The Southend Donut grasstrack meeting, at Latchingdon in Essex, this year held on August 12, is an annual event organised by the Southend club. The event title refers to the relatively short course, as well as the packet of donuts (or doughnuts) that are a bonus for all those who appear on the podium at the end of the meeting. The meeting also hosted a round of the VMCC Grass Track championship as part of a 55-race programme. This included some specialist races, one for JAP-engined bikes (won by Chris Mackett) and another for Hagon-framed machines, with Godden powered Ben Leeds taking victory.
Chris Mackett obviously has an appetite for the doughy confection – he contested a punishing nine races during the afternoon, winning eight and finishing second in the other, sometimes only having minutes to prepare for his next outing. Brian Cornelius (JAP) had an easier time as he posted a win in each of the four legs of combined 250/350xx classic races. With the Donut, the Southend club managed to re-create the atmosphere of a traditional club event, which, sadly, is becoming all too rare now.