Tuesday May 6, 2014 at 2:59pm
Bristol sidecar trials experts Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes will probably repeat their treble victory run in Cornwall, Devon and Derbyshire by winning the Tuck Cross Trial on Sunday at Chelwood. They have scored maximum points in all three events to date Rochester son and father Rupert and Chris Kimber bounced back to pressure Tuck and Sparkes at Mansfield last month. Driver Rupert broke his arm in the West of England trial but was back at full force at Winster holding the Bristol crew to a close result. Only six penalties split the two contenders after forty observed sections. The Kimbers trail by thirteen points and are only four points ahead of Manchester’s Kieran Hankin and Andrew Cripps. The big surprise in March was the form of road race cum sidecar driver Hankin and trialler and endure racer Cripps. They only took up sidecar trialling as a means of keeping fit !To take Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes to a one penalty gap came as a major shock. Maybe more of a shock for Hanks and Crippsy. As in March a quartet contended the Intermediate class. Yate crew David Tuck and Steven Chandler rose from second to first ahead of Lee Granby and farmer, and sidecar and occasional solo rider Ali Haigh. Rochester’s first round winners Robbie Head and Aron Jacobs finished third and lead their class. Skipton brothers Chris and Robert Pickard hit the headlines when they won the Clubman class at the Colin Dommett, They won again on at Winster and now stand on a heady sixty championship points. Simon Evans and Nick Harding top scored in March over Paul Fishlock and Debbie Merril who hung onto the big Ariel to grab thirty two points. The result was just the same as the previous two events as far the championship points mathematics. Newcomers Andres Cook and Colby Cook-Taylor won their class in their debut ride. They have not entered the Tuck Cross but Chessington’s Adam Allaway and Jake Pope are on the list. Will Matlock’s plant operator Thomas McDowell and passenger Jon Stanley win again or will the Chessington crew take the victory? The six mile one lap course features thirty six sections planned by the very experienced Phil Sparkes. And the numbers? Twelve clubmen, three intermediates, two newcomers and a record seven expert crews will compete. Make no mistake though the Tuck Cross Trial will be one trial not to miss.