With a full house of eleven victories from as many starts, the Santander Salt pairing of Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement will arrive in Norfolk in record breaking form over the weekend of 10-11 September.

Two weeks ago, at Cadwell Park they demolished the lap record twice to confirm the fastest ever three wheeled lap time. It remains to be seen if they can manage the same at the very fast and technical Snetterton 300 track.

They now enjoy a commanding lead in the points table from Beverley based Sam and Tom Christie on the CES Yamaha. They in turn are well clear of a somewhat frustrated Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney (DHR/Express Tyre Services Yamaha) who have suffered one DNF and a mysterious loss of speed since double victory at Knockhill propelled them to the head of the standings. They vowed to be at Snetterton with a fresh attitude and a quicker engine, so let us watch with interest how and if that pledge is fulfilled.

Closing rapidly in fourth with a string of podium finishes are George Holden and Oscar Lawrence on their Holden Racing Kawasaki. Their speed has steadily increased over the season, but they still must find the top podium step.

One year ago, Ben and Tom Birchall were double winners on this track on their way to the title, but they have yet to register an attendance or any points in the series this season. That should change, as they have signalled their intention to compete, along with fellow Birchall Racing teamsters Craig Currie and Justin Sharpe. The grid is much stronger than in previous weeks anyway with some new names joining the fray. Dean Nicholls and Belgian passenger Ruben Janssens are back to see the year out, and former car racer Luke Williams is down to join in the action. World runners Kevin Cable and Charlie Richardson (L&W Contractors Yamaha) are also on the list of returning crews. The Snetterton circuit is a favourite with teams and spectators alike and at this crucial stage in the championship is bound to deliver great racing action.

Every round so far has been very close at the front, with great battles between the top four teams. Eurosport once again will cover both races either live TV or the Eurosport App.

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells

Just three weeks ago the Cadwell Sidecar Revival witnessed a dominant display by Santander Salt’s Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement as they took three out of three. They further increased their points lead two weeks ago at Thruxton. Now they’re back again at Ellis’s home circuit for what they hope will be more of the same August 27-29.

The twenty-seven-year-old and his French lady passenger hail from Market Rasen, and list Cadwell Park as their favourite UK circuit. Their most recent performance on the iconic track built by Howard Wilkinson was testament to that, as they swept away the 600cc and 1000cc lap records on their Yamaha to break new ground as the fastest ever Cadwell sidecar lap.

Their main opposition comes in the form of Sam and Tom Christie from Beverley on their CES Yamaha, and Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney on the DHR/Express Tyres Services Yamaha.

George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Holden Racing Kawasaki) have also grown in confidence, speed, and ability as the season progressed, resulting in a strong fourth place in the standings. They have profited by Blackstock’s misfortunes and are closing the gap race by race. Last time at Cadwell they achieved their first runner-up spot in the series, with just one more step to aim for on the podium.

The Christie brothers trail the leaders by twenty-five points, with Blackstock/Rosney a further twenty-six behind. With two races on the programme, and twenty-five points for each win, these are not insurmountable odds, and you can be assured the top four teams will be doing their utmost to gain those points.

Last time in Lincolnshire, Ben and Tom Birchall, along with Craig Currie/Justin Sharpe chose to use their short chassis F2 Hondas. If that situation is repeated, they are unlikely to be at the sharp end, but if they do appear on the long LCR’s then they will certainly be in the mix. Relative newcomers Simon Robinson and Mick Fairhurst sit fifth in the table ahead of Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde.

The sidecars are always immensely popular at Cadwell Park and there will be no shortage of entertainment on and off track. This round is important to all concerned as there is one more clash with the FIM series later in the year, taking Ellis/Clement out of the equation. At a time when sidecar racing – whilst one of the most fascinating mysteries of Motorsport – is going through something of a crisis, there will be a huge crowd, live Eurosport TV and a real party atmosphere at this traditional BSB holiday weekend.

If you can’t be there, you’re missing out, and if you can – well simply enjoy the occasion.

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells

The tropical conditions continued as the Molson Group sidecars arrived in Hampshire for the half-way mark in the 2022 season. This round is one of the toughest on the calendar due to the unforgiving speeds and cornering forces. This would prove to be a crucial test for the top runners, with Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement carrying an eleven-point lead over Sam/Tom Christie who in turn were a further sixteen points clear of Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney.

Qualifying

The one session went the way of the series leaders as expected. Ellis/Clement have earned the respect of the entire paddock and rightly so. The lap record held by Ben and Tom Birchall was bettered by the Santander salt duo on their way to pole position, but they would need to wait for the races to make it official. They set a time of 1.19.032 on lap two of the session and then sat back. Sam and Adam Christie got the better of Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney early on, with George Holden/Oscar Lawrence repeating the feat to lead row two. Rob Biggs and Simon Robinson were next, with Peach and Nicholls destined to fight from row four.

