Hot Stuff At Stafford – 18/19 October 2014

In a very rare public appearance, multiple GP and WSB winner Pierfrancesco will be interviewed live on stage in the main hall. He’ll be sharing race recollections, stories about his ongoing racetrack scraps with Foggy, and his own unique insights into his world-class career. ‘When I won it was for all the people, not only for me or my team,’ says Frankie. ‘Sometimes I pushed a little bit too much and fell down, but that was my style – I did not make so much calculation in my races; I wanted to just win!’

Look out for Carl Fogarty too: the four-times WSB champion will be stationed on the Oily Rag stand on the Saturday, while Jim Redman and Steve Plater will also be appearing over the weekend.

Then there’s more two-wheeled sporting action at the Classic Racer GP paddock, with mud-pluggers getting suitably grubby at the Classic Dirt Bike Experience. In a new feature, owners with classics in the concours displays will be invited to the main ring to show off their roadgoing P&Js to the public in two parade sessions each day. Guest commentators will be talking about the history of each machine and the work that has been done to it.

You can also expect the usual huge array of classic bike clubs, jumble stalls, trade stands and specialists, plus the giant Bonhams auction with viewing on the Saturday and the sale itself on the Sunday. The auction house will be hoping to repeat last year’s success which saw 436 lots sold to make a combined total of over £1.3 million and set a new world record for the sale of a Manx. A consignment of Barry Sheene memorabilia including his famous crash helmet and race leathers will go under the hammer, as will seven bikes donated by Blur’s lead guitarist Graham Coxon with proceeds to benefit the NSPCC.

Graham Coxon’s 1968 Triumph Trophy 650