Having accepted the invitation to ‘come abroad with us’ from the EMM Lads that I met at the Fenland meeting a few weeks ago, I found myself traveling to Teterow with a group of people that would not be out of place on a ‘funny farm’.
The ‘Memsarb’ who was the leader of the pack had invited ‘Mr. Bojangles’, Billy ‘two phones’ (one to cool down while he used the other) and ‘Northern Trucker’ all nice people in their own strange ways.
En route in the hire car, once NT had mastered to art of using the car park barrier ticket, we set off round the Berlin M25, and headed North towards Hamburg, where I partook of my first ever McDonnell’s, before turning off East to the quaint town of Teterow, where we checked in to an adequate hotel. Then off to buy in advance 3 tickets (Sat & Sun & Speedway) for 35 Euro (£30) including programmes for all events. On Sat morning after a ‘substantial’ breakfast it was off to catch the bus to the track.
First impressions of this unique track were mind blowing, akin to a Mountain Grass Track, with left and right bends and jumps! Races were for Quads, Moto Cross bikes as well as the 500’s and continental sidecars. Races were either run clockwise of anticlockwise and over 3, 4, or 5 laps of the demanding 1.877 meter track.
Official training was between 0900 – 1300 hr. but we did not see either Charlie Saunders of Daniel Winterton on track, and assume that they were non-starters.
GBR was well represented with 3 ‘drivers’ in the quads, Steven Hall and Harvie Banks (Trevor’s son) in the Moto Cross and Andy Kerrison/Richard Philmore in the chairs.
Onto racing at 1400hrs, and Enrico Janoschka got a second behind Matthias Kroger, whilst in the second heat, Christian Hulshorst won from Stephan Katt. In the chairs Schranna/Neuendorf were first from Hundsrucker/Balz with Radtke/Schwass 3rd and the GBR team 4th. No starters were the William & Nathalie M following their big off.
Leg 2 was not run because of a multi outfit incident, soon after the start and the hot dusty day finished an hour behind schedule at 1730hrs.
Most of the Crowd (estimated at 20,000) then went up the hill towards to the Nordkurve, and onto the evening speedway meeting. The highlight for the Brits was a stunning performance from Andy Kerrison, now with daughter Laura as passenger, and the disco dancing from Mr. Bojangles. Because of inclement weather and prospects of long queues for the return shuttle bus back to the town centre, we cut our losses and left before the solo final.
Biggest cheer of the day was for Maria Franke in the Moto Cross Class.
SUNDAY
The Sunday dawned bright and sunny again, and the Hotel Restaurant was now full of fans having breakfast, before going to the track, for the main days racing when an even bigger crowd was expected, once the party had been ‘frisked’ by security, they are very strict on fans taking bottles into the main enclosure, we bought our grandstand seats overlooking the Bahnubergong which would either be the first corner or the last according to which way they were racing.
The atmosphere was building all the time as fans galore crossed the permanent metal bridge to the infield or joined us in the E8 (£6.88) grandstand. The huge speaker stack hanging from a crane, which would not off been out of place at a Rock Concert, was belting out music or commentary from the German PA.
If you think a senior Commentator from Maidstone goes on a bit, then this fella was ‘high’ on something, and never shut up!
Races 1 & 2 saw Janoschka and Kroger take a win each from Katt and Dennis Stube who had won the Invitation race on the Sat. Paul Cooper came home 7th in his first ride. In the chairs, Schramm/Neuendore got a second win with Kerrison/Philmore coming home in 3rd place.
The semis for the Moto Cross boys came next with Franz Kaden and Harvie Banks both winning their races and the Quads followed with good GBR wins for Lee Hazelwood in Race 10 followed home by Mike Perkins in 3rd, (to follow his 2nd place in race 6), and Rob Heath in 5th place. The best GBR result to date!
Following a Presentation ‘Pause’ we were back to the 500 solos with another win for Kroger to take him into the Final on a Max 45 points. Katt was 6 points behind him, with Janoschka on 40. The last S/C race saw another win for the German Schramm/Neuendorf team to finish on a 45 point Max from Radtke/Schwass on 41 points.
The Final of the Moto Cross saw 3 attempts to get the field on its first lap with the result being a win for Guido Skoppek from Wouter Bron and Bert Dijkstra in 3rd. Harvie came home in 6th to keep the UK Flags flying from the Brits who had travelled to witness this annual event, held at the same venue since 1930 according to the records.
Another presentation ‘Pause’ before the 500 ‘B’ Final with a win for Enrico Sonnenberg from Antonin Klatowsky and Frank Kunkel. The expected ‘A’ Final win for Kroger did not materialise, and Roberto Haupt came home as the winner from Janoschka who rode well all weekend. Third came Manfred Knappe from Stephan Katt with our own Cooperman stopping a German ‘full house’ finish.
The penultimate race was the Moto Cross Handicap over five laps, with a Dutch one – two for Wouter Bron from Sietse Hilleger and Jens Hinrichs. So to the highlight of the weekend, the big five lap final with all the ‘German Big Guns’ out for a win. Paul Cooper rode a brilliant race to win from the ever improving Dennis Stube and Hulshorst in third. The rest of the best were fourth Katt, fifth Klatowsky, sixth Knappe and seventh Enche.
After a short coach ride and a refreshing shower the Memsarb commanded us to the Old Windmill Restaurant, near to the Fire Brigade Museum for Dinner and a post meeting de-brief. The outcome was a decision to attend even more continental meetings as they really do know how to put on a meeting, and keep all the fans, many of whom are families, happy for the duration, and Marmande is on the cards for July 2013.
Northern Trucker took the wheel again after settlement of E30 (£25.80) per night rooms B & B, for the trip back to Berlin. Billy Two Phones navigated, when not making personal calls back home, (I would not want his mobile bill!) and following a ‘snack pause’ on the Motorway we arrived at the correct Berlin Airport in plenty of time for the return flight to Nottingham.
In conclusion I thank all the lads for the invitation to join them, and now know why they have such good fun as a Group and look forward to seeing them all again this weekend at Irby, where they hope to be joined by the Honorary Life President of the East Midlands Mafia, none other than Jack ‘Dinger/Dinner’ Bell….bring it on.