Author: Tim Langham

A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship To Resume At Mallory Park

Words – Tim Langham (F.S.R.A. Press Officer) / Photographs – Dirk Wharton

While 2021 has seen the restoration of some semblance of normality following the events of last year, “Covid” still continues to cast its unwelcome presence, causing uncertainty and disruption in all elements of life. This event at Mallory Park was initially set to be the fifth round of the A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship, but as things stand, this is now just the third meeting of this year’s series, with a postponement of the Knockhill round until September, and the cancellation of Anglesey last month.

Continue reading

Unbeaten Start To 2021 For Crawford & Hardie

Photo – Dirk Wharton

Words – Tim Langham

Photographs – Dirk Wharton & Jenny Wells

Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie of Team A.R.C. have had an absolutely faultless start to their 2021 racing campaign, topping the timesheets in all qualifying sessions, and being first to pass the chequered flag in dominant fashion in their nine races to date. They hold an impressive 28 point advantage at the top of the A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship following the second round at Donington Park.

Continue reading

Record Breaking Weekend At Donington Park

The 2021 A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship (Incorporating The F2 Cup)

Round Two – Donington Park – N.G.R.R.C.Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th May

Words – Tim Langham / Photographs – Dirk Wharton

There were spectacular double wins in both the Super F2 and F2 Cup classes at the second round of the A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship. Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie (LCR Suzuki) continued their dominant form, taking pole, two wins and the Super F2 lap record, and were presented with the prestigious “Bill Boddice Trophy” for their performance in race one. Meanwhile, Harry Payne / Emmanunnelle Clement (GPF2 Yamaha) were runaway winners in the F2 Cup, taking the class lap record – which had stood for exactly a decade!

Continue reading

The 2021 A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship Incorporating The F2 Cup Round Two – Donington Park – N.G.R.R.C.

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th May

Words – Tim Langham (F.S.R.A. Press Officer)
Photographs – Jenny Wells

The opening round of the A.C.U. / F.S.RA. British F2 Sidecar Championship was held at Brands Hatch over the weekend of the 17th and 18th April. The unseasonably warm weather was matched by the red hot pace at the front of the field, where Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie (LCR Suzuki) took pole, a double win and equalled the long standing lap record.

The Super F2 podium was completed on both occasions by runners-up Sean Hegarty / James Neave (Baker Honda) and Steve and Matty Ramsden (LCR Honda). Quite a talking point was the brace of fourth places taken by former champions Gary Horspole / Kenny Cole (Shelbourne Honda), proving older carburetted outfits are still more than capable in the right hands. These teams have firmly established themselves at the top of the table, and have a very solid foundation on which to base their championship aspirations going forward.

Continue reading

The 2021 F.S.R.A. Pre-Injection Sidecar Championship – Round 1 – Oulton Park – Saturday 24th April

Words – Dave Tibbles
Photographs – Steve McNorton

A successful first round of the 2021 F.S.R.A. / Wintec Racing Pre-Injection Sidecar Championship took place last weekend at Oulton Park, with fifteen teams taking part on a combined grid of thirty sidecars with many top F600 teams in attendance testing.

Continue reading

Team A.R.C. Set A Brands Benchmark For 2021

The 2021 A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship (Incorporating The F2 Cup)

Round One – Brands Hatch Indy – N.G.R.R.C.Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th April

FSRA

Words – Tim Langham / Photographs – Jenny Wells

Brands Hatch was blessed with blue skies and warm sunshine for the duration of N.G.R.R.C.’s three day opening event of the 2021 season, hosting the first round of this year’s A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship.

The majority of teams took advantage of two optional test sessions on Friday afternoon, and whilst untimed, it was evident that Team A.R.C.’s Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie (LCR Suzuki) were on front running pace, this crew having taken the longer Brands Hatch G.P. lap record last October. However, most impressively, series debutant Harry Payne – with the experienced Mark Wilkes alongside him (GP Yamaha) were matching the fastest times.

