Having
resigned from the Norton factory in September Brian Crighton
continued to do some freelance work for the factory
finishing projects he had already started for them.
But
quietly at the same time was already working on his next
rotary engined race bike. In March 1991 there were two
surprises, firstly Brian Crighton unveiled his Roton (ROtary
/ crighTON) race bike based on the Norton F1 engine.
Brian had started from scratch with a blank sheet of paper
and designed this awesome race bike.
The
Roton was designed to eventually compete in the 500cc Grand
Prix with the rules now allowing 500cc 4 strokes the rotary
engine was eligible to enter when reduced down to the 500cc
limit. But first the bike was to be tested in the F1
class to develop it ready for the blue ribbon class.
The
second surprise was that Steve Spray who was sacked from
Norton at the end of the 1990 season was signed up to race
Crighton's new race bike.
Backed
by Chris Oldfield an Australian racer and businessman, the
plan was to build the rotary engined Roton in Australia and
race it in Japan and sell a limited number to other teams
with technical back up.
With
Spray signed to race the bike though the 1991 season the
decision was made to stay in the UK to start with and then
go to Australia at the end of the year to a new factory to
build the Roton's.
The
season started well with Spray taking a world championship
point in the 500cc Australian Grand Prix and Grant Hodson
winning in the F1 race in New South Wales.
Back
in the UK the development continued but the financial
backing was elusive, in 1992 Crighton teamed up with race
consultant Colin Seeley and from that point on the new
rotary race bike took off in a big way.
Sponsorship
from Duckhams was secured and Mark Farmer was signed as the
solo rider to race the bike in the 1992 season. The
team name was changed and became Crighton Norton.
And
as the season started to unfold everyone involved in the UK
racing scene was soon very aware of the name Crighton
Norton.
