Scarborough

[David Stewart]

If you didn't even notice it, how could it have been "An oil slick of unprecedented proportions!"

It isn't a Sidecar versus Solo debate and never really should be. You are all racers and all have the same interests at heart.

Sometimes the organisers need to take a close look at their own preparations before they just shrug and pull out the old chestnut "Rider safety comes first!" in order to justify a cancellation - of course it does, but that doesn't mean to say that you shouldn't make adequate provisions for being able to effectively deal with something that is just a part of the sport.

The photos show the marshals having to try and deal with oil using sand. Sand? Where are the crystals? Where is the specialist detergent?
That's not the fault of the marshals as they can only work with what the organisers provide them with.

In the absence of the correct kit, a Foam Extinguisher is often remarkably effective on a slick in dry conditions. A lesson taught to me once by my great friend Dave Davidson, sadly no longer with us.

It's not fair for sidecars (or anyone else) to take the 100% blame for something that organisers should be able to deal with. Of course we should all be vigilant on oil containment, but I think personally that the sidecars in general have made terrific efforts in the past 10-15 years to try to eliminate avoidable issues.

Just my thoughts.

Take a look at this :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti7g3OB609o

With the right kit you can work wonders. This slick was a third of a mile long and went from the inside white line right across to the outside white line for the entire distance. Admittedly, it took us a total of 42 minutes to clean it so that it was ready for racing again, but all of the riders in the following session said that the affected area was the grippiest on the whole circuit.
If it had been dry, we could have halved the clean up time.

Cost of the clean up in terms of the kit my vans carry with them was just £389 (to replenish specialist detergents, oil absorbent rags, detergent neutralisers and absorbent crystals) just put that against the cost of a cancelled days racing and it's a complete no brainer.

[Helen Gibson]

Unfortunately it seems to have been the CofC who said that, not a solo rider. Poor form.. and like you, I can't understand why anyone would want to race something that falls over when you let go of it.. silly! They'll never catch on.

[Dan]

The sidecar that 'blew up' at Farm Bends was removed from the track at the gate leading through to the solo paddock, which is halfway up the hill out of the dip, so it was certainly not responsible for leaving a trail of oil all the way up onto the home straight. I was told that the oil left was not all over the track until they tried clearing it with a power washer and that then spread it all over the place . I didn't see this so can't vouch for it but I think the information came from a solo rider, so the 'enemy' not a 'friend' if you like

I don't think any of the outfits passing the area after the oil had been dropped had any hairy moments, I know of two certainly that didn't, so I think that possibly suggests that the oil slick wasn't as bad as suggested whilst the race was on.

I didn't see a trail of oil all the way up onto the start/finish straight. Mind you I did have my eyes shut

Joking apart, the flags were out going into farm bends but I didn't see a line of oil going in or coming out of the bends. The only thing I noticed was a patch just about where Rammy went off. Its annoying when reading comments from the solo riders about sidecars dropping oil etc but from what I read and see there are as many hold-ups from them falling over because the don't have enough wheels. You wouldn't get me on two wheels.

jc

Oh dear, John , you will notice that I didn't use any names so no blame was attached to anybody who may or may not have been responsible for the dropped oil, although I am sure it would have got around anyway. I know what you mean about unfair complaints about sidecars dropping oil , when solos seem to be culprits just as often if not more often nowadays, but, as I said, in this instance it was a solo rider who pointed out that it was the power-washing that spread the oil all over the track.

It is a real pity that the great Scarborough meeting had to end as it did and I just hope that it doesn't have any repercussions on the entry or spectator attendance for the September meeting. In these times when some clubs have been omitting sidecars from meetings through lack of entries Pete Hillaby and the Auto 66 Club have kept faith with them, apart from an odd cancellation at Scarborough which is understandable.

By the way John, when you did try solo racing I notice you had the air bag leathers in case you fell off, but in your case you inflated them before you even got on the bike

[Helen Gibson]

Oh, meow...