Two of the longest serving presenters of popular BBC motoring show Top Gear have been confirmed as panel guests for the IAM/IAM RoadSmart 60th anniversary car party on 9 July. And they will be joined by one of the organisation’s youngest representatives on the panel, who is just 18.

Chris Goffey, who co-presented from 1981-2000 and Sue Baker, who co-presented from 1980-91, will be at IAM RoadSmart’s birthday event at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon.

They will be joined on the panel by Paddy Hopkirk, legendary rally and race driver; and winner of the 1964 Monte Carlo and 1967 Acropolis Rallies. The trio will talk about their long and successful careers, share their views on current motoring and motorsport topics and take questions from the audience.

In addition, the viewpoint of the young driver will be given by our fourth panellist - 18-year-old advanced driver and IAM RoadSmart Young Driver Ambassador Eloise Peabody-Rolf.

The event will be a celebration of all things motoring, while looking at the many highlights of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and now IAM RoadSmart’s 60 years. In that time, the charity has remained dedicated to promoting safer driving initiatives and making better drivers and riders through advanced driving and riding techniques.

Established in 1956, the Institute of Advanced Motorists came onto the motoring landscape at a time when there were more than 5,000 deaths a year on UK roads. By 1994, 250,000 people had taken and passed their advanced test. Today the numbers of people killed on UK roads stands at slightly over 1,700.

To date more than 400,000 people have passed the advanced test for drivers and riders, which is delivered by over 200 local groups around the country. Those groups are ably manned by a network of more than 5,000 volunteers.

Chris said: “I am delighted to be a part of IAM RoadSmart’s 60th anniversary. I also look forward to meeting so many real enthusiasts who know so much about the UK motoring scene over the years. I’m sure myself and Sue sharing our tales of our Top Gear years will be a lot of fun.”

Added Sue, who takes her advanced test every decade to ensure her skills are up-to-date, said: “I really enjoyed my time on Top Gear, and alongside Chris and Paddy it should be a lively discussion with a lot of laughs. I am looking forward to celebrating IAM RoadSmart’s 60 years on the day.”

Eloise said: “I am happy to be a part of IAM RoadSmart’s birthday party. It’ll be great to bring a different perspective to the panel, and shows that the organisation welcomes the opinions of young people.”

For more information about the event and to book tickets online (at £10 a person), click here

Or you can book over the phone on 0300 303 1134.

IAM RoadSmart has a similar party a week earlier for biking enthusiasts. Taking place at the National Motor Museum on 2 July 2, more information can be obtained here.

A third-place finish was the result of today’s eighth-round World Supersport race for Patrick ‘PJ’ Jacobsen, who put together a fighting performance in front of the Italian crowd at the Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’. The race was won by Kenan Sofuoglu ahead of pole-sitter Federico Caricasulo (Bardahl Evan Bros. Honda Racing).

The young American rider had a good launch from third place on the grid and maintained his position into turn one. The following lap, Jacobsen made a successful move on Sofuoglu at the super-fast Turn 11, while on lap seven he overtook Caricasulo to move into the lead.

Jacobsen held in front until the penultimate lap, when he began experiencing a loss of grip that hindered his pace and then he was unable to defend his position. He was eventually overtaken by race winner Sofuoglu on the penultimate lap and then by Caricasulo before the chequered flag to round out the podium of today’s race, the last before the long summer break for World Supersport.

PJ will return to the track before mid September, though, as he will take part in this year’s edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours race, which takes place at the end of July.

Ride to Work Week (20^th to 26^th June) highlights the benefits of commuting via motorcycle and scooter, which is being actively encouraged by Northamptonshire County Council.

The Ride to Work team has produced a video showing why this decision makes sense:                                                                                                                                                  

John Spencer, Team Leader of Road Safety and Travel Choices, Northamptonshire Highways says: 

“As part of our modal shift strategy Northamptonshire County Council intends to embrace motorcycles and scooters as a sustainable transport mode within the future countywide transport programme. Greater use of motorcycles can bring environmental, congestion and accessibility benefits, particularly on journeys made for commuting to places of employment or education. The road safety team in Northamptonshire is committed to improving safety for all road users but is also looking at encouraging different ways to travel. In 2015 we carried out a motorcycle survey to reaffirm why people were using motorbikes, but also why they were not!  We collaborate with various partners like the Motorcycle Industry Association, Get on Team and the Ride to Work team, to encourage people to take up motorcycling as a safe, sustainable and better way of getting around.” 

