You may remember that I reviewed this event when it was held 2 years ago (For those who missed it, see Issue 30), and how impressed I was with the organisation and it’s conception.

I was disappointed when it was reported that there would be no occasion in 2004, as the ACU had failed to find sponsors to fund it, and the local council were not forthcoming with any assistance from their budget.

The ACU trying again in the latter half of 2004 to persuade Rugby Council to allot some funding toward another event, and were eventually rewarded with a grant of £20,000 towards the cost providing all the proceeds were donated to Mencap.

In March this year, the ACU announced their intention of staging another Sheenerun tied in to the National Rally, which they promised would be bigger and better than the previous event.

Although initially covered by the local press in March, there was little information in the following months until the middle of May, when the date was confirmed and yours truly once again booked a day off work to cover the antics. In June, idly surfing the Internet, I searched for the original Sheenerun site once again to find that it was now updated to Sheenerun 2005 covering ticket sales, memorabilia and images from the previous event, complete with forum for questions (and the answers) and calls for participants in the cavalcades, runs, etc. Viewing all the pages, I clicked on the archives for the 2003 event, and imagine my surprise when in Archive One, the Crypt article made an appearance! It took a while for me to recognise it, too; I was halfway down before I spotted a photo of myself, although I had been thinking the article was familiar.

Having read through the site over two days, I had realised that I had left it too late to order advance tickets, so I contacted the ACU via their website to try to arrange something. Imagine my surprise when I was offered 2 tickets free of charge and the opportunity of a press pass to all areas with the opportunity of interviewing anyone I pleased on the day! What a scoop. Needless to say, Baz and I needed no further encouragement along those lines.

For a complete review of the whole day, read the Sheene Run section of the Crypt, along with supporting articles regarding the ACU organisation, the Life of Barry Sheene, Stunt Riders, The Featured Bikes (the Real Stars), and Sound Stage.

I hope I have whetted your appetite for the next Sheenerun, hopefully held next year and, fortunes permitting, attended by Stephanie Sheene, Barry’s widow. We will be there, doing what comes naturally – having a good time, and bringing it to you.

© RIYAN Productions

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