lodgings like mine where an equally nostalgic item sits attached to the telly... a VCR. A very sound and working one which I have been known to acquaint with tapes I recorded years and years ago. Back to the days of the Marlboro Series and the GPs of the 70s and 80s. And I squeeze the volume up a tad. However, I am equally swayed by the sounds of four-strokes and the modern MotoGP irons are superb in the arena of sound. And go back to the MV Agustas when the likes of Ago’ and Read and Bonera throttled them... aaah. I saw them in action at Silverstone and Mallory Park when I was over there in the 70s and while my memories of lots of things I saw and did in those times have disintegrated I can still see and hear those MVs. It all comes down to sound, which is why I will never cast an ear of envy or admiration in the direction of electric engines... it’ s just not cricket. Racing four-strokes... great. Racing two-strokes... great. Together... memorable. And so it came to pass that Croz and Randy Mamola were both on the guest and rider list for
the gathering at Hampton Downs, and I had to wonder if during their inevitable chats they talked about a day at Pukekohe, when the Marlboro Series was well and truly smoking back in the early 70s. Randy was a teenager and Croz was a ferociously fast and fearless young man. Randy on a two-stroke and Croz on a four-stroke. The indelible memory I still have is what I saw from the pitside of the track as they howled over the brow and down the straight to the sweeping right-hander. I watched Randy at full throttle stretch on his little yellow and white Yamaha‘ stroker go by... only to have the booming Kawasaki with Croz aboard blast past him as they neared the turn. I don’ t think Randy knew he was there... and I suspect his yellow and white leathers featured a brown attachment in the wake of that. I’ ll never forget it. The sounds of action, two-stroke and four. Like a gin and tonic... a great mix.
KIWI RIDER 71