“Animal Bike Tour team assemble!” Was the war cry as we hit the road and headed off to be part of the Goodwood Action Sports ‘GAS’ arena at this year’s Festival of Speed.
The Festival of Speed has been running since 1993 and combines a diverse and authentic collection of cars and motorbikes with a star-studded line-up of drivers. From F1 to steam-powered carriages of the 19th Century (Martyn Ashton), and 3000bhp top fuel dragsters to classic rally cars, even with all that competition the Vito Sport held it’s own and looked in it’s element!
Action Sports have been increasingly infiltrating the motor event over the last few years. This year the GAS area became one of the main features of the event with an enormous area incorporating and integrating FMX, Moto Trials, Bike Trials, BMX, Dirt Jump, Skateboard and Mini Moto. The area was designed so that all the sports areas intertwined along with the ABT (Animal Bike Tour). The action and energy passed from sport to sport throughout the shows and the close confines to one another seemed to raise everyone’s game to new levels!
Along side the event’s star drivers like Jenson Button and Stirling Moss, there was an impressive list of athletes including Australia’s Robbie Maddison (the modern day Evil Kenevil who’d flown in from America especially for the Sunday shows) and Dougie Lampkin (12 times World Trials Champion) who’s kids, 3 and 6, seemed to be enjoying themselves riding their mini trials bikes round on the ABT rig. Potential as future guest stars!
The GAS show happened twice a day incorporating the ABT, which also ran independently for a further three shows a day keeping the area’s share of the 150,000 attendants in awe.
We occasionally invite riders to join us in the show, this time is was our pleasure to welcome back after two years Danny MacAskill to ride along side Blake and Martyn.
“It was great to have him back and see him coming up with new lines and generally killing it.” Martyn Ashton.
The combination of the rider’s styles, the beaming sun and huge crowds who were giving some great feedback made for some of the best shows the Bike Tour has ever seen.
“Oh man, What an event! Sun, cars, bikes, noise, action and huge crowds all in one bonkers location. I could die happy…but I’d rather not.” Blake Samson.
Next stop is the Royal Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford which attracts 170,000 over the two days – we are aiming to set the new crowd record for a show…come be part of it!
