MCN Festival: USA take on the UK

Motorcycling icons, off-road gods and masters of the speedway oval will be mixing it up next weekend as the legendary Transatlantic Trophy is resurrected at the MCN Festival of Motorcycling at the Peterborough Arena on May 16-17.

Multi world enduro champion David Knight MBE will be captaining the UK squad against a USA team led by ex-500 Grand Prix champion Kevin Schwantz in a spectacular dirt track version of the Trophy races.

From 1971 to 1991 this unique road race series saw teams from the USA fly over to the UK to compete against our top riders, such as Phil Read, Paul Smart,Barry Sheene, Mick Grant and James Whitham. The USA had an equally impressive line-up over the years including Cal Rayborn, Gary Nixon, Kenny Roberts and Kevin Schwantz during the 1986-87 season.

On May 16-17 Schwantz will be bringing a little of that glamour back to life as he heads up a talented American team including another original Trophy rider Dave Aldana and US speedway aces Gino Manzares and Ryan Fisher. 

David Knight’s UK team isn’t  short of talent either, the multi-discipline off-road rider will head up a team of dirt-track specialists including four-time British flat track Champion Aidan Collins, 2014 DTRA UK pro flat track champion Tim Neave (qualified in front of Marc Marquez at the Superprestigio event in December), Tom Neave (Tim’s brother and also Superprestigio qualifer). The Transatlantic Trophy races will take place twice a day on both Saturday and Sunday in the Maxxis Live action Arena. 

 

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Advance ticket prices

• Adult £19, over 65 £14
• Child Free (with adult)

For full details visit www.mcnfestival.com

 

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A weekend packed with action!

As well as the Transatlantic Trophy races, the DTRA are holding the second round of their championship at the Festival, providing over three hours of top-class dirt track racing each day. 

A 60-bike Classic Race Bike Parade will fire up twice a day, and historic drag and sprint bikes will be making the local residents’ windows rattle. 

As well as his duties leading the UK team in the Transatlantic Trophy Races, David Knight will be starring in the MotoXchange Extreme Sprint Enduro, a mad dash over impossible obstacles as he takes on all-comers in this new off-road event. 

If you prefer to get involved in the action rather than watch, we’ve got nearly 100 bikes on our huge test ride fleet, including machines from Triumph, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, KTM, Victory, Indian, Suzuki, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Vespa and Piaggio. You can try your hand riding off-road on a big adventure bike or even ride a classic bike courtesy of the National Motorcycle Museum.