There was ample time for Saturdays 10-lap races and a couple of parades, but the Sunday curfew meant eight-lap outings, with damp conditions for the early part of the programme.
Genuine ex-race machinery was supplemented by numerous less exotic models that were competitive thanks to modern technology and the riders’ ability to use it around Lydden’s almost constant curves. As an example, the pre-63 500s saw Mike Bevan (Norton Dommy) notch four wins to extend his championship lead, holding at bay the Manx Nortons behind him! However, in the 350 category it was a Manx 1-2-3.
The evergreen Mervyn Stratford cleaned up the pre-1963 250cc class with his Rudge. It seems he needed only the same quarter-litre to extend his lead in the Unlimited championship over Tony Perkin’s 500 Rudge.
In the pre-72 sidecars, Denis Whitehouse/Ben Weston notched four wins on their NWS Triumph outfit. In the earlier category, Adam Pope and John Christopher (Triumph Thunderbird) posted three wins and a second. Bill and Maggie Tuer continued their winning ways in the Cyclecars/Sidecars class.
