WILTSHIRE racer Tommy Bridewell will make an appearance at the Castle Combe Grand National, which takes place on September 1-2.

Etchilhampton’s Bridewell, who recently secured a seat at the Winchester-based Moto Rapido Ducati team to resume racing in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, will join a host of famous names including Freddie Spencer, Leon Haslam, Ian Hutchinson, Peter Hickman and Steve Parrish at the Wiltshire track next month.

A past winner at Combe, Bridewell is expected to take in demonstration laps on the ex-James Ellison PBM MotoGP bike which owner Phil Morris will be displaying over the weekend.

“With Castle Combe being my local track, I’ve always had a great relationship with the people here, so I was delighted to accept the invite to come along and be part of the show,'' said Bridewell.

"As well as meeting the fans, I’m hoping to get a few laps on the Aprilia MotoGP machine as I’ve never ridden one so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity, but it will be different to my BSB-spec Moto Rapido Ducati for sure.

Tickets remain for the Evening with the Legends on Saturday, September 1 which will see three-time world champion Spencer and former 500cc Grand Prix racer and British champion Parrish speak to an audience in Combe's Strawford Centre, prior to the event proper the next day.

The action on track will include a packed programme of racing organised by NG Road Racing Club and featuring a number of major championships over the weekend.

Meanwhile Bridewell, who finished an excellent fourth aboard a S Pulse Dream Racing Suzuki in the Suzuka Eight-Hours race in Japan late last month, was back in British Superbike action at the Thruxton circuit last weekend.

Despite carrying a finger injury from his Japan ride, Bridewell finished 11th in the opening race but improved to seventh in the second, his 14 points moving him to 14th overall in the championship, ahead of round eight at Cadwell Park the weekend after next.

Also, at Thruxton was Marlborough's Roger Lovelock, who had a fifth and two sixth-place finishes on his LCR BMW 1000 outfit in the British Sidecar Championship.