CRMC Pembrey Sidecar Report

[sidecar bloke]

Pembrey’s Paddock 2 Provides Plenty of Party-time Power for the Slidies

Well the 2013 season had come to a conclusion, the cream floating to the top in all classes to produce some worthy champions; a season with full grids and reserves at all circuits – the envy of many, two and three wheeled classes looking on. The nights became longer, the floods washed many poor souls away, and yet as the evenings once again became lighter the daffodils flowered – this could only mean one thing – Pembrey was looming ever closer on the calendar – Round one in the CRMC sidecar championship.

Most of the old faces were back like Dennis and Christine; Brian Gray was missing in Period 3 due to some robust apprehension of a shop-lifter in his fine Powerbiking shop. Don’t mess with the quiet slight man from High Wycombe! Another continuum chassis from the MREquipe stable appeared in Gristwood colours; I did hear the Tate Modern had approached Mike to see if they could display some of his art work – when they get shot of some stuffed cows, unmade beds and other dross. Any way, we were back, Vince Worthington was back after an absence of some years with the young Paul Thomas in the chair. Mike Cookson had purchased Dick Hawes’ 16” 750 outfit now with Moorespeed 750cc bits inside it. In Period 3 Drew Thompson was back with Martin Hull after a fairly short stay last year, when Martin came adrift from the outfit.

So, after some perfect weather for Friday’s free testing Saturday was just as beautiful. Saturday practice saw the demise of the No.33 Imp with Della Bufton in the chair, replacing Kevin Roughan who was on nursing duties, I’m reals sorry Della.. Also gone were Ron Blakeley and Belinda Colston with a very rattley BMW. Gone was timed qualifying and in came the BSB System with a tweek. First grid set to know or educated guess ability, then grids set by times set in the previous race, avoiding fast DNF’s charging through from the back, causing unnecessary mayhem. Gone also is the old Period 1/Period 2 class structure. Period 1 is now formed to protect the original twin cylinder, standard stroke motors that were the backbone of classic sidecar racing. Period 2, although still 750 runs the short stroke modified motors and the multi 750’s. Any wheel size can be used in either class. Radical thinking I know from the sidecar guys to protect the original standard outfits, so they can enjoy many more years of great racing with the CRMC.

Race 1 (no.8) Kevin Hunt and Alan Cracknell on pole with the brothers Jason and Dan Reilly alongside. In perfect conditions Kevin and Alan led them round to complete lap one, followed by the brothers and then Damien Perilleux and Nancy Detournay. First lap losers were Clint Faulkner and Brian Robson, down two spots, and David Johnson and Des Kingsmill now in thirteenth. Seventh on track was the top 750cc of Jon Perkins and Ian Nickels with Eddy Wright and Kieran Clarke on their new Bellas BMW in traditional Wright orange. On lap 3 a gearbox failure spun the No.52 outfit out of the race, and the weekend, after the small ensuing fire burned the loom out, not a great start to the season. On lap four Kevin and Allan pulled off, along with Clive Faulkner and Carl Adams on Fuzion II. This elevated the Reillys to second and Drew and Martin to third. Jon’s 750 was now in fourth place. A fierce battle raged between class sponsor Dave Gristwood and Mike Bellaby on the BMW with Fuzion I, Clint and Brian on the MREquipe Imp. At the flag Period 3 class win went to Jason and Dan with Damien and Nancy second and Drew and Martin third. Period 2 Jon and Ian, with Eddy and Kieran second and Terry Foxon and Roy Cunningham third. Period 1 winners were Steve and Byron Reilly, second Dennis and Christine and third Russell Bleach and Penny Daws. Mike Cookson was another “weekend over” man when he dropped a valve – these are classics Mike not F2’s – they don’t rev to 16k!

Race 2 (no.18) The brothers Reilly on pole with Kevin and Alan second, even with their DNF. Top 750 Jon and Ian on row 3. Kevin and Alan’s virgin white outfit led the stealth black Reilly outfit to complete lap one, in front of the sunburst orange of Damien and Nancy. The 750’s of Jon, Terry and Eddy holding seventh, eighth and ninth on track. Lap two the stealth BMW was in front of the Imp and by lap three Kevin and Alan were behind Damien and Nancy. Period 2 Eddy had squeezed past last year’s champions with the O plate (Terry and Roy), but the Period 2’s were still running line astern. Further back Steve and Byron were leading the Period 1 battle, whilst Russell and Penny were attempting to stay ahead of the Kent pensioners on similar Norton power. At the flag the brothers Reilly took the win ahead of Kevin and Alan who had again squeezed in front of the Belgium pairing of Damien and Nancy. Period 2 Jon and Ian, second Eddy and Kieran with Terry and Roy third, despite a ten second penalty for grid indiscretions. Period 1 went to Steve and Byron ahead of Russell and Penny (Norton) and Dennis and Christine, also Norton.

