Darley Moor CRMC Sidecar Race Report

[sidecar bloke]

DARLEY MOOR’S BBQ AND BAND PUT THE ICING ON A GREAT WEEKEND’S RACING

It has to be said the weather didn’t have to improve much to be better than last year but two fantastic days of sunshine was just what the doctor ordered. It didn’t make up for last year’s dire weather but that was then – this is now. We were a little late (10.30 p.m.ish) getting to the circuit, both passenger Kevin and Kerry Charlesworth having to work Friday. Kerry was happy to ride with us to Darley but then selected somebody with a bigger and better one than mine (motorhome that is) for a ride home.

Out for the first time this year was the newly painted, now red and gold, Saab of Richard Holmes with brother Roger in the chair, and Rod and Darren Chapman aboard the ex-Jan Herbert Windle Imp. Clive Faulkner had Brian Robson in the chair – a late replacement for Oliver Yardley. So, that was it, another full grid plus reserves ready for a fantastic weekend’s racing.

Practice went well for most. Darley may not be everyone’s first choice, mine included, but I like it. We finished practice once we had collected enough dead flies on the fairing and visors to give just enough visibility to negotiate the slip road off the track.

Saturday Race 1 – Once again Matt and Eddy dominated – I can’t tell exactly as the lap chart shows Eddy and Vicky in last place, stopping on lap 5! I can’t help thinking that Matt and Alan were quietly wishing that was true. At the start Mike Bellaby had eased Dave and Keith Latheron, also Wessie powered, to the right which allowed us through nicely. Simon and Dave aboard the ex-Damien Perilleux championship winning Windle were holding a strong third place but on lap 2 the Bellaby Wessie (with sidecar wheel bolted firmly in place) was through into third place. Lap 3 and the Gristwood green machine was back in the front of this battle – we were right behind the brawl waiting – then it went! Around paddock corner, across the track like a King Cobra on acid, went Simon’s chain. That DNF would surely put them on the back of the grid for race 2. Sadly half a lap later we were quarrying our way through the gravel at the hairpin with a locked front wheel. We were left standing on the bank watching another mid-field battle led by Mike Bellaby’s Wessie, the Latherons, Clint Faulkner and Ben Gray who had definitely found some pace, keeping ahead of Ray Reeves and Ted on the Honda. The Holmes’s Saab sadly lunching itself on lap 6. At the flag Eddy had a nine second lead over Matt who clearly backed off once he realised the race was won. Thirty seconds later Mike Bellaby came over the line with the Latherons, Clint Faulkner, Ray Reeves and the Pirate Phil Luhr in a line – great stuff. P1 honours went to Dennis and Christine aboard the trusty Norton and P2 to Reg and Kerry.

Race 2 – It took a while but we did manage to shift the gravel from places on the bike you wouldn’t believe – two large stones in the bell mouth of No.4 Weber were a little worrying. We formed up in grid position 17. Mike Bellaby had struggled to sort the smoking Wessie out and had missed the green flag lap. Simon had parked in Mike’s third place spot to stop anyone using it by accident “that’s friendly”. As the flag dropped normal service was held at the front with Eddy and Vicky being chased by Matt and Alan, Simon and Dave were holding their suspect third place with Clint and Ben in hot pursuit. By lap 3 Mike was behind Simon, looking to get his third spot back. We were making our way to the front, not quite as spectacularly as Mike and Karl on the Wessie, but even that wasn’t as spectacular as Clint and Ben’s exit to Paddock Bend – a huge sideways moment which then gripped, firing the 69 outfit across the track – a well held moment when Clint persuaded the outfit to run parallel to the tyres, not perpendicular, and back on track – a round of applause please! The two Daves, Crawford and Baxter, were also having a moment aboard the P1 BMW, Dave Baxter doing a quick track inspection at the hairpin, and after debriefing back at base the blame was put squarely on Dave’s shoulders. As everybody expected (Simon being the exception) the 73 outfit was given a 10 second penalty for wrong grid position which Simon took like a man!! Eddy and Vicky took the P3 win from Matt and Alan with Mike (it was my position) Bellaby third. P2 honours went to Reg and Kerry with P1 honours to Dennis and Christine Etheridge.

