This week the Canada Heights track in Kent hosted the final round of the MAXXIS ACU British Sidecarcross 2016 Championship. The sandy track was in great condition, but tough as usual. Stuart Brown and Josh Chamberlain were on top form as usual taking two wins which was enough to secure the championship title for another year.
Race 1 got underway with a hole shot for Nick Jarvis / Christian Nilsson, they were holding fourth in the championship and clearly ready to fight for a top three place. Brett Wilkinson / Dan Chamberlain tucked into second ahead of Dan Foden/ Josh Haynes. Brown / Chamberlain had a steady start, but soon started to work their way forwards, within the first lap they tucked into third and a three way battle for the lead emerged. Jarvis / Nilsson stayed ahead for the first half of the race, then their rivals made their move, with both team passing on the same lap, leaving Jarvis / Nilsson in third, but started a new battle for the lead. Brown / Chamberlain knew they needed to be ahead of Wilkinson / Chamberlain to take the title at the end of this race, so that's what they did. They waited for some clear track space with no back markers and blasted round the outside. Brown / Chamberlain went on to take a great win and secure the British Championship title, Wilkinson / Chamberlain held second with Jarvis / Nilsson in third. Behind, Neil Campbell / Craig Parmenter fought hard to take fourth, Foden/ Haynes took advantage of the good start to hold onto fifth, just ahead of Dutch driver Mike Keuben / Ryan Humphrey.
In Race 2 Campbell / Parmenter were on top form, blasting into the first bend at the head of the pack. Keuben / Humphrey held second. With the first lap it was all change, Wilkinson / Chamberlain fought through to the lead with Jarvis / Nilsson staying close in second. Brown / Chamberlain again had a steady start, but soon tucked into third and again the battles began. Brown / Chamberlain fought hard to get past Jarvis / Nilsson and then closed the gap on Wilkinson / Chamberlain, but despite strong challenges in a close fought race, Wilkinson / Chamberlain stayed ahead and took the win. Brown / Chamberlain took second ahead of Jarvis / Nilsson with Keuben / Humphrey holding fourth. Gary Moulds, with stand in passenger Steve Kirwin had a brilliant race taking fifth. Despite the great start Campbell / Parmenter had a problem when a stone jammed into the front brake disk and stopped them, they recovered well to take sixth.
In Race 3 Brown / Chamberlain were leaving nothing to chance, they were new British Champions and took the race in style, leading from start to finish. Wilkinson / Chamberlain kept them in sight but took a great second. Campbell / Parmenter had another good start tucking into third. Behind Jarvis / Nilsson had a few problems when they hit one of the sandy berms, but it didn't delay them for long, they recovered well to take fifth, just behind Michael Hodges with stand in passenger, Scott Grahame. Moulds / Kirwin had another good race taking sixth.
So, at the end of another brilliant days racing there is another British Championship title for Stuart Brown and Josh Chamberlain. Taking the championship title together for a sixth year and Stuart takes an amazing fourteenth (yes 14th!!) British ACU Sidecar Championship title. That a truly amazing achievement.
Brett Wilkinson started the season with Steve Kirwin, and finished with Dan Chamberlain, together the trio were 52 point behind the champions and took second for the second season. Nick Jarvis and Christian Nilsson in their first season together took third.
A fantastic end to an exciting season's racing, and next week those three winning teams will go to France to contest the Sidecar MX des nation. Good luck team.