Six Hour 1976

CASTROL SIX HOUR - 1976: The 'Team Avon' Kawasaki Z1B 900 of Jim Budd and Roger Heyes (Bike No.3) defined where the Six Hour was heading from 1976 onward. The Motorcycle and the Riders Leathers were all perfectly matched, a totally professional effort.

Following the excellent showing by Ken Blake on the R90S in 1975, BMW again campaigned the R90S/Blake partnership aided by the inclusion of Tony Hatton, they went even further. A second BMW R90S was entered by there own 'dream team' Helmut Dahne and Bryan Hindle! During the race I took particular note of Ken Blake catching and passing Helmut Dahne on identical machinery, top marks to Ken there as Helmut was surely the more experienced BMW Rider, albeit without Amaroo Park track knowledge. Dahne had plenty of experience with the BMW flat twins, having competed at the Isle of Man TT on the Boxers.

Some questioned the wisdom of Gregg Hansford and Murray Sayle campaigning a Kawasaki Z650, incredibly Alan Hales and Rob Madden changed to a Z650 also. Even more incredibly the Hansford/Sayle bike suffered 'broken rear wheel spokes' resulting in a forced rear wheel change.

RACE DAY: The Le Mans start was uneventful, Jim Budd, so quick to sprint to his motorcycle made the pace up Bitupave Hill leaving the initial minor placings to the likes of Gregg Hansford!!, Alan Hales, Garry Thomas and Joe Eastmure to name but a few...


THE LINE UP	JIM BUDD GETS THE HOLE SHOT


THE FIRST LAP #3: BUDD, #1: HANSFORD AND #32: GARRY THOMAS	#3: JIM BUDD LEADS ONTO PIT STRAIGHT


MURRAY SAYLE: KAWASAKI Z650!	JIM BUDD: KAWASAKI Z1B 900	HELMUT DAHNE: BMW R90S	JOHN WARRIAN: DUCATI 900SS


ALAN HALES: KAWASAKI Z650	OAKHILL/PINK: DUCATI 900SS	CROZ/LESLIE Vs THE CHIVAS TEAM	WOW #39: IRVINE/PARR: RD400C


#4: HELMUT DAHNE LEADING #2: KENNY BLAKE, BOTH R90S MOUNTED	#4: BRYAN HINDLE, BMW R90S

THE CHEQUERED: The Jim Budd/Roger Heyes Kawasaki Z1B 900 won the race with 349 laps covered, a very professional team and Number 3 won again!! Ken Blake and Tony Hatton finished second on 348 laps on a BMW R90S and third was taken by Danny Oakhill and Ross Pink on a Ducati 900SS on the same lap count as Blake.

Incredibly Alan Hales and Robert Madden brought a Kawasaki Z650 home in fourth positioned again on the 348 lap count and the dream team of Helmut Dahne and Bryan Hindle brought the second BMW R90S home with 347 laps covered. Gregg Hansford and Murray Sayle brought their 'spoke troubled' Z650 home to eleventh place with 341 laps covered.


JIM BUDD (FOREGROUND) AND ROGER HEYES, THE BEST PREPARED, BEST PRESENTED AND THEY WON!

THE 'TEAM AVON' WINNERS KAWASAKI: Beautifully presented.


#3: AFTER SIX HOURS, THE SPLATTERED '3' PLATE AND THE WORN FOOTREST WERE THE ONLY CLUES TO A HARD DAYS RACING!

I LOVE NEW TECHNOLOGY, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, DIGITAL CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES/WIRELESS BROADBAND, GPS, ETC. ALL SO COOL AND 'PORTABLE'......