At the Thruxton 500

The Thruxton 500 was a motorcycle endurance race for production based road machines, covering 500 miles and ridden by a team of two riders per machine.

Courtesy of the REOC of Greece comes this picture from Motor Cycling June 26, 1958.

The caption reads: "Working Against Time: Quick but purposeful and unflurried, the mechanics' hands are getting on with the job; faces intent, the riders watch. In the track, the roar of rivals' exhausts reminds them that every passing second is a second lost...All the drama of the pit stop is captured in the picture of Bob McIntyre (learning over the machine) and co-pilot Derek Powell standing by while the tank is changed on the Royal Enfield "Super Meteor" while they took into place in the Thruxton 500 Miles Race last Saturday."

The Royal Enfield team was beset by a leaking tank and a misfire, but nevertheless placed second behind Mike Hailwood, and having several fastest laps during the event. Attempts by Royal Enfield in the next two years ended in a spill and a broken connecting rod. Source: Anne Bradford "From the bicycle to the Bullet".