Race Time at Ricardo Tormo Again!

Every November this time of month I write something of the goings on at the race track in Cheste. After all Cheste is the pueblo next to Pedralba, my home port which draws people from all over Europe. The seating capacity is only 120,000 yet we have heard as many as 200,000 people may be in the vicinity. I don't know as I have not been anywhere near the event.

I once made the mistake of trying to pass through there in order to get home because that is my usual route when travelling from down South. Big mistake indeed! The bikes were like bees or mosquitoes. They were absolutely everywhere and buzzing just like the insects. The few police on duty were as frustrated as I was.

Today there are almost 2,000 police on duty because its anybody's guess as to how many motorcycles are concentrated in that one small location. When the boys and girls get together like this they lose their collective minds and do all manner of stupid things. One year a dare devil while showing off just how stupid he could be managed to actually kill his pillion passenger who was also his girlfriend.

I hope there will not be any such incidents this year but the temptation to try and standout in the crowd will be great.

For those who don't know The Ricardo Tormo circuit is located off the A-3 motorway which runs between Madrid and Valencia. The circuit can be seen from the highway and during the events of this Saturday and Sunday, given that the stadium is sold out it must be quite a distraction to passing motorists.

It is an anti-clockwise track with 14 turns and a total length of just over 4 kilometres. The straight stretch that runs past the VIP and Press seating, and which also serves as the starting stretch and the boxes at ground level is 876 metres. The track has served as a practise ground for F-1 although it is hard on the drivers as they usually race clockwise. apparently racing anti-clockwise for them makes problems with their necks.

The other reason why I am unable to ignore them is because in spite of the fact that I am sitting more than 20 kilometres from where the racing is taking place I can hear them. What life must be like for the people who live in Cheste these few days I cannot imagine. The noise both from on the track and off must be insufferable. For one thing most of the visitors camp under canvas or in motorhomes as there is just not enough hotel accommodation. What they do for shower facilities I don't know.

This is a young person's dream which you can only do while you are young and indestructible. There was a time when I would have been there in all my glory being just as excited and no doubt, just as  silly. That's what youth is for and I can't argue with that.

Ricardo Tormo was once Spain's twice celebrated moto racing world champion. He started his career in 1973 and won 19 of the 62 races he competed in. He raced 50cc and 125cc bikes throughout Europe bringing home the cup for Spain and in the process gaining enormous respect from the community. Valencia bestowed one of its highest awards upon him in 1994. By then he had not raced since 1984 when he crashed and irreparably damaged his led.

He suffered from leukemia which sadly, at the age of 46 took his life on December 27, 1998. When the circuit at  Cheste opened in 1999 it was unanimously agreed that it would proudly carry the name of Valencia's most illustrious native son.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael