Smallest of bikes enter the fray at Darley Moor

The Darley Moor Motor Sports Centre near Ashbourne hosts the action, which is sure to attract large and enthusiastic crowds.

In addition to the usual championship classes for solos, sidecars and regular guests, the superkarts, there will be a round of the ACU 50cc Championship, showcasing some of the smallest racing machinery available.

A number of these machines are from an era in which they formed part of the Grand Prix paddock at a time when world championship classes were for 50cc, 80cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc.

Practice begins at 10 am, and the first of 23 races is scheduled to start at 11.30 am. Many spectators will stay overnight on Saturday, camping or in caravans.

Several riders from the Derbyshire area will be in the hunt for race wins and trying to keep their championship aspirations alive. They include Chris Moore (High Peak), who is currently at the head of the table in the lightweight class with a comfortable 17-point lead over Graham Wilson (Kidsgrove). Moore is also lying third in the Formula Darley class, 14 points behind the leader.

Howard Baker and passenger Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Lincolnshire) have a seven-point advantage in the Formula 600 Sidecar Championship, while Dean Ephgrave (Hucknall) has a 20-point lead in the Steel Framed Championship over Wally Bradbury (Chesterfield), with Luke Southworth, of Birmingham, a further four points back in third.

The Pre Injection 600 machines will be on track at the same time as the steel-framed bikes and Andy Lowe (Stone) currently holds a 16-point advantage at the head of that table, Richard Shipley (Kirk Hallam) is in third place, 22 points behind the leader. Lowe also takes the same machine to the track in the open class pre injection races and currently lies second, 20 points behind leader Jamie Pearson (Derby), with Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield) in third spot.

Matlock’s David Bradley heads the Classic 1000 championship by a very comfortable 24 points.