DERBY'S John Cooper will renew his acquaintance with motorcycle racing legend Giacomo Agostini at Mallory Park this weekend.
Both are scheduled to be present at the Bike Bonanza at the Leicester circuit, which was the scene of Cooper's most famous triumph against the Italian multi world champion more than 40 years ago.
It was at the Race of the Year in 1971 that the pair, Cooper mounted on a BSA Rocket 3 and Agostini on a pukka works MV Agusta, battled it out in front of a massive crowd.
They swapped places lap after lap but Cooper took the honours, crossing the line three-fifths of a second ahead of the reigning 500cc world champ.
Cooper, who subsequently had the track's Lake Esses renamed after him, and Agostini are due to take part in a parade on Sunday.
They will be joined by modern day heroes John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop along with the three times British Superbike Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.
THE Derby-based Lowes twins will both be in action this weekend – on different sides of the Atlantic.
Alex will contest the World Superbike Championship round at Laguna Seca in California while brother Sam is to race in the Moto2 world championship race at the Sachsenring in Germany.
It will be the first visit to either circuit by the 23-year-olds but both are hopeful of improved results from their previous races.
Sam Lowes was a faller from his Speed Up Yamaha at Assen, Holland, despite starting from the front row of the grid, while Alex finished in fourth and sixth places at Portimao in Portugal.
Also racing in the USA will be Smalley star Leon Haslam, currently tenth in the championship, one place ahead of Alex Lowes.
