CRMC Lydden Hill Sidecar Race Report

[sidecar bloke]

ANOTHER SIX OF THE BEST AT LYDDEN HILL

Lydden had caused a few heart-stopping moments on the organizing side of things this year, but what a fantastic weekend it turned out to be – wall to wall sunshine, entertainment and a bar Saturday night, plus six great races for the sidecars, to cope with the enthusiasm to race classic sidecars with the CRMC.

There was a lot of sickness going around, Des Kingsmill had been stricken with a bug and had to miss Saturday’s race with the No.52 Gristwood machine – fellow team mate Dave “Buddha” Currell jumped on with David Johnson to replace Des – let’s just say it didn’t work as well as hoped! Nick “Monkey” George was also sickly and signed off by the circuit doctor. Della Bufton was again keen to jump on with anything that moved and breathed, so replaced Nick. On Sunday Loraine Bown was out with “a bug”, she claims, but did you see what she was drinking Saturday night!! A big loss on the weekend were Phil “the Pirate” and Michelle “Red” Luhr, Michelle having suffered a stroke on the Tuesday prior to the meeting. Thankfully, due to Phil’s actions and the medical response, she has made a remarkable recovery; it has been said this was partly due to “fitness and youth” – two words Michelle hadn’t heard for some time! On behalf of everyone in the CRMC – get well soon.

Anyway back to the racing – a nice early practice to get the blood pumping and allow the new passengers to get to grips with where to find handles. It was good to see Matt Kingsmill out again after a break, with Stephen Gorton in the chair for his first race. I’m sure Dave Latheron, Stephen’s father and extremely experienced sidecar passenger gave him some tips.

Race 1 was indeed race one. This race contained all the Periods 1 and 2 and some Period 3’s; Damien Perilleux and Nancy Detournay on pole, Mike Bellaby and Dave Gristwood alongside with Ray Reeves and Ted Hills and the 118 of Ian and Grant Tapsell on row two, then Terry Foxon and Roy Cunningham with Jon Perkins and Ian Nickels on their 750’s etc., etc. It was the immaculate orange outfit of Damien and Nancy that shot from the grid to lead the pack round, initially chased by Mike and Dave. Ray and Ted were in fourth, sandwiched between Jon in front and Terry behind on their Period 2 750’s. In Period 1 Steve and Byron Reilly had the jump on Bill Hodgkins and Bert Vloemans and held it for two laps before the Norton passed the BMW and chased after Terry’s 750. Reg and Kerry Charlesworth pulled off on lap four at the start/finish line when the BSA lost power. Also out went Alan Cavey and Roger Holmes on their long awaited return to the club, with a misfiring Triumph. At the flag Period 3 winners were Damien and Nancy, second Ray and Ted with Ian and Grant third. Period 2 winners were Jon and Ian with Terry and Roy third and Tony Sawyer and Ginny Bourne third. Period one honours went to Bill and Bert with Steve and Byron second and Matt and Stephen third.

Race 2 (Race 10 in the programme). This saw the remaining Period 3’s out on track, no Period 1’s but the Period 2’s on their second race of the day. The front row consisted of Jason and Dan Reilly alongside Damien and Nancy on their second run of the day; Row 2 Kevin Hunt and Alan Cracknell with David Johnson and Buddha. The first two outfits to head towards Devil’s Elbow were the black No.58 BMW and the white No.66 Imp. Sadly only one made it up Hairy Hill, the black No.58 of Jason and Dan side-lined with a dislodged carb. This left Damien and Nancy to chase with the Fuzion boys of Clint Faulkner and Ben Gray in third. David and Buddha had pulled off on lap one with difficulties. Rod Chapman pulled off on lap six with a sheared woodruff key and Ray and Ted pulled over on the Dover slope section to do some head scratching. Lap 8 Terry and Roy were out when the BMW apparently consumed a stone – ouch! Jon had now made it up to third on the road on his 750 Moorespeed Period 2 machine. At the flag Period 2 winners were Jon and Ian, Period 3 Kevin and Alan, with Damien and Nancy second and Mike and Dave third.