Saturday concluded with a great night in the Big Top. The band was once again fantastic – the food prepared by “Red” alias Michelle Luhr and family was a credit to them. Oh, there was a p*ssed bloke in a silly hat helping as well! The highlight of the evening was of course Matt Kingsmill pole dancing. How do you top a night like that??

Sunday morning, lovely sunshine, one or two sore heads, we had a new master cylinder fitted and Simon’s demeanour was back to normal – lets race.

Race 1 – The start and race was as normal – Eddy and Vicky p*ss off into the distance, Matt and Alan bust their hump trying to keep up and the rest of us fight for third! Simon held third initially with Clint and Ben in fourth. Somewhere we managed to pass the immaculate 69 outfit and set off after Simon – catching him was one thing; passing was proving to be more difficult. Dave was doing frantic hand signals to keep Simon aware of our proximity. On lap 5 as we set off down Pope Straight the fairing of the 69 outfit came into view on my right hand side – where the hell did they get their pace from. Impressive but I had enough on my plate with Simon let alone having to look back for Clint. Last lap we chased Simon down Pope Straight, initially Simon stayed to the right, then he moved to the left, we also changed sides, went down the inside late on the brakes –thank you Simon. First home Eddy and Vicky, second Matt and Alan and third us “woohoo”. In P1 Dennis and Christine stayed ahead of the two Daves and Reg and Kerry took P2 honours.

Race 2 – A front row start – haven’t had one of those for a while. It has to be said I was confident we could be first into the chicane – we seemed to be held on the grid for an eternity, then I stalled the motor – things were going well. A quick bump, back to the grid, we were now pointing towards the flag man not the chicane. The flag fell and I made a complete Horlicks of things, having to drop the clutch half a dozen times. We squeezed into the chicane alongside Clint and Ben – I’ve never seen so much of them. Eddy and Matt had done their disappearing act which put Simon and Dave in third and us stuck behind them again. Lap 4 Mike and Karl came past with new oil pump fitted after an early morning drive to Dave Nourish. Dave and Keith were just behind with Ray and Ted on the Honda. On lap 6 we passed Mike down the Pope Straight then Simon who didn’t defend to his normal standard into Park Corner. Sadly Clint and Ben failed to finish, Matt’s BMW dropped a valve, trashing a very quick motor, and Rod and Darren Chapman allowed themselves to be duffed up by a pair of pensioners on the last corner. So ended another fantastic race weekend, Eddy and Vicky took the win, we were second – even with the last straight I couldn’t see them – Simon and Dave in third. In P1 Dennis and Christine came home in front of the two Daves and in P2 Reg and Kerry came home in front of Andy and Loraine. Ian and Grant Tapsell aboard the Triple Triumph seemed to be having a good weekend finishing all four races, battling with The Pirate and Buddha (Phil and Dave) and others.

A great weekend’s racing, great music and food in the Big Top, great company and weather. What more could you want. Next stop Knockhill – that’s North, North and then a bit more North for us Southern Softies – bring it on!

Ian Johnson
CRMC Sidecar Eligiblity Bloke

[steve-e]

Excellent stuff Ian

[Eddy Wright]

Well done Ian on that superb write up/report.

[bludge]

Another excellent read Ian

[Triplebrew]

Top report Ian. We had a great weekend as not only did we finish all 4 races, we completed 6 laps practice both days as well as 4 laps in the Taxi ride All our finishes were in the top 10 and we got our first signature towards a national licence. Looking forward to the next meeting

[MikeB]

Nice one Ian, your literary skills know no limits. Twas an ace weekends racin, a little but of a rub and an occasional nudge(r), just what the doctor ordered.

Sterling ride by Simon and Dave - pop round anytime you want your fairing paint back.

Clint (aka Boon - Ben keeps telling me why he is called Boon but I'm too old to keep remebering ) and Ben were absolutely flying, really on it - as they say.

Top weekend and looking forward just a little bit to knockhill ( although I,ve still got bludges comments in my my mind ie: "I,d rather drive to Sweden than Knockhill")