Hull Thursday Road Club members participating in that new-fangled ‘massed start racing’ in 1939.

As a new racing season is about to commence I thought that the younger members would like to read this account of Hull Thursday members who were into the Massed Start Racing as road racing was called in those early days.

MASSED START RACING

HULL RIDERS DO WELL AT DONINGTON PARK

Hull cyclists made a successful entry into massed start racing a branch of the sport in which they had not previously taken part, when two 50 kilometre ( about 31 miles ) events were held at Donington Park, the famous motor racing circuit near Long Eaton by the Derby NCU centre yesterday.

The events were for riders who were massed start novices, and produced some keen racing.

A notable success was scored by C.Jenneson, of the Hull Thursday RC in the first event. In an exciting final sprint he beat R. Kitching, the Monckton star who was also riding in his first massed start race, by inches after Kitching had led the field for most of the way, and appeared to be most likely to score a runaway win. J. Bailey finished ninth, and the Hull Thursday was second to Walsall Road Club in the team section.

In the other event R. Bailey, brother of J. Bailey finished third to W. Kirby (Wolverhampton R.C.) snd S. Verity, Hull Thursday, was fifth.

HULL DAILY MAIL, 1 May 1939

Web Editor – This looks highly like the legendary Ron Kitching’s first foray into road racing. Ron had a distinguished riding career and went on to become a cycle trade pioneer from his base in Harrogate.

Ron Kitching, trade legend dies

Ron Nozedar