Continue reading

The 2021 F.S.R.A. / Wintec Racing P.I. Championship

Round 1 – Oulton Park – Saturday 24th April

  • Dave Tibbles (Words)
  • Dirk Wharton (Photographs)

The first round of this year’s F.S.R.A. / Wintec Racing Pre-Injection Sidecar Championship blasts off this coming Saturday at Cheshire’s 2.6-mile Oulton Park circuit. Unfortunately, due to Covid regulations, there is no spectator access – just teams and pit crew are being admitted.

Continue reading

The 2021 A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship Incorporating The F2 Cup

Preview Round One – Brands Hatch Indy – N.G.R.R.C. Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th April

This is the first visit to Brands Hatch by the F.S.R.A. for seven years, last playing host to the season opening meeting in 2014. On that occasion the Super F2 wins were shared by Conrad Harrison / Lee Patterson, and the late, great Ian Bell and his son, Carl. The F2 Cup spoils were taken respectively by Dean Lindley / Rob Bell, and Alan Founds / Tom Peters. The latter crew went on to dominate the Cup in spectacular fashion, finishing every one of their eight races, scoring four wins and four runners-up placings. In 2015, the same combination went on to win the overall Super F2 category, before moving to the F1 series. However, it gives the F.S.R.A. great pleasure to welcome Alan back for the 2021 season, with his regular passenger Jake Lowther (LCR Yamaha).

Continue reading

Passenger needed for ACU/FSRA British F2, Oliver’s Mount, and S100 (if it goes ahead of course)

John Lowther is looking for an experienced passenger to compete with him at this years A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Championship events, the four Oliver’s Mount meetings, and – should it go ahead – the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man. (All obviously depending on the situation regarding the current pandemic – as things stand at the present time, the first British F2 event is scheduled for the weekend of 16-18 April at Brands Hatch).

Continue reading

Record Breaking Form From Team A.R.C. In 2020

Photo – Stuart Watson

It goes without saying that the 2020 motorcycle racing season was hugely disrupted by the ongoing “Covid-19” pandemic, with the postponement and cancellation of events from grass roots to International level. While there was huge disappointment for Team A.R.C.’s Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie with the A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship, the Isle of Man T.T. and Southern 100 Races all falling victim to the global crisis, Team A.R.C. still had much to celebrate once a shortened campaign got underway in August.

Continue reading

Team A.R.C. Retain The Ian Bell Memorial Trophy In An Immaculate Showing At Scarborough

Harrison & Winkle Get The Holeshot From Crawford & Hardie

Words – Tim Langham / Photographs – Dirk Wharton

Exactly a year had passed since the last “real road race” for sidecars in the U.K., and it was the Oliver’s Mount International Gold Cup meeting, hosted by 243 Racing which had the honour of being the only such meeting to run in 2020.

A full grid of sidecars had entered, and some excitement prior to the event had been generated with the news that multi world champions and TT winners Ben and Tom Birchall had entered, and were to make their racing debut around the 2.43 mile North Yorkshire parkland circuit aboard their LCR Honda. However, they were to face stiff competition from regulars Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie (LCR Suzuki); Conrad Harrison / Andy Winkle (Bellas Honda) and Steve and Matty Ramsden (LCR Honda).

Continue reading

Croft To Host Annual “Battle Of Britain” Races

Words – Tim Langham (FSRA Press Officer)
Photographs – Dirk Wharton

North Yorkshire’s Croft Circuit once again plays host to the annual “Battle Of Britain” race meeting – a unique weekend catering for two, three and four wheeled racing machines. The sidecar events have attracted a grid of over twenty teams, ranging from classic to F600, promising some entertaining racing right through the field.

Continue reading

Marin Motorsports & Leeds Parcel Company Join Forces With Team A.R.C. For 2020 Campaign

Marin Motorsports & Leeds Parcel Company Join Forces With Team A.R.C. For 2020 Campaign

Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie are aiming to build on their impressive foundations on the short circuits and at the “real road” courses over the last few years in the coming season. The highlight of 2020 looks set to be the Isle of Man TT Races, where Lee will make his debut as a driver, although Scott has already put two successful visits under his belt, with a best finishing position to date of ninth place in Race B in 2019.

Continue reading