Among my souvenirs

I’m not much of a souvenir hunter, although looking at the picture above, you wouldn’t think so. When the idea came to me to write this article I didn’t think I’d have much to show, but, it seems I have. Shall I tell you what these all are?

The credit card sized ones on the coloured lanyards are all media passes from WSBK and Island Classic meetings I have covered (some of them). The large white one is from the Australian Sprintcar Championship at Parramatta City Raceway when I provided electronic scoring for the event. The red one next to it is my “Access All Areas” pass from the 2000 Bathurst Easter Carnival, the very last time that the bikes raced at Bathurst. I was head of the commentary team, working with Brian Nightingale from the local radio station and Noel Christensen, a long-time Bathurst commentator. The QANTAS pass is from the Gold Coast Indy 300 car race.

The various programmes go back much further. From left to right they are from the 1969 Wollongong Teachers College evening of choral and instrumental music, in which I was a performer, the official programme from my college graduation ceremony (1971) and the programme from the 1976 Schools Music Festival in Wollongong Town Hall in which my choir performed.

Finally there are two “trophies” The wooden one was a token of appreciation from Brian and Gayle Holbrook, then promoters of Tralee Raceway (known at the time as the “Pepsi Powerdome” – yes, I know, tacky, isn’t it?) That was for the 1988-1989 season one of the seasons where I was course commentator for the venue and the little medallion on the perspex stand is the most precious of all.

Only a limited number of these medallions were made and they were only given to the competitors who took part in the Inaugural Canberra road race meeting (October 1978) around what came to be known as Macarthur Park. However, because I was president of CRRC, the promoting club, and because I had played a significant part in making the meeting happen, the club committee voted to give me a medallion in recognition.

There are a few others lying around the place but, as you have probably gathered, these are the ones that are important to me (I do have the programme from the operetta we put on at teachers college in 1971 when I played the tenor lead but it seems to be missing at the moment!)

On Sunday afternoon after the races were over at Phillip Island, it is a scene of controlled chaos as the huge process of packing up starts. And, part of that process is throwing out stuff that teams don’t want to take home. And, unfortunately for some teams, this includes broken bits. And so it was that, leaving the pit garage of Luca Scassa in 2013, I stumbled upon this item sticking out of the top of a bin.

It now hangs on the wall of my garage.

Now, long term lifers will have already figured that this long and tedious introduction is obviously leading somewhere and they would be right.

Like I said, I don’t really collect souvenirs, but, passing by the Mahi team pit late on Sunday afternoon, I came upon the battered remains of the fairing and belly pan from Kenan Sofoglu’s ZX6. One of the team officials was standing by and he asked, “Do you want it, we’re only going to throw it in the bin?” I hesitated, did I want it? Of course I did. I have always been a huge admirer of the Superglue, as he is affectionately known. I have watched him win three WSS titles and cheered him on from the sidelines. Further to this, he and I are on first-name terms (no, I am not being pretentious). I have interviewed Kenan for MotoPod for the last three years and he has said that he appreciates the fact that, unlike many media people, I ask intelligent questions! So, did I want a Superglue souvenir? Hell, yes. But, as Jeremy Clarkson often says, there was a problem. How would I get it home, given that I was flying home not driving?

Light bulb! Staying at our rented house was Sydney TZ750 racer, Julian Hardy.

I wonder if he’d be willing to tuck it away in his trailer and take it home for me? I took the punt and decided that I would take just the belly pan piece and not push my luck.

I also saw Eugene Laverty’s gorgeous girlfriend, Pippa, giving away some knee sliders but I was too slow. She turned and looked at me and said, “Do you want one, hang on I’ll go and see if there are any more?” She disappeared into the Suzuki office and emerged with not just a knee slider but a SIGNED one. “There, will that do?’ Would it ever!!

But the final part of this story is where I am pinching myself. Along with Kenan Sofoglu, I have made it a point to always interview the French rider, Jules Cluzel. When he, historically, won MV’s first world championship race in 38 years, the scenes of jubilation in the pit were amazing. After photographing the team manager returning to the pit box with the two trophies (one for the rider and one for the manufacturer) I left the pit and left the team to celebrate.

Later in the afternoon I returned to just add my personal congratulations and Jules was still buzzing, obviously! I asked him if he had some sort of souvenir that he could give me as a memento of the occasion. He looked around and said, “No, I don’t really think so.” Then he said, “Oh wait, will this do?” Reaching down onto the floor, he picked up his helmet, unclipped the visor and handed it to me! A team member, realising what was happening, handed him a texta and he autographed it, right across the front.

Now I do not, as yet, have photos of these two items as Julian has them in Sydney, kindly offering to take them home for me. But, as soon as I collect them, I will photograph them and post them here.

So, in one fell swoop, my souvenir collection has increased and, along with the memories, I have some tangible things to help me remember a memorable weekend.