Saturday evening gave some crews a chance to try and iron out some gremlins. Ray Reeves and Ted Hills’ Honda clutch was causing them a headache, whilst Reg and Kerry Charlesworth weren’t as one with their BSA, and Tony Sawyer and Ginny Bourne’s 750 Honda was having its front wheel bearing sorted by Derek Chitty in the Gristwood Fix It Truck.

Race 3 (no.29) Sunday dawned dull and wet. The Reilly brothers were on pole again with Damien alongside. The Period 2 750’s lined up behind each other on rows 2, 3 and 4. Kevin and Alan made it around on lap one in front of the Reillys, the Period 2 line astern still behind Fusion I of Clint and Brian. Lap two, as the leaders came into view around Hatchetts shall we say something happened to the second place outfit of the Brothers Reilly, leaving them sidelined for the rest of the race. This elevated Damien to second in front of Drew with Mr Gristwood and Mike in fourth place. Period 2 was still being led by Jon and Ian ahead of Eddy and Kieran, but now Tim “Fingers” Chapman and “Cupcake” aka Nick George were ahead of Terry and Roy with the No.94 of Phil Luhr (the Pirate) and Dave Currell (Buddha) now gapped by the 750 Period 2 machine. In Period 1 Dennis and Christine were pushing hard to catch Russell and Penny, despite Russell waving his chair wheel to the crowd then, shock, horror, Dennis’ Norton wheezed to a halt – most unlike an Etheridge motor. Race win in Period 3 went to the No.66 of Kevin and Alan, with 77 Damien and Nancy second and 15 Drew and Martin third. Period 2 winners Jon and Ian, second Eddy and Kieran and third Terry and Roy. Period 1 winners were Steve and Byron Reilly with Russell and Penny second and Reg and Kerry third.

Race 4 (no.41) From the bank where we were spectating, as the flag dropped it was clear somebody was in trouble. Mike Bellaby had the Moorespeed BMW pinned, when the clutch let go in a big way. Unfortunately for Mike his elbow was right in the path of one of the large escaping pieces. With bike and crew safely placed the race continued unabated. From pole Jason and Dan led the field, chased by Kevin and Alan on the Patten Imp – the conditions were foul. In Period 2 Eddy and Kieran had pulled off with a low oil pressure problem (the problem was a faulty gauge – cheap to fix). This meant Jon and Ian had lost their main rival and Terry and Roy were mired in a battle between Fingers and Cup Cake aboard the 84 BMW and The Pirate and Buddha on the Gristwood 1040 Imp. Tony and Ginny’s 750 Honda was working well, despite it’s rather un-ACU number backgrounds. By lap four Damien was ahead of Kevin and Alan who decided third place was better than being in the hedge! Clint and Brian on Fuzion I were also slowing, allowing the three way battle between Foxon (Period 2), Chapman 84 and Luhr 94, to close right up to the back of them. At the flag top survivor in Period 3 was Jason and Dan, Damien and Nancy second and Kevin and Alan third. Period 2 Jon and Ian, fourth on the road, ahead of Terry and Roy with Tony and Ginny third. Period 1 once again Steve and Byron with Reg and Kerry second.

So ended a fantastic season opener – a lot of attention required, especially in the Johnsons workshop area. Mike, after a hospital trip, had not broken his arm as first thought so all relatively good news and nothing that money won’t fix. For me the Paddock 2 area worked well – our own generator (next year I’ll see if we can have two), plenty of room for the Easter Egg hunt (for the kids) and a great family friendly weekend, even with the breakages. Happy fixing……….

Next time out – Lydden – six races to accommodate the large entry once again. Hopefully some teams will be joining the season here and others will have fixed their outfits.

Ian Johnson

P.S. Thanks to Byron Reilly for his IT skills in generating the grids – I still think my bits of plastic are nearly as quick!

P.P.S. As regular readers will note Eddy Wright’s passenger Mogli has also gone …..Mogli was a cute friendly kid …he is now some six feet tall, give or take with the hair, just as friendly and good fun to be with, but far more a Kieran now than a Mogli!

[Eddy Wright]

Excellent report Ian, and I must say the racing was first class. Great atmosphere too. Looking forward now to Lydden.