CRMC Sidecar Review 2009

[sidecar bloke]

CRMC SIDECAR REVIEW 2009

Well that’s it - the season must be over having just arrived back home from the Sidecar Burn-up at Lydden, but what a season it’s been for the Gristwood & Toms CRMC sidecar brigade.
It all started at Pembrey when in P3 Eddy Wright showed definite signs of his intention to take the championship; gone was Stig in was his step-daughter Vicky – a classic virgin experienced in F2 but not a true classic outfit. Also gone was the 998cc and in was the 1200cc Imp – things were looking serious. Brian Gray had the BGR Honda almost sorted, now running at 830cc – just a few ignition problems to sort. It was Matt Kingsmill’s birthday and he was running strong with Andrew Johnson in the chair, taking 3 second places. Damien and Nancy were back with us, continuing as they had left off with three wins over the weekend. We were struggling with the pace and Dave and Keith were struggling with noise. Nick Robinson was out with Shelli Cooper on the ex-Ray Reeves Imp. In P2 Andy Rayner and Loraine Bown were out on the ex-David Johnson Windrick Triumph out to challenge Reg and Kerry on the BSA. Sadly Ben Gray’s BSA was playing hard to get. Team Gristwood was struggling as well but due to the competitive nature of members their performance improved with leaps and bounds as the year progressed. The downside of the weekend was Clive Faulkner and Trevor Thomas, whose mechanical failure put the brakes on Clive’s championship year and would end Trevor’s season almost before it started. Sadly Trevor’s leg is still not mending properly so we wish him well for 2010.

Darley Moor was the next venue – various people expressed their opinion of the circuit. Had the weather not been quite so naff it would have been a great weekend. Nick Houghton and Paul Thomas joined us after several years absence. Steve and Jason Riley were with us right up until the point their chair wheel fell off! Christine and Dennis Etheridge were also out to play, joined in the P1 class by David Crawford. Brian and Alan took two wins in the championship chase, sadly Eddy and Vicky had two DNF’s – one for over-heating and once for throttle cable problems – not for the first time. Is that where their championship went wrong – who knows – but it didn’t help. Reg and Kerry were still taking charge in P2 as Bill Hodgkins suffered with physical injuries sustained in Belgium.

Donington Park – another fantastic full grid. Vince and Phil Biggs joined us, setting, along with Nick Houghton, a fantastic pace. Definitely too hot for me but I do have some great memories of Damien, Matt, Eddy and us going into Goddards – some fantastic late brake-ing. OK – my round the outside of two outfits on the penultimate lap was optimistic – if it had worked we would have gained two places, as it was we lost two, but nothing ventured nothing gained! Brian lost Alan on the last race which was careless and expensive points wise. P2 Bill Hodgkins reigned supreme ahead of Brian Toombs and Trevor Johnson – no relation. P1 Eddy Toombs had also made the trip from Peel with Tim Dixon, BMW powered. The mighty Cavey/Holmes Triumph was back to do battle with the Etheridge/Etheridge Norton – a superb weekend’s racing.

Brands Hatch round 4 of the CRMC Championship – Round 1 of the European Sidecar Team Challenge. Over from Europe was Harri Vasen and Eddy Cremers, Wessie powered, Richard Pouwels and Kim van Goch, Ironhead Harley Davidson and Ulrich Seubert and Germar Seubert – also Wessie powered. After the now famous first lap debacle we had another weekend of fantastic racing. Brian and Alan took three wins and a second to bolster their championship challenge- Eddy and Vicky had one win and three seconds. Clive Stirrat also joined us for the weekend – always good to see another BMW on the track. P2 Bill Hodgkins dominated again ahead of Brian and Trevor with Andy and Loraine finishing ahead of Reg and Kerry in all four races. Things were looking up for the Triumph. P1 saw Dennis Etheridge and his passengers doing battle with Eddy Toombs, also P1 and anyone else in the firing line. Team UK left Brands Hatch with a comfortable points lead over Team EU, captained by Jean Pierre Capel. The other memorable event was the Gristwood & Toms BBQ extravaganza – a “do” not to miss. Can’t wait until next year – Haggis and Deep Fried Mars Bars – well that’s if we have it a Knockhill!

Snetterton – great to see more faces back out to play. Ray Reeves and Ted out for Ted’s first race aboard the ex-Craig Goodall’s KGB Imp. Chris and Ian Nickels were out on the Komnik 1275cc Mini power and David Johnson with James Blackmore, Imp powered – you can never have too many Imps! Clive Faulkner was back out with Christine Etheridge in the chair. Nick Houghton won both races Saturday with Brian and Eddy sharing second and third places. Damien and Nancy had borrowed one of the Gristwood outfits due to their outfit taking longer to fix than anticipated, and were running well. Last race Sunday Brian lost Alan again in the tight Russells hairpin – this definitely made the championship fight closer with Eddy and Vicky. In P2 Bill Hodgkins and Bert Vloemans reigned supreme, Andy Rayner and Chris Adams struggled with mechanical gremlins. A big thanks to Ben Gray for organising his band to play Saturday night in the club house. Great stuff! And of course the chance to see Cap’n Sparra’ on the ‘skins’ – also very impressive.

Cadwell Park – last round and last chance for some. Christine and Dennis had the P1 class championship wrapped up. Reg and Kerry were just 31 points ahead of Bill Hodgkins and Brian and Alan were neck and neck with Eddy and Vicky. Colin Lewis and Michael Reid had come down from Aberdeen to run in P3 and Steve Stevenson and Jono Borrington, Broadstock BSA, would hopefully rattle the P2 cage! In P3 Eddy and Vicky upped the pace beating Brian and Alan in both races. However Nick Houghton was still the man to beat taking both wins. Mechanical gremlins hit P2 badly leaving Steve Stevenson to clean up and shock a few P3 outfits! Fortunately both Keith and Dave Latheron were lucky to escape serious injuries after their Gooseneck excursion and are looking forward enthusiastically to next year. Hopefully by that time Grant Tapsell’s arm will be fixed and we will see the Triple out, together with new boy Rod Chapman on the ex-Jan Herbert Windle Imp.

CRMC Champions P1 Dennis and Christine Etheridge (Norton), P2 Reg and Kerry Charlesworth (BSA), P3 Brian Gray and Alan Bedford (Honda). 9 points separated Brian and Eddy after a season’s long racing.

A fantastic year’s racing with tremendous camaraderie and a social side enough to drown your sorrows if you’ve had a bad weekend twice over. Is it possible to have a better time in 2010 – I don’t know but we’ll give it a go!

[Eddy Wright]

I will drink to that !

[Triplebrew]

Absolutely. Roll on 2010

[Vicky Cooke]

Fantastic, that just about sums the season up.
See you all on track next year

[Phil Luhr]

Nice one Roger the Cabin Boy!!! Great report.

See you all at the Dinner Dance - invites to the Cap'ns Table will be sent by post!

Ahay - me hearties
Cap'n Sparra

PS Roger - you forgot to mention our "trophies" - you scurvy dog - I'll be making ye walk t' plank

[Bob B]

Top reporting Ian May 2010 continue in the same vein, good to see grids swelling even more