8 replies to this topic

[Nanni Dietrich]

Several editions of the Hutchinson 100, classic motorcycle race were held between 1966 and 1976, at Brands Hatch, on the reverse direction of the Grand Prix circuit.

Was the track's counter-clockwise direction used in other occasions? What years, exactly?

[LittleChris]

Not the full circuit but I think I read that the race school used the short circuit in reverse for the final race for each cohort of pupils.

[Geoff E]

Kent Transportation History Facebook group https://www.facebook...652386226/?_rdr

[Robin127]

I know it was used in 1977 by Bemsee for a club weekend in the reverse direction, I came off at Clearways and spent 3 days in Queen Mary's.  It was on the same weekend that they had run the Hutchinson 100 and the meeting was called The Sir Ben Ball Trophy.  The year before If I remember correctly the Hutch was run on the Sunday with a club meeting on the Saturday,  I don't think the Hutch was run again after that.  It was used again by Bemsee in 1978 and I'm pretty certain it was in the reverse direction for the Ben Ball meeting and in 1979 the same event reverted back to the clock wise direction.  I doubt any bikes ever raced in reverse again as it wasn't the safest circuit that way round.

[tonyed]

The Hutch on the reverse full circuit. 1975 and 1976. I too did the 6th and 7th August 1977 Sir Ben Ball run in the reverse direction on my Crescent. I remember especially uphill at Paddock which closed up on you at the exit against the Armco.

[Robin127]

I went to the Hutch as a spectator in 1971 when it was run over the GP circuit and again in 1973 when it was run over the short circuit, both in reverse direction.

Edited by Robin127, 10 March 2025 - 16:04.

[tonyed]

https://daveriley.we...ands-hatch.html

71 - Long Circuit - Reverse

72 - Short Circuit - Reverse

73 - Short Circuit - Reverse

74 - Short Circuit - Reverse

75 - Long Circuit - Reverse

76 - Long Circuit - Reverse

77 - Sir Ben Ball - Long Circuit - Reverse

[brands77]

Bob Guntrip's Racing Line book, notes that in 1966 the Hutch 100 was run anti-clockwise at Brands Hatch, before that in '64 and '65 it is down as Silverstone. I can't see a mention of Brands being run anticlockwise before that in the book.

[tonyed]

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://daveriley.we...ch14aug1966.pdf

 

Certainly was.