Sidecar teams aiming to be this year’s SMCA British Clubman Sidecar Champions finally got their chance to race. After such a dismal start to the season, weather wise, the first round went ahead at Wattisfield Hall in Norfolk hosted by Diss MCC. The track was perfect, as was the weather, and the club put on a brilliant days racing.
An outstanding display of sidecar racing by local ‘boy’ Shaun Mallows saw him, with Steve Kirwin on the side; take a hat trick of holeshots and wins. Only once throughout the day’s three races did Mallows/Kirwin lose the lead and then only briefly!
Race 1 Mallows/Kirwin took the first corner with Tony Grahame/Scott Lloyd, Nick Bowers/Pete Batt and Steve/Chris Pannell in hot pursuit. It was not to be for Pannell/Pannell however who were forced to pull in with a constant misfire and their position was taken by their younger brother Jonathon Pannell/Ian Sheppard. Grahame/Lloyd caught up and passed Mallows/Kirwin only to be re-passed a quarter of a lap later having decided that a blocking manoeuvre wasn’t the most sensible option and settled for second! Bowers/Batt crossed the line for the first of their three third places with Pannell/Sheppard in fourth.
Mallows/Kirwin once again took the holeshot but this time were never troubled to the flag. The race was all about second with the battle between Bowers/Batt and Pannell/Pannell, who were flying after an engine change, very close for several laps. Team Pannell finally got by and set about storming after Mallows/Kirwin who by the last lap were firmly in their sights but the flag came out too early for them! Bowers/Batt took third and once again Pannell/Sheppard crossed the line in fourth. The race for Grahame/Lloyd was spectacular but for the wrong reasons! They came off a jump side by side with Arthur Walton/Faye Barnes and a mid air touch found Lloyd sprawled on the track and appearing to be hit by a following outfit. Grahame righted the sidecar and amazingly Lloyd jumped back on the side to the finish the race and still in the points!
With a hat trick of holeshots in the bag Mallows/Kirwin lead the way and began to pull away leaving Bowers/Batt and Pannell/Pannell once again to fight for second. At first they were spilt by Stephen Parr/Josh Haynes who were making up for a day of mixed fortunes. The three teams were close for a number of laps before Pannell/Pannell got up into third and set about claiming second, which they did before a couple more laps were out. This time however Mallows/Kirwin had pulled out too much of gap to be caught. Pannell/Sheppard were having a fine battle with Walton/Barnes and Wayne Delves/Darren Elcocks for fifth place but it was the Cornish crew of Delves/Elcocks who came out in front.
All in all an excellent days racing and big thanks to Diss MCC for making it happen. The teams now head to West Sussex for round 2 on 26th May but with Mallows not entered a change at the top of the standings is evitable.
Report and photos
Ann Reynolds