Background to Northamptonshire project

• Motorcycle Northants was recently launched by Northamptonshire County Council, making it the first local authority in the UK to actively encourage a modal shift towards motorcycles, which is currently just 0.4% of all commuter traffic in the county.  This is part of a wider plan to encourage sustainable transport options, which also include cycling, walking and using public transport.

• Motorcycle Northants will encourage the county’s leisure riders to use their bikes to commute, especially where distance by pedal bike is impractical, aiming for an initial modal shift of 3%.  Each day in Northamptonshire, an estimated 43% of commuter journeys are made by just one person in a car or van, so there is great capacity for some of these to be made on a powered two wheeler.  

• Northamptonshire recognises that journey times on motorcycles are shorter due to the ability to filter and reduced pressure on parking. This helps all road users, which is backed up by a European study showing when just 10% of car drivers swapped to a motorcycle, scooter or moped, then congestion for all road users is reduced by 40%.[1]

• As a county which relies heavily on the distribution/logistics industry, it is important that the roads do not become congested.  For the first phase of the project, Motorcycle Northants has put a framework in place to make sure existing and new riders have access to high quality training providers.

• A second phase of the project will include looking at increasing motorcycle friendly infrastructure on roads and working with employers to encourage the availability of workplace changing facilities and motorcycle parking.

• Around two-thirds of motorcyclists do not have commuter cover on their policy, so major motorcycle insurers Ageas, ERS and Carole Nash are making commuter insurance cover available free to existing customers during Ride to Work Week. [2]

About Ride to Work Week

National Ride to Work Week spotlights the many benefits of commuting on a motorcycle, scooter or moped and will be particularly active in Northamptonshire this year.  The county’s residents will get the chance to try a motorcycle for free with Get On – the motorcycle industry’s free ‘try out’ programme - during Ride to Work Week.

• These are available after work each evening at the Obelisk Centre, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, NN2 8UE.  Monday 20^th to Friday 24^th June between 6pm and 9pm each evening.

• Also available on Saturday 25^th June at the Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northampton, NN12 8TN between 9.15 am and 4.30 pm.

• Get On sessions are with professional instructors and last for half an hour. All protective clothing is provided.  Get On provides a safe and structured introduction to motorcycling.  There are also opportunities to try motorcycling in several parts of the UK during the Summer and Autumn. 
  
  Booking via the website www.geton.co.uk or by calling 02476 408040.

For the ultimate on top of the world feeling there's not much that beats motorcycle touring in the Himalayas - the exhilaration of riding at altitude, being at one with this awe inspiring landscape and the sights and sounds of a spiritual land.  

Come free your spirit with one of our guided tours to: India Himalayan High Road Adventure, Bhutan Thunder Dragon Adventure or Tibet Roof of the World Adventure.

With H-C Travel you are in safe hands. We've been organising tours to the Himalayas since 1996. We can also book your flights, organise specialist travel insurance and your holiday finance is protected by our ATOL bond and TTA membership.

Just call Carol Hooker - Himalaya specialist on 01256 770775 for more information. 

www.hctravel.com

Michael van der Mark has returned to podium ways by taking third place at the end of the 21-lap opening race of the weekend at Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’ in Italy, where the eighth round of the 2016 FIM Superbike World Championship is currently underway. His Honda WorldSBK Team mate Nicky Hayden crashed out of third place in the early stages of the race.

In what was an ultra-close Superpole 2, Nicky Hayden claimed sixth place on the grid despite being only 0.084secs away from third place. Michael van der Mark impoved on his FP2 lap time by half a second to take the tenth slot on the grid.

Both Hayden and van der Mark enjoyed a great start to the race and were running fourth and fifth on the opening lap. They were promoted to third and fourth when Giugliano crashed out but shortly afterwards, it was Hayden who low-sided at the last turn before the completion of lap two. Once in third place, van der Mark rode a superb race and maintained a competitive pace up to the chequered flag, claiming his fifth podium of the season despite a strong comeback by fourth-placed Chaz Davies.

Race two will be contested tomorrow from 13:00 local time (GMT +2) and will be preceded by the traditional 15-minute morning warm-up at 9:25.