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Norton & Racing- That belongs together!

That is why Norton Motors has its own Norton Motors Works RaceTeam. Rarely sucessful, but always providing maximum fun- mainly due to our motto "Kids ride European Race Courses". As, unfortunately, nobody would trust us with their kids for this stupid enterprise, we had to abuse our own! At the tender age of ten they were introduced to the earthshattering power of the mighty 500cc Norton. 


  Tim Seifert, aged 10, Hungaroring 1996

As of 2004 all kids are enrolled in the programme- Katrin, Tim and Christine Seifert. As last one, and comparatively late, Christine came with us to Most(Czech Republic) in  2004. She planned on just accompagnying us, but on midday the first day she was seen out on the race track. Again on the proven 16H, on which she achieved fastest lap time amongst the Seifert kids, until her brother Tim at last managed to lap faster in the race, in a heroic fight with a 750 Harley. 

Big sister Katrin, 16H lap time record holder of the previous year, kept out of the duel in 2004 and meanwhile had fun on the "Family Commando" 750. This motorcycle is often (ab)used by all 4 Seiferts, who take turns on it in one race meeting, thereby probably covering more miles per season at racing speeds, than the average Commando does at touring speeds on the road these days!

Currently still second fastest team member, though markedly under pressure from his offspring, is teamboss Joe Seifert (#163). Unfortunately the secret of his lap times was recently uncovered by A.Nonymus: Joe leans onto other riders in the bends and can, therefore, not fall over! He now fears his kids will copy his devious trick in future meetings and beat him at last.

Undisputedly the fastest team member is Franzi "Fastback" Edlfurtner, the fastest master baker of southern Bavaria. He solely rides Nortons because other marques make him want to throw up........(says the text on his petrol tank). We would have loved to show an action shot of Franzi aboard his Racing Commando, but, unfortunately, he is faster than light, and all you get in an attempt to take a photo of him is an empty track!

But what is a works race team without its  Chief Mechanic- a dispirited group of people standing around immobile objects! Since its earliest and humblest beginnings Rudi "Woody" Kolano looks after the horsepower between two wheels- at least as far as the power train is concerned. Being a first-class mechanic he is never content with his rider's performance- and when he sees the danger of a race win looming, he prefers to leave the race course- he had nothing to critizise!

The only reason why he can be seen smiling, stopwatch in hand, is because he thinks none of his riders can see him! Rudi has made everything he worked on fly- Norton Wankel TT, Norton Manx Longstroke, Norton ES2, Norton Commando, Norton Manx Shortstroke- whoever is prepared to listen to his scathing comments* ("How about W.O.T. for a change") can hope for a bit more power at the next meeting. And we hear there were moments when he was content with one of his riders- but he flatly denies this.

*and pay his exorbitant invoices.............

 

© Copyright Norton Motors GmbH 2005-2007