Michael Salmon (aka Mick or Mike) died on Tuesday 5 November. He had lived with Lewy Body Dementia since January 2020 but it was only in 2024 that his health deteriorated significantly.
Michael had raced sidecars for 34 years, since 1975, initially at Club and National level, before racing in Europe from 1987, making many long term friends. There are so many happy memories from this time.
The funeral will take place on Friday 29 November at 3pm at Cam Valley Crematorium, Great Chesterford. It would be great to see anyone from the good old days but it would be appreciated if anyone planning to attend the wake could let us know, for catering purposes. The funeral will be streamed and details will be available nearer the time.
We had a load of spammers register (don’t know how they get through the anti spam measures but they’ve found a way again) and some real people got caught up in the lists.. I have just been through and activated a few – if you did register and are not active please just mail me steve@steveenglish.com and I’ll have a look for you!
The last round of the 2024 FIM Sidecar World Championship once again took place at the circuit of Estoril in Portugal.
Only seven points separated the two top teams of Schlosser/Schmidt, & local racer Harry Payne with his French passenger Kevin Rousseau. The teams have been neck and neck throughout the 2024 season and it all came down to a last round fight for the title.
Harry and Kevin with Sidecar Legend Rolf Steinhausen – photo by Mark Walters
It was to be Harry & Kevin who drew first blood by topping the practise and qualifying leaderboards. Starting from pole position, the Steinhausen racing duo of Payne/Rousseau took the honours on the 10 lap sprint race, reducing the championship deficit to just 2 points with one race to go.
With everything on the line in a winner takes all scenario, the race got underway. It was a duel all race long with the two teams swapping places multiple times. It all came down to a last lap drag race to the line with Harry & Kevin taking the victory by 0.053 seconds, and in turn won the 2024 ‘FIM Sidecar World Championship’ by just 3 points!
It’s been a long road to the top for Harry, who starting competing in motorcycle trials at the age of 10. He went on to race classic Sidecar Motocross as a passenger from the age of 18, and moved into road racing at the age of 23. Harry worked his way up the ladder winning international level events as a Sidecar passenger. He then began driving sidecars full time just 4 years ago, in the midst of Covid time. Winning the ‘Isle of Man Centre Sidecar Championship’ in 2020, the ‘FSRA British F2 Cup’ in 2021, and now the ‘FIM Sidecar World Championship’!
You can find out more on their social media: @team45racing
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