The Blast had everything… except an audience

The Blast should have been the biggest non-racing motorcycle event this side of the BMF Show but inaccurate weather reports that suggested there would be a deluge and a confusing advertising campaign have been blamed for a poor attendance.

The show was the first of its kind and was hosted by Rockingham Speedway near Corby, in Northants on Saturday and Sunday. The oval circuit was swamped with bikes and celebrities for two whole days but spectators were few and far between.

Trackday enthusiasts almost fell off with shock when Carl Fogarty took to the technical in-field course aboard his factory-spec CCM Supermoto. Not content with toasting 150bhp superbikes on his 60bhp single, he insisted on a few impromptu wheelies the length of the straight.

Of course, it wasn’t long before Michaela got in on the action. She and Vicki-Butler Henderson took turns on the back of the specially prepared Redbull Ducati Pillion Experience. Carl looked more than a little apprehensive as his wife climbed aboard the 168bhp twin that John Reynolds last rode to victory in last year’s WSB round at Brands. His expression only worsened when Reve PR man Mark Forsyth started popping wheelies with Michaela aboard.

But Top Gear star Vicki Butler-Henderson was to experience worse. She joined Forsyth for a lap of the high-speed oval at an average speed of 112mph. While Mrs. Fogarty was ” a bit surprised how fast they go ” , poor Vicki was left shaking like a leaf and almost unable to speak. She was filming an article that will feature in a future episode of Top Gear.

It was British Supersport contender Rob Frost who set the fastest time of the weekend – on a bog-stock GSX-R1000. He posted a 44.25s lap around the oval. His 122.03mph lap is the fastest average speed around an oval aboard a motorcycle, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Official attendance figures are as yet unavailable. They expected 30,000. On one day that figures was certainly closer to 3000.

Were you there? Was it worth the trip? Would you go again? What was wrong with it? If you didn’t go, what put you off? Add your comments by following the link, right.

More in MCN, published on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.