1982 Transatlantic Trophy Brands Hatch Races 1 and 2

[@maximum007]

Brings back great memories watching this racing series live at Oulton Park, some of the greatest riders ever.

[@LS-uv9gg]

So awesome to see this. I have only been able to find bits and pieces of some of these races over the years. Bizarre to see all the different displacements and factory 4strokes vs factory 2strokes, I did not know that was in effect with these Transatlantic Races. Utterly fascinating! Thank you very much for bringing back great memories. :)

[@pabloperez4063]

I do believe both machines were well ballanced...but Barry made the difference

[@niged]

What a class and stylish rider number 7 was. Sadly lost to soon.

[@pabloperez4063]

The best in my opinion

[@shirleydrury5565]

He was my idol❤ And always will BE❤❤❤love you Barry❤❤

[@normansmith2977]

I was at Brands that year and have a fully signed program. Sheeney was my hero. Loved how he rode and how he didn’t give two hoots about anything or anyone...❤❤...😢

[@johnstilljohn3181]

I was there at Brands for this - and I was back at Brands today and talked about this...!

[@timcolder2789]

Remember watching live at the time during the Easter Bank holidays. A fantastic race series which is sadly no longer a competition. Barry Sheene had the chance of winning a cash prize of £50,000 (which was a lot of money in those days) if he could win all 6 races. He managed to win 5 out 6 on his JPS Yamaha and when leading the 6th race at Mallory Park he came off at the hairpin and lost the chance. He did not have much luck that season as it was only a few months later when he had his bad crash at Silverstone, and was lucky to survive. A great racer and a guy who is sadly missed. A unique character who will never be replaced and a great ambassador for bike racing. Sat next to him and his partner Stephanie in the paddock at the 1984 transatlantic meeting at Donington. I had just seized my bike on my way to the meeting but seeing Bazzer made up for that!

[@wheelieking333]

watched this from paddock hill bend

[@Jackplumz]

Good to see again, I was there for most of the series races back then. The Americans got trounced that year. I have quite a few VHS videos of the WOS bike coverage back then. Might have to look into getting them converted somehow.

[@topcat4759]

Like you I also have stacks of VHS tapes from those days, mainly 500 GP's and the 1984 transatlantic meeting. Glad I kept hold of the GP tapes as even Duke marketing have never released the early '80's GP's on dvd. Managed to get some dvd's off ebay that are copies of old tv recordings but never thought about copying my own. Big KR fan at the time and other than several compilation dvd's have never been able to get hold of his championship winning seasons.

[@StefanMedici]

Thanks for posting this. Love watching the old races. Great to see our Keith beat out Pietri for 3rd place in the second race. For fans of Keith check out OMG MotoGP where he co hosts and a podcast, it's also on KZbin.

[@turboslag]

120 bhp for the works Yam, seemed steller then. To put that into present day context, moto gp bikes are producing north of 250bhp, thats at least another 130 bhp!!! Even some road bikes are over 220 brake! However, this was 42 years ago, just doesn't seem like it! It may be me in old fart mode, but racing back then seemed more visceral and exciting. Really good to see this again.

[@williamrae9954]

Well over 300bhp now

[@avacannon7552]

Bob Smith St Helens rider No 1 ,the oniy privateer on the grid and did his own spanner work,made that RG Suzuki sing

[@gangoffour6690]

Spencer, 250 and 500 cc champ in the same year. AMAZING ! The Americans came, saw and conquered in the 80s.

[@turboslag]

And never done before or since, and will never be done again.

[@a.j.carter8975]

❤🇬🇧 why has this series never had a re boot? Its the ashes of biking.

[@colinstewart1432]

The Ryder Cup would be a better analogy. Definitely agree we need to bring it back though. 👍

[@Phil-ww1dv]

Cheers for this one.

[@BobbyOfEarth]

Fast forward to 1985, a historic year for Fast Freddy Spencer, whom, began the season by winning the prestigious season opening event, the Daytona 200. Next day, Spencer won the Formula 1 and 250cc race, making Freddy the only rider to win all three classes in a single year during Daytona Speed Week. Incredibly, Spencer also competed in both the 1985, 250cc and 500cc Grand Prix World Championships, and won both titles that same year. Officially, Spencer was the last rider (five others historically) to have achieve that record.

[@postollie1967]

He's the only one who achieve this 500 + 250 in the same year.

[@topcat4759]

Spencer was an incredible rider, even though I was hoping KR would win the title in '83. Two mates who were marshalls at Donington at the 1984 transatlantic meeting had to pull Freddie out of the gravel at Redgate, broke bones in both of his feet if I remember rightly. Just a shame that tendonitis finished his career when he switched to Yamaha. Would have been interesting to see him race against Schwantz, Doohan and Rainey later on. Even Rossi has never won both 250 and 500 titles in the same season.

