Dave WATSON at Melb Supercross ...

[Doggy Digger]

On 24 March 1983, I was in Trevor Flood's GASIT shop at Scoresby (Vic) midweek, when UK 250 GP racer WATSON and Italian champ (and 500 GP racer) Franco PICCO were there.  We also went to the Scoresby home of short roadracer Paul LEWIS ... maybe one of them was staying there?
   They were about to go and practise for that weekend's Supercross.   It was the early era of outdoor Melb supercross, (before it shifted indoors to the poxy dumb 1st-gear tennis centre).   They said I could follow them ... we went down Cranbourne way (about 10 kms south of Berwick/Officer area) to the practice track at Clyde, in a market gardening region.   I think (?) it was Mick Gearon's property.   Mick was a B-grader.
I remember the supercross (on a sports ground near Yarra) was spectacular, with big jumps, and I recall the pits being underground - below the grandstand.

My photo is at the Clyde track.   Watson had a dry, cheeky Brit sense of humour.   Mr Flood didn't come with us ... but there was a young mechanic from the shop.    I couldn't believe I was there ... alone with these two GP riders, mid-week out in the bleak backblocks of market gardening Victoria.

[Doggy Digger]

Since putting this up, I got an email from Goof ... saying he used to train on that track.

I then wondered if one of my old diaries mentioned that day.   I have binned nearly 90% of my diaries, after realising what a sick obsession it had become.   I found the day, and realise now that I remember next to nothing about it.   "Notes taken on the day" reveal more realistically what occurred.   I had no recollection of Goof being there; and I think he has also forgotten he came along  - as he mentioned nothing the other week.   Ah yes, the average, old-age brain fail!   A bit embarrassing to post a diary page, but what the heck.
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[jerry]

Nothing to be embarrased about Rog. Great snapshot into days gone bye. Got any more? I promise not to laugh! Jerry

[GMC]

Good stuff Rog.
I imagine Diary's are like photos, they don't mean much at the time but come into their own after a couple of decades.
Post some more up, I promise I will laugh, but only at your boring days.

[Hakans beer stop]

Nothing to be embarrased about Doggy. A very interesting "live" record of events, so to speak.

[vmx42]

Hey Rog,
Don't you dare throw anymore of your diaries away.
Send them my way and I will look after them for you.

and yes, I probably will have a giggle… and any thing funny I find I will pass onto GMC.

You do realise you could have an amazing web site with this stuff.

Keep em coming.
VMX42

[TeeBone]

Rog - I think that you seriously underestimate the value of what your diaries are worth - not in a fiscal sense - but in a "Bloody hell, now I remember" type of deal.....


PLEASE, keep em coming!

[Doggy Digger]

This pic was in same vicinity in diary.   I stopped riding about March, 1980 ... it doesn't seemed to have moved for the 3 years prior to March 1983 diary excerpts ...
Stadiums I think.   They came in a horrible color, but usually got re-painted - as blokes tried to imitate Landman and Flood

[Hardex]

Speaking Of Paul lewis this is him(76) back in 73 on a XR75K0 next to me (28) at the entrance to the start line.