FII Sidecars at Brands Hatch

Wednesday April 15, 2009 at 3:23pm

The return of sidecars to the big stage resulted in two enthralling races which saw wins for Tim Reeves and Patrick Farrance for the Gunther Reischling Motorsport LCR Suzuki team and Nick Crowe and Mark Cox the Dave Hudspeth Carpets/HM Plant LCR Honda team, just as at Donington in the opening meeting of the championship.

Crowe now leads the title chase by one point from Ben and Tom Birchall on the Mitchells of Mansfield LCR Honda, who were fourth and second at Brands Hatch, with Reeves in third place. Qualifying had seen some frantic action as 33 outfits battled for clear track to try and get a place on the 28 strong grid. Reeves pipped Crowe for pole by just three thousandths of a second before the session was red-flagged due to an incident involving David Lillie and Lee Watson aboard Ian Bell M/Cs DMR Yamaha and Paul and Steve Sanderson on the Sanderson Racing DDR Suzuki at Graham Hill Bend, a knee injury for the latter being the main concern.

The opening laps of race one were tremendous – Crowe edged ahead of Reeves while third fastest qualifier Birchall lost ground after somehow saving a slide at Paddock Hill Bend. Steve Coombes and Paul Knapton on the Dave Hudspeth Carpets Ireson Honda and Phil Dongworth and Gary Partridge aboard their WAS Racing Ireson Honda were third and fourth while Birchall regained the pace in fifth. Both Dongworth and Birchall got ahead of Coombes as the leading quartet opened a gap. Birchall upped his speed on lap five, took third from Dongworth and closed on Reeves.

A record lap from Birchall on the seventh circuit was the sign for Reeves to take command and he took the lead off Crowe at Druids, Birchall immediately closing in on Crowe. Lap ten saw Crowe and Birchall contesting the same piece of tarmac but Birchall got through and edged closer to Reeves. But his hopes were dashed two laps later when he spun off at Clearways allowing Crowe and Dongworth through before he rejoined in fourth. There were no further changes in the top four as Reeves cruised to an impressive victory. Simon Neary and Stu Bond on the Neary Racing Baker Suzuki took fifth from Coombes while a good dice for seventh saw the experience of Roy Hanks and Dave Wells racing the Dorwingear Ltd Molyneux Suzuki and Ian and Carl Bell aboard the Ian Bell M/cs LCR Yamaha triumph over the younger Wil Smith and Sean Starbuck on the Team Porter Racing Shelbourne Honda, the latter pair taking maximum points in the FII Cup for the first time.

The victory had taken Reeves into the championship lead by a point but his hopes of extending the margin in race two were hit on the warm-up lap when the outfit kept misfiring. Fearing further damage, he pulled in to retire after two laps. The late afternoon reschedule meant a 12-lap race and once again Crowe led off the line from Birchall with Neary moving into third. Crowe led by 1.8 seconds after the opening lap and he was content to keep that margin. Dongworth was in fourth with John Holden and Andy Winkle on their D&A Walmsley LCR Suzuki, who had suffered an oil problem in race one, in fifth just ahead of Coombes. Hanks and Bell were renewing old battles for seventh while another experienced group, Andy Laidlow and James Neave riding the Team LFR LCR Suzuki, Gary Bryan and Rob Bell riding the Drury Engineering Baker Yamaha and Dave Wallis and Steve Wareham on board Team Petpals LCR Honda were contesting ninth. Holden took fourth and Birchall had cut Crowe's lead when the race was red-flagged following an accident involving Gary Horspole and Scott Parnell on this Sleaford Plant Hire LCR Honda, the luckless Horspole suffering a broken leg.

Crowe was delighted with the victory explaining: “We'd changed a few things on Sunday night, but without a warm-up on Monday, we just had to hope it was all for the better. It was great to take the win in front of such an appreciative crowd.”

Crowe now leads the championship on 70 points, one ahead of Birchall on 69 with Reeves on 50, narrowly ahead of Coombes 47, Dongworth 46, Holden 44 and Neary 43. Dean Henry and Ian Smith on the Magnam Racing Windle Suzuki were twelfth in race two but took the FII Cup honours for the third time in four races. They now lead that competition on 95 points from Stephen Kershaw and Robin Wilson riding the Blinkbonny Quarry LCR Suzuki on 76 and Dean Lindley and Mark Sayers aboard the Motorcycle Parts Leeds Bellas Yamaha on 58.

RESULTS: Race One, 15 Laps, 17.979 miles.

1. Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance (Suzuki) 83.00 mph.

2. Nick Crowe/Mark Cox (Honda)

3. Phil Dongworth/Gary Partridge (Honda)

4. Ben/Tom Birchall (Honda)

5. Simon Neary/Stu Bond (Suzuki)

6. Steve Coombes/Paul Knapton (Honda)

7. Roy Hanks/Dave Wells (Suzuki)

8. Ian/Carl Bell (Yamaha)

9. Wil Smith/Sean Starbuck (Honda)

10. Andy Laidlow/James Neave (Suzuki)

Fastest Lap: Birchall/Birchall 50.86 sec, 84.84 mph (Record)