Ilson (ilkeston) gunners photos?

[nosepickben]

Whilst reading something non-bmx today, i came upon reference of the town of Ilkeston. This triggered some memories of racing at the track there, cotmanhay. I found the site of the track on google maps, and little remains. Just evidence of a start hill and a first straight. I can see the track perfectly in my mind's eye but i'd like to see a piccy or two.

[GT-Timmo]

That's just down the road from where I work. I might have to go and check it out.

[AllAzusacroozer]

have a watch of this

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this is an NBMXA East Midlands regional in 1986 (im in the 13-15 cruisers final) at the Ilson Gunners track but their was another much smaller track in Cotmanhay itself, i remember doing 1 race there when it first opened and it was a foot deep in sand on the berms!

[nosepickben]

Brilliant! Thanks for posting that. I was there too, i raced every regional at ilkeston. I would have been in the 10's that year. If i remember right, 1985 would have been the first regional run at that track. My dad was part of the track sanctioning gang, which basically meant visiting the newer or less established clubs, 2 or 3 per day, a few weeks prior to the scheduled event, and checking the start gate, surface, track width at certain points, uniformity of jumps and general safety etc. A good day out bmxing basically for us lads!
I clearly remember visiting ilkeston on this basis one saturday, then returning the following day to race an open meeting. May have been '84 that.
There was a berm to berm jump from the very tight turn 2 over to the penultimate corner, which went over a gap filled with a shitload of nettles to add a bit more danger to it. A certain Geth Shooter did some fabulous stuff on that jump. A very skilful stuntman he was.