Brands Hatch 1980: Anglo American Match Races

Fans vent their anger at Sheene’s financial demands

MCD, owners of Brands Hatch, Mallory Park, Oulton Park, and Snetterton, had reportedly failed to match the start money that Sheene commanded from Cadwell Park and Donington.

“I did my best to come to terms with MCD but when I finally managed to contact Chris Lowe in America on Friday, he just did not seem interested,” Sheene told Motor Cycle Weekly.

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However, it was all change a week later when the same newspaper announced that MCD and Sheene had come to a compromise. MCW reported that Barry Sheene’s demands for the three match race meetings had been met in full, meaning he was to be paid in the region of £20,000, although he had agreed to donate some of the money to The Joan Seeley Cancer Fund.

As it turned out Sheene didn’t have a great weekend on his new Yamahas, with a fourth place being his best finish, leaving him trailing ninth in the overall points table, while the American team romped to a comfortable victory.

The pic shows not all the fans thought that Barry offered great value for money that Easter as feelings clearly ran high at the opening Brands Hatch round. bike

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