Daryl Blake Sidecar Championship Race Report

The final race of the meeting, the Daryl Blake Sidecar Championship. The Crowe brothers were first past the paddock on lap 1; but they were passed by Ben Birchall / Kevin Rousseau going into Ballakeighan. At Church Bends, Birchall / Rousseau had opened a lead of 2.1s as they flicked between the stone walls of the churchyard. The Crowe brothers; Pete Founds / Jevan Walmsley and Lee Crawford / Scott were in tight group. Tim Reeves / Mark Wilkes were fifth with newcomer Kieran Clarke / Andrew Johnson in sixth. Lap 2 saw the lead up to over 4 seconds as the leaders gave a masterclass; holding a tight line on a machine that looked like it was on rails. The Crowe brothers were 30m ahead of Founds / Walmsley, whose machine appeared to have sub-optimal handling. The top six was the same; Clarke / Johnson using half of the kerb on the inside of the right hand part of the S-bend. Reeves was soon to retire; the engine sounded like it was chewing gravel as it went away from Church. Crawford / Hardie were to suffer a similar fate on lap 5. Birchall / Rousseau continued untroubled; the Crowes had dropped to fourth on lap 4; presumably having run wide somewhere. On lap 5 the Crowe brothers were on a mission; they were just in front of the soon to retire Crawford / Hardie; who used most of the kerb on the inside of right hander. Birchall / Rousseau set a new outright lap record of 102.713mph on this lap to put the icing on their cake; whilst the Crowe brothers lapped at 102.237mph. On the final lap the Crowe brothers had closed to within 10m of Founds / Walmsley at Church and duly made the pass on the run to Stadium. The winning margin for Birchall / Rousseau was 7.328s; the Crowe brothers finished 0.546s ahead of Founds / Walmsley. Clarke / Johnson took a fine fourth, The Ramsdens took fifth; with Greg Lambert edging out Wayne / Lockey / Matthew Rostron for sixth.

So ended a superb day’s racing that brought thrills; spills and thankfully no serious injuries. The committee did a superb job to complete the programme. The marshals and paramedics; as always; did a wonderful job; without them there is no racing.

Words: Richard Radcliffe 

Image: Callum Staley