A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship – Croft – 20th & 21st August
Words – Tim Langham (F.S.R.A. Press Officer) / Photographs – Ste McNorton
While the opening day could not have been better for the respective Super and F2 Cup teams of Pete Founds / Jevan Walmsley (LCR Honda) and Rob Atkinson / Mark Middleton (Bellas Yamaha) both taking maximum points in their sections, Sunday was a different matter. With the former crew failing to finish, and the latter unable to make the start, both titles will now not be decided until the final round at Knockhill next month.
Opening practice on Saturday was combined with club and F.S.R.A. Pre-Injection teams, and thus the circuit was – at times – a little chaotic, with speed differentials and a variety of machinery. However, qualifying got underway a couple of hours later, with championship leaders Founds / Walmsley taking their fourth pole position start of the year, 0.350s faster than Lee Crawford / Jake Lowther (LCR Suzuki). Third fastest was John Holden / Mick Fairhurst (LCR Yamaha), who were to share the second row of the grid with the fastest of the F2 Cup runners, Atkinson / Middleton.
Fifth quickest were Conrad Harrison / Andy Winkle – back on their familiar Bellas Honda having ridden an Ireson Yamaha at the previous round at Cadwell Park. Steve & Matty Ramsden (LCR Honda) were sixth – despite having brake and clutch issues which would keep them busy throughout the afternoon in preparation for the race. The top ten was rounded out by Mike Jackson / Jake Roberts (DMR Suzuki); Brian Ilaria / Arlo Brown (DDM Suzuki); wild-cards John & James Saunders (Shelbourne Suzuki) and Gary Horspole / Kenny Cole (Baker Suzuki). Horspole / Cole were relieved to be on-circuit, having had to overcome the frustration of their machine overheating in the Friday test sessions – unfortunately these same sessions had ruled Wayne Lockey / Ben Binns (LCR Honda) out of further participation with mechanical gremlins.
It was Crawford / Lowther who took the hole-shot from the lights, leading the pack into Clervaux on lap one, with Founds / Walmsley snapping at their heels, with both outfits looking similarly matched for pace on the run down to Tower. Holden / Fairhurst settled into third, while Atkinson / Middleton; Harrison / Winkle and the Ramsdens were all fighting for fourth.
The leaders exchanged fastest laps, however by the start of lap three it was evident that Founds / Walmsley were on a slightly hotter pace, and they took control at the front, edging a modest gap from Crawford / Lowther. Meanwhile, Holden / Fairhurst were still circulating third, several seconds behind the leaders, but comfortably ahead of the Ramsdens who had begun to ease away from Atkinson / Middleton and Harrison / Winkle who were disputing fifth. Jackson / Roberts were perhaps having the loneliest ride in seventh, while the Saunders headed a close battle in the midfield, featuring the F2 Cup teams of Ilaria / Brown and Chris Schofield / Shane Colbrook (Baker Honda).
With the margin at the front being only around 1.5s, Founds / Walmsley could not rest on their laurels at half distance, as Crawford / Lowther began to up the ante. However, there was drama and disappointment for third placed Holden / Fairhurst as they were forced into retirement at Jim Clark Esses promoting the Ramsdens to third.
Crawford / Lowther were right in the wheeltracks of Founds / Walmsley as they started lap eight, and were clearly looking for a run onto the back straight to make a move at Tower. However, this was not to be, as a little too much exuberance from the Team A.R.C. outfit saw them off the circuit at The Chicane, kicking up a cloud of dust and losing a chunk of time, allowing Founds / Walmsley to take victory by almost twelve seconds. The Ramsdens completed the Super F2 podium a further eighteen seconds down.
Atkinson / Middleton held on by less than a second to take fourth, and continue their dominance of the F2 Cup, with Harrison / Winkle fifth. Jackson / Roberts were sixth, with the Saunders taking seventh. Just 0.5s separated Ilaria / Brown and Schofield / Colbrook who took points for second and third respectively in The F2 Cup. Horspole / Cole were tenth, with wild-cards Daryl Gibson / Ashley Moore (CES Suzuki) eleventh; they had endured a difficult morning – missing qualifying altogether – with an engine change to perform and a myriad of other repairs to make after their chain jumped off and caused damage to a number of components on their outfit.
Despite torrential rain on Saturday evening, Sunday dawned bright and sunny with most teams electing to take part in the warm-up. There was huge disappointment as Atkinson / Middleton – who only needed a points finish to take the Cup title – suffered an engine failure, and despite their best efforts to fit a spare motor, time was ultimately against them and they failed to make the start as race two got underway.
With the usual top six finishers from race one lining up in reverse formation, it was Harrison / Winkle who led the way until Crawford / Lowther slingshotted through The Chicane to carry more exit speed and take control going into Tower. The Ramsdens were running third, but were relegated to fourth at The Complex as Founds / Walmsley were looking to get on terms with the leaders – indeed moving into second on lap two, giving chase to Crawford / Lowther.
Gibson / Moore were having a more enjoyable run and were up inside the top six, as were Holden / Fairhurst who had been disadvantaged with starting at the back of the field following their previous non-finish. Heading the Cup charge were Ilaria / Brown, who began to ease away from the Saunders, who were having a close battle on the road with Horspole / Cole.
There was yet more drama at The Chicane at the start of lap four, as the championship leaders were forced into retirement giving chase to Crawford / Lowther. Founds / Walmsley hit the kerb at a rate of knots, forcing their chain off. As Team A.R.C. took heed of their pit-board, they rode a sensible and well-considered race, maintaining a gap to the second-placed Ramsdens of 5.5 – 6s throughout.
Meanwhile, Holden / Fairhurst had progressed to a safe third place, but were unable to make in-roads into the Ramsdens – who set their fastest ever time at Croft on lap eight. Harrison / Winkle were retirements on the final circulation, leaving Gibson / Moore a clear fourth from Jackson / Roberts. In sixth, taking their maiden win in the Cup were Ilaria / Brown, with the Saunders seventh, who just held off the attentions of Horspole / Cole who were eighth. There was a “photo finish” for ninth as the outfits of Tony Baker / Leon Fitzpatrick (Baker Suzuki) and Charlie Morphet / William Reilly (LCR Honda) were involved in a drag race from The Hairpin, with the former crew 0.1s ahead – although Morphet / Reilly took points for second in the Cup, with third going to eleventh placed David Schofield / Josh Smith (Windle Honda).
Thanks as ever go to the A.C.U., along with series sponsors A.R.C. (Binchester / Newton Aycliffe); A.V. Craine & Son; Hegarty Plant Ltd; Leeds Parcel Company; Lockside Engineering; Pagid Racing (Breitenbach Rennsport); Rowtec Engineering Maintenance; and Whitby Cottages.
With the season coming to a close, the final round will be held at Fife’s Knockhill Circuit on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September. In the meantime, please keep up to date with F.S.R.A. news, including race reports and up to date championship points on the website – www.fsra.org.uk
