ACU/FSRA BRITISH F2 SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS TO CROFT ON 16-17 AUGUST FOR ROUND 5

The penultimate round of this year’s British F2 Sidecar Championship takes place Croft on the 16^th and 17^th August. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say the championship chase could hardly be closer, with three teams level on 122 points. Each team has one win to their credit, so if the title had to be decided after the last round at Donington, pride of place would have gone to Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson with three second places to their name, to the two of both Carl Fenwick and Ashley Moore, along with Alan Founds and Tom Peters, Fenwick’s next best placing being a ‘3^rd’ to Founds next best of ‘4^th’.

Gary Bryan and Jamie Winn aren’t far behind on 112 points with Ian and Carl Bell fifth on 91. The honours at Donington went to Sean Reeves and Mark Wilkes, who surprised more than a few observers with two very comfortable victories, which saw them leap to eighth place in the points table, just eight points behind Gordon Shand and Phil Hyde, on the podium at Donington who are 6^th and three points behind Dean Lindley and Rob Bell. The placing’s behind the top eight seem to change around after every race. Expect to see Dave Wallis/Ben Weston, Tony and Fiona Baker, John and Jake Lowther, Rob Fisher and Rick Long, as well as Dave Atkinson/Mike Aylott changing places on each lap and also challenging those just ahead.

Croft doesn’t hold as many meetings as a few years ago, and consequently the championship races held here in recent times have tended to be quite open affairs – Ian Bell, Gary Bryan, Dave Atkinson and Conrad Harrison have all taken the chequered flag at this challenging circuit.

The F2 Cup is for the less experienced teams, though all of the leading three have been on the podium for the main championship races! Founds/Peters increased their lead at Donington over Lindley/Bell, 180 points to 139, with Reeves/Wilkes now third on 98. The Quayes are fourth on 95 while Steve and Mattie Ramsden had their best placing’s of the season at Donington and lie fifth on 74 points.

No team will win the championship this weekend but in all likelihood one or two at least will rule themselves out of contention, whatever the outcome this weekend, those still with title aspirations will face a seven-week wait until the season finale, another Derby Phoenix meeting, at Cadwell Park on October 4-5^th.

John Newton, FSRA Press Officer.