With the start numbers for all the solo classes already revealed for the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races, today the top 10 drivers and passengers for the two 3wheeling.media Sidecar Races have been announced.
It’s as-you-were at number 1, with Ben and Tom Birchall once again leading the charge on their Steadplan/Hager LCR Honda. With twelve wins already to their name, including victory in the last nine races to take place, they’re red-hot favourites to increase that tally in June.
I haven’t had a chance to read all the way through yet (hardly read it at all to be honest), but there are a couple of points that have been brought up in conversation with Mark and Tim that you may want to look at before heading off to the Island.
6.2. All main mounting pins/plates such as forward of the steering head must be secured to the bodywork with a steel plate no smaller that 100mm square. This must be both riveted and bonded (e.g. fibreglass/resin) to the bodywork in order to render it a permanent and secure fixing point. For verification purposes all Rivet Heads must be intact and visible on the outside of the bodywork.
6.3. There must be no fewer than four main mounting pins/pegs secured with “R” clips dispersed appropriately around the main bodywork. All bodywork fixing pins/pegs must always be secured with “R” clips or similar.
It is with a great sadness that I have been asked to let everyone know that Jenny Wells has passed away this morning after a very short battle with cancer.
I am in a state of shock here. The last I heard from Jen was not that long ago when she was saying she wouldn’t be doing any more photography due to illness and then just days ago that she was too weak for treatment.
Jen my friend, you will be missed at race meetings. Not only for the photos you loved taking and that were appreciated so much by so many, but for the proper laughs we had at circuits everywhere, if ever there was a chance to laugh at anything I got wrong you were always there.
Details of further arrangements will be posted when they are ready. I will see you all at The Revival
I’ll have one or maybe even two for you there Jen, and I won’t be alone in doing so. xx
Ben and Tom Birchall won a shortened 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT race on Friday afternoon, the race being stopped due to an incident at Ago’s Leap when the majority of competitors were on their second lap.
It is with deep sense of sorrow that the Isle of Man TT Races can announce the loss of Roger and Bradley Stockton following an incident on the final lap of the second Sidecar Race of the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races.
Roger and Bradley were father and son, and driver and passenger respectively.
We extend our deepest sympathy to their families, loved ones and friends.
Aged 56, today marked Roger’s 20th race start in his 11th TT appearance. Bradley, aged 21, was competing in his second race at his first TT. Racing together, they recorded an impressive 8th-place finish in the first Sidecar Race of TT 2022, with a best lap at an average speed of 106.00mph.
Whilst it was Bradley’s first TT as a competitor, it was by no means his first experience of the TT, having grown up in the paddock and made his first visit as a one-year old. Aged 16, he decided that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and asked if he could race alongside him as his passenger. Once he had returned to the Isle of Man to begin studying the course, he said ‘he couldn’t wait to race in the TT‘.
Roger’s first TT was in 2000. He competed regularly until 2008 and returned in 2010, 2017, and for this year’s event. Speaking earlier in the year, he said: ‘I’ve retired a few times before, but always come back for my love of the sport. Going around the course with my own flesh and blood will be incredible.’
The loss of two members of our paddock and two people from the same family is truly heart-breaking, but the bond between a father and son who achieved their dream to compete together at the TT provides us with a glimmer of light at such a dark time.
Ben and Tom Birchall lived up to expectations on Monday afternoon and led the opening 3wheeling.media Sidecar TT race from start to finish, the Haith Honda duo lapping at 119.22mph, just a fraction outside their own lap record, to win their 11th TT and eighth in a row.
The Isle of Man TT Races regrets to confirm that Olivier Lavorel, 35, from Sillingy, France was killed in an incident during the first Sidecar Race of the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races. The accident occurred at Ago’s Leap, just under 1 mile into the Course, on the opening lap of the race.
Olivier was competing in his first TT as a passenger to César Chanel. César was taken to Noble’s Hospital by road and airlifted to Aintree Hospital in a critical condition.
Olivier and César were both newcomers at the Isle of Man TT Races and had been elevated from start number 39 to start number 21 after qualifying as the 15th fastest pairing, having posted an impressive lap speed of 108.420mph.
An experienced pairing, Olivier and César had taken numerous victories and podiums in the French F1 and F2 National Sidecar Championships.
The isle of Man TT Races pass on their deepest sympathy to Olivier’s family, friends and loved ones, and our thoughts and best wishes are with César at this time.
For the full press release including solos.. click read more.
Due to a change in schedule, the Sidecars had got the evening underway at 6.30pm and it was the Birchalls who were again first away followed by John Holden/Dan Sayle, Tim Reeves/Kevin Rousseau, Dave Molyneux/Daryl Gibson and the Manx Crowe brothers.
Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde made an early stop just after Union Mills before proceeding but all the sector times had the Birchalls as comfortably the quickest and that proved to be the case as they completed the opening lap at 117.516mph. The quickest lap of the week so far, that was some 19.5s quicker than the Crowes whose lap of 115.564mph was another personal best.
Newcomer driver Harry Payne, with Mark Wilkes, went third quickest (112.398mph) with Lee Blackstock/Patrick Rosney (112.354mph) and Reeves/Rousseau (112.34mph). 17-time winner Molyneux was sixth (110.827mph) just ahead of Paul Leglise/Melanie Farnier (110.236mph) but both Holden/Sayle and Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie had stopped out on track.
The Birchalls pulled in to make some set up changes but the Crowes went straight through for a second lap only to retire at Sulby Crossroads. That meant it was Reeves/Rousseau who were first to complete their second lap, at 113.708mph which was six seconds up on Blackstock/Rosney who improved to 113.137mph.
Payne/Wilkes upped their pace to 112.798mph whilst Steve and Matty Ramsden moved into sixth on the leaderboard with a best ever lap of the TT Course of 111.903mph, and although the Birchalls posted another 117mph+ lap, their first lap remained the quicker of the two.
Monday Night Sidecar Session Cancelled due to red flag in previous session. Sam West injured but OK.
From @ttracesofficial
“Sam West was involved an incident near Laurel Bank, reported as conscious with hand and leg injuries. The fire service were required to extinguish his machine and he has been airlifted to Noble’s Hospital.”
“We are still managing the incident and by the time we’ve got the solo riders back, it will be too late. Unfortunately tonight’s Sidecar session will now be cancelled.”