[@BobbyOfEarth]

@@topcat4759 I must have forgotten about his Donington crash. But, I think what happened to Freddy, occurred in mid July 1984 during the AMA National at Laguna Seca. With MotoGp on summer vacation, Freddy, Randy Mamola, Kenny Roberts (already retired) and Mike Baldwin entered the F1 race to makes things interesting for fans.. I was entered in the Superbike race but the Friday practice and Qual sessions were both combined, putting F1 and Superbikes on the track together. During morning practice, Freddy went into the corkscrew too hot, locked the front tire, sending him to the ground, breaking his right wrist. A review of his 1984 season, one can see that Freddy retired from the 1984 MotoGp season after round 9 in early July. That injury left Freddys right arm prone to loss of feeling ..which plagued him for many years..

[@topcat4759]

@Bobbyof Earth I think the video of the 1984 transatlantic meeting is on here somewhere. Stood behind Freddies new v four in the pits, the underseat exhausts and the fuel tank underneath the engine unique at the time. KR's last race in Europe I think, got Baldwins autograph and the best meeting I ever went too. Laguna my favourite track and must have been a hell of a time to be a racer. Always liked US superbikes since first getting into racing in the late '70's. KR's win at the '79 British GP caught my interest as a kid.

[@BobbyOfEarth]

@@topcat4759 Back then, Sega was full throttle exiting turn nine and held it open until a gear down and a tap entering turn four. It was a track best suited for a man with a natural affinity for speed.. it was my track. I feel fortunate to have been around to see and appreciate the significance of those historical times. Been nice chatting with you. Thanks for taking the time, TC.

[@BroqHans]

The commentator explaining how the riders scrape their knees across the tarmac. Yes, it's 1982. Great stuff.

[@ChimeraActual]

Sheene looks like a real mensch, a rare thing in the upper echelon of motorcycle racing.

[@colinstewart1432]

He really was. A top bloke that helped launch lots of other rider's carreers. Schwantz and Gardner to name but 2.

[@pabloperez4063]

Thank you!!!! Moreee

[@JukkaX]

Damn that worx Yamaha loox good..

[@atomicorang]

A really good quality race. Too bad Freddie’s Honda let him down.

[@philsaunder9690]

Mr Kieth Heuwen! So rare to see!

[@Moriwak1]

Brilliant series a proper series... should be resurrected via BSB

[@topcat4759]

Would be great to see, was always the most exciting and competive racing to watch. For some strange reason the US does not seem to have the number of top riders they used to have. Years back they dominated the GP's with Roberts, Spencer, Schwantz etc and WSB with Edwards and Russell but since Hayden and Hopkins cannot think of any US riders that have been anywhere near the same standard.

[@mhoppy6639]

“You will of course be able to see the [next] races on bbc tv” Sad that grandstand or something like it has gone which introduced loads of people to different types of fantastic motorsport.

[@Nickmedium]

Sure you notice packed with spectators, was the same when rotary Nortons raced, will never be the same.

[@andrewpiercy7550]

Ron haslams accent is brilliant

[@richardwinn8941]

With decent backing on works bkes Roger Marshall would surely have been a threat at 500cc Grand Prix level.He was certainly good enough around 1982 but was regarded more as rider for British meetings only.Pity he never really got the chance to show what he could do on the World stage.

[@barrytaylor760]

Great rider, one of the very best

[@demonmonsterdave]

When did it become the Transatlantic Challenge? I went to so many of there as a young kid.

[@topcat4759]

If I remember rightly from reading about it a few years back the first match race meeting was in 1971. One of the British riders, John Cooper, comes not far from where I live.

[@lyndasmith9660]

❤️❤️

[@pabloperez4063]

Why didnt Freddie took part in 2nd race?

[@mercoid]

His bike had mechanical problems. They had to wait for parts to come in from Belgium .

[@AamerPawarymyye]

👍❤️

[@williamrae9954]

Chris Guy nearly killed my Uncle Bill Rae...his wife never forgave him for his recklessness!

[@カーネルおじいさん]

500が500らしかった良い時代^_^

[@a.j.carter8975]

M.W. Was a commentary god, but im pretty sure "losing their load on the circuit" is against the rules. I've never been able to. What's that? Oh , the clouds?. I got it .

[@patmays7344]

That’s how Freddie ended his career as well, always mysteriously?? Breaking Down!! Haha. 🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️

[@seamusblack5876]

JPS jacket smoking away