Thruxton 500

The Thruxton 500 was a motorcycle endurance race for production based road machines, covering 500 miles and ridden by a team of two riders per machine. The first event was a 9-hour race which took place in 1955, organized by the Southampton and District Motorcycle Club (SDMCC) at the Thruxton Circuit near Andover in Hampshire. Two more 9-hour races followed in 1956 and 1957.

These earlier 9-hour races resulted in the birth of the famous Thruxton 500 miler, the first taking place in 1958 and the last in 1973.

The Thruxton 500 was an endurance race for production based road machines, covering 500 miles and ridden by a team of two riders per machine.

There were twelve Thruxton 500 events between 1958 and 1973. During that period, there were four races where the 500 miler had to be run at two different circuits because of poor track conditions at Thruxton.[1] The first rearranged 500 miler race was at Castle Combe[2] in 1965 followed by three other meetings at Brands Hatch in 1966, 1967 and 1968.[3]

In the 1960s, the Thruxton 500 race was very important to British motorcycle manufacturers as a test of their bikes which provided public exposure. A win, or second and third places in the Thruxton 500, offered advertising opportunities and boosted sales, resulting in keen competition around Thruxton’s fast, flowing and demanding track.

Four other endurance events were held at Thruxton but not under the Thruxton 500 name. There were two Powerbike Internationals in 1974 and 1975 and two Grand Prix D'Endurance events in 1976 and 1977.

Seven other endurance events were organized by the SDMMC at different circuits around the UK.

Similar events were the Bemsee-organised Hutchinson 100[4] at Silverstone and the 'Motor Cycle' 500 at Brands Hatch in 1966 where Mike Hailwood demonstrated a Honda CB450 Black Bomber fitted with a sports fairing.[5] It was unable to compete in the 500cc category, the FIM deeming it was not classified as a production machine as it had two overhead camshafts.[6]

Only one motorcycle race a year is now held at Thruxton, a round of the British Superbike Championship

  1. ^ "Goss pulls out", Motor Cycle, 10 December 1964. p.987. "...news of the retirement of Neville Goss as secretary. Neville has, however, agreed to remain racing secretary and will continue to guide the 500-miler...he mentioned that arrangements had not been finalised regarding the future of the Thruxton circuit—especially the re-surfacing—but something would have to be done before next season." Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  2. ^ "'Metropole Mixture'. Triumph stands 6 and 10", Motor Cycle, 9 September 1965. Brighton Show Guide. p.365. "...every 1966 model plus the Dave Degens Bonneville which took Castle Combe 500–mile honours this year." Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  3. ^ Race Results[permanent dead link] Southampton & District Motor Cycle Club websiteite. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  4. ^ Motor Cycle, 19 August 1965. p.2a. BSA Triumph full-page advertisement "BSA WIN Hutchinson '100'. 1st Mike Hailwood 650cc BSA Lightning, 2nd Phil Read 650cc Triumph Bonneville, 3rd Percy Tait 650cc Triumph Bonneville." Accessed 2013-08-16
  5. ^ Motor Cycle, 7 July 1966. p.22/23 Scratcher's Marathon. Motor Cycle's 500—mile race. "A plane was specially chartered to fly riders back from the previous day's Dutch Grand Prix. One who took advantage of this was Mike Hailwood and here [pictured] he brakes as he completes demonstration laps on a Honda CB450 before racing begins" Accessed 2013-08-16
  6. ^ Motor Cycle, 19 May 1966, p.664 Racing Line by David Dixon. "The Honda CB450 is not yet regarded as a 'production' machine...the CSI decided not to change the rules—under which machines with two overhead camshafts are barred—as it would be 'unfair to make a chance in mid season'.". Accessed 2013-08-21