Race 20 – last race of the day. On pole again Kevin and Alan and alongside them the Fuzion team of Clint and Ben. Both David and Jason found themselves towards the back after their first race problems. So, as before, Kevin and Alan fired off the front on the while Patten Imp. Jason and Dan were soon up into second spot chasing hard with Clint and Ben holding third. The No.52 outfit was pushing on but strange noises would force them to retire on lap five. One lap later Matt and Stephen pulled off due to more horrible noises as a valve had broken making a bid for freedom via the piston. In Period 1 Steve and Byron were once again fighting with Bill and Bert for class honours, this time it would go to Steve and Byron, winners of Period 1, Bill and Bert second with Russell Bleach and Penny Daws third. No Period 2’s so Period 3 winners Kevin and Alan, with Jason and Dan second and Clint and Ben third.

Sunday dawned bright and warm – another fantastic day to go racing. Last out yesterday, first out today – the sidecars front row Jason and Dan on pole with Kevin and Alan alongside. Row 2 Damien and Nancy with Bill and Bert (750 Period 1). Jason led the pack around Chessans on the BMW but the white Imp powered round the outside at Dover slope when the BMW struggled with a gear change. Damien held a comfortable third, behind him Bill and Bert were in battle with Tim Chapman and Nick George, the Norton 750 giving the larger Period 3 BMW a run. There were nearly tears at Paddock with two to go, when tyre to bodywork fibres were exchanged – a great battle, with the Tapsells Triple lying in wait to pick up the pieces given half a chance. At the flag Kevin and Alan were first over the line in Period 3, then the brothers Reilly, Jason and Dan, second with the Belgian pairing of Damien and Nancy third. With no Period 2s in this race the Period 1 win went to Bill and Bert with Steve and Byron second and Russell and Penny third.

Just seven races later we were back in the holding area for another go and another quick look at my notes. Race 28 had twelve starters and twelve finishers – good job on this hot, hard-fought race weekend. No big surprises – front row Kevin and Alan alongside Jason and Dan; row 2 Damien and Nancy with David and Des. Top Period 2 were Jon and Ian on row three and on row six Tony and Ginny. Once again I held my breath on lap one as Kevin and Alan held their lead from the brothers Reilly; these two teams are at present the class of the field – the men to beat – the snag being they like the same bit of track. Anyway a nice clean start, the plain white outfit followed by the stealth black, then the very colourful orange of Damien and Nancy. Sadly for me, as I said, there were no DNF’s and looking at the lap charts the positions as they crossed the line on lap one was how they stayed – no one overtook anybody so I’m a little lost……….Ah, great news – David and Des threw their chain on the green flag lap and that’s the only exciting thing. Oh and one more thing Rod Chapman pulled out Saturday and handed his bars to son Darren with Rob Cook in the chair; they had a great race with Clive and Brian in Fuzion II. Like others they looked as if they might overtake but never did. Period 3 winners Kevin and Alan, second Jason and Dan and third Damien and Nancy. Top Period 2 Jon and Ian with Tony and Ginny second.

Race 40. Last race of the weekend and the sixth race for the slidies. Fourteen on the grid; the front row was – no you’re wrong – Jon and Ian with Clive Stirrat and Andrew Johnson alongside. For those of you wondering, grids are set on times not finishing order. Row two Mike Bellaby and Dave Gristwood with Ray Reeves and Ted alongside. We had Period 1, 2 and 3 – a great end to a great weekend. As they pulled onto the grid Dennis and Christine Etheridge, with spare motor, were smoking, which was going to be a problem. As the flag dropped Clive and Andrew aboard their BMW hit the front chased by Mike and Dave, also BMW, then the Gulf colours of Jon’s 750 BMW with the first Imp of David and Des chasing hard. Mid-field Bill and Bert were swopping places with Clive and Brian, a battle Bill would win and with two laps to go the Fuzion II machine would go back one more place as the newly mounted No.55 Arijonda Imp passed them. It was great to see Alan Cavey back with his immaculate Fidderman Triumph but after a large amount of pop and banging they pulled off short of full distance. Another to leave the track early was the very smoky Norton of Dennis and Christine. Clive’s passenger Andrew kept looking around but they were fine, home in first place with Mike and Dave second and David and Des third – two family members on the podium – it’s in the blood! Top Period 2 was Jon and Ian with Tony and Ginny second. Top Period 1 Bill and Bert with Steve and Byron second and Russell and Penny third.

So ended a great weekend of racing – the sick passengers will soon mend. The sick motors that in Terry and Roy’s case ate stones and in Reg and Kerry’s case their BSA consumed itself, together with Dennis’ crank will, I’m afraid, take time and money to fix but for weekends like this it’s worth it.

See you all at Anglesey.
Ian Johnson

[Triplebrew]

Great write up Ian - thanks