handling and two-stroke technology. The water cooled TZ was the logical step forward for Yamaha after the success achieved on the aircooled TD and TR series of production racers.

 Aermacchi tried to duplicate Yamaha's watercooled engine upgrade and succeeded in Grand Prix racing with hand built bikes for World Champion Walter Villa. The original Aermacchi 250 was air cooled and wore drum brakes front and rear. The production RR250 was sold in the USA by Harley-Davidson dealers, did not succeed in the same manner however as the factory team in Europe. Poor preparation and lack of understanding for this somewhat fragile machine meant that Yamaha's comparative user friendliness would help the TZ dominate the grids here in the USA. 

The similarities are many, but the details are quite different. The Aermacchi is lower, narrower, with a seat that puts you 'in' the bike instead of on it. This RR250 is a 1975 model with disc brakes up front but still a drum rear brake, water cooling, and fiberglass tank that's still wearing it's original colors from new.  

This Aermacchi / Harley-Davidson racer awaits a restoration at this point. Its true competitive life behind it, the RR250 begs to be ridden again. The owner hopes to make that happen in the near future.

The RR250 had success with American riders like Gary Scott, but the Yamaha TZ came on strong as the decade wore on to quickly outpace the RR250.

 

Below is former AMA Pro and Team Yamaha racer Gary Fisher #21.  Fisher won the 250cc National at Loudon, New Hampshire in 1972, 19 years after his father, Ed Fisher, won it on a Triumph. He was the first American to test a TZ750 in Japan with American Team manager, 1969 250cc World Champion,  Australian Kel Carruthers.

From  the Gary Fisher collection

Above, chasing the late Jarno Saarinen #10 at Daytona Speedway.

Below, a break in during qualifying on pit lane for Carruthers, Castro, Fisher

Below, Fisher #21, leading Don Castro #11

    photo by Michael Lawless

Gary has rarely done any races in the last decade, but he suffered a dismal weekend at Roebling Road and Daytona Speedway 2010 on the TZ350. The TZ was beset with problems that kept him out of the running. He was back on Yamaha 250 at Mid Ohio Raceway  for a pair of third place finishes at the AMA Vintage Days to redeem himself. It had been thirty plus years since he last raced a two-stroke.  

photo by Michael Lawless

The G model, a piston port two stroke that was the end of an era of 350cc racing at the Grand Prix level. the G, in 250 and 350 form, remained competitive for a number of years in the early 1980's. In today's classic racing, it is a weapon of choice based on it's continued competitiveness. The reputation for high engine maintenance and frames that do fracture are based in fact, although there are modern solutions to these issues.

The sensation of speed is quite intense as you work the six speed gear box, the sound at 12,000 rpm is enough to send shivers down your spine, delivering that true Grand Prix experience of the 1970's, blue smoke and all.   It is truly a surgical scalpel type of machine and must be used as such, with great precision. The reward is worth the effort required when it all comes together for a few good laps. If you get it just right, you get a glimpse of what is was like for heroes like Roberts, Sheene, Saarinen and company.

photo by Joe Clancy

Click this link to see and hear a TZ250 warm up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGhh-FRqCWA

                

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