The back row contained Rupert Archer and new passenger Rhys Gibbons alongside the Hazbeans Yamaha of Hauxwell/Taylor.

Race One

As the crews lined up, Race Director Stuart Higgs made an impromptu visit to the grid and spoke quickly to every team with a safety message, basically giving them the chance to signal if they were in trouble with the extreme heat. As it happened, all teams went the distance except for Rob Biggs, who was still plagued with his mechanical woes and forced to retire at two thirds distance.

From the start, the Christie brothers grabbed the lead chased by Ellis/Clement. The CES Yamaha led lap one right to the final chicane, at which point, Ellis went ahead and held the lead throughout. Behind them, Blackstock/Rosney and Holden/Lawrence fought over the third place slot, with Holden gaining the advantage.

These four teams were ahead of Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst in fifth, and a great battle featuring Peach/Edwards, Nicholls/Janssens and Archer/Gibbons. This went all the way to the flag with a delighted Dean Nicholls getting the verdict.

The leading pair were still very close at half-distance as the Christie brothers kept the pressure on Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement. At one point approaching the end of the race they had narrowed the gap to under one second, but then Ellis responded.

There have been consistently fast, record-setting performances from Ellis/Clement on every stage they have performed this year. In doing so, they have pulled others with them to raise their game. The Christies have never gone faster (Tom was way ahead of previous Thruxton performances and into new territory), George Holden/Oscar Lawrence have exceeded anything they have ever done before, and apart from the unusual recent hiccups, Blackstock and Rosney are also very much on the pace. This year is going a bit wrong for them, but we have the second half of the season remaining.

At the flag, the lead gap was around six seconds, with Sam/Tom Christie keeping their challenge on target.

Result

1/ Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha)
2/ Sam/Tom Christie (Christie Engineering Services Yamaha)
3/ George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Holden Racing Kawasaki
4/ Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney (DHR/Express Tyre Services Yamaha)
5/ Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst (24 Seven Courier Service Yamaha)
6/ Dean Nicholls/Ruben Janssens (TSR Racing Honda)
7/ Andy Peach/Ken Edwards (Lifesafety Yamaha)
8/ Rupert Archer/Rhys Gibbons (Hannafin Adolf RS Yamaha),
9/ Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor (Vinyls 4U Adolf RS Yamaha).

Race two

The reverse grid rule often throws up some interesting situations and today was no exception. Blackstock/Rosney hit the front impressively with Ellis/Clement bogged down in fifth place into the complex. Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst and Andy Peach/Ken Edwards were in the early mix on lap one and literally the entire pack was bunched up and together into the chicane for the first time around. Blackstock made good his escape into lap two, as Ellis set about planning his out-braking move on Christie to propel himself and Emmanuelle to second place. George Holden was now fourth, with Robinson, Peach, and Rob Biggs line astern.

Blackstock/Rosney got cracking in a strong attempt to gap the championship leaders and they did a great job for three laps. Next time around, Ellis had made the move which we all saw coming, lapping with four tenths of the record to go ahead. That left Blackstock at the mercy of an advancing Sam Christie with brother Tom doing a great job on his baptism of fire at this formidable circuit.

Dean Nicholls was to survive just two laps after a collision with Craig Hauxwell, but the Hazbeans outfit battled on regardless, seemingly unaffected by the incident. Lap six and Biggs/Pitt were gone with yet another technical issue. The midnight oil will be copiously burned to get this bike sorted for Cadwell Park next time out.

At the front, the convoy had narrowed down to a battle for second place with the Christies climbing all over Blackstock/Rosney, and Holden/Lawrence waiting for their chance. It came in dramatic style when Sam Christie dived for the inside at the chicane. He made contact with Blackstock, pushing him sideways and wide. It was an unintentional and reasonable move, which simply did not come off. However, Blackstock was compromised and shoved wide. Race Direction took the view it was aggressive and penalised the Christie two seconds. This elevated George Holden to second place.

Down the field, most performances can be described as heroic given the conditions. Young Rhys Gibbons stayed the pace with Rupert Archer for seventh, Peach and Edwards had another finish for sixth, itself an achievement, Simon Robinson, again lonely in fifth racked up good points, with the top four positioned as described. Ellis/Clement once again displayed title-winning form to come away with maximum points.

Result

1/ Ellis/Clement
2/ Holden/Lawrence
3/ Christie/Christie
4/ Blackstock/Rosney,
5/ Robinson/Fairhurst
6/ Peach/Edwards
7/ Archer/Gibbons
8/ Hauxwell/Taylor

Standings

Ellis 225
Christie 200
Blackstock 174
Holden 143
Robinson 88
Archer 85
Hauxwell 75
Peach 58
Cable 47
Clarke 38
Kirby 35
Biggs 25

The next round is back at Cadwell Park 27-29 August at the big BSB weekend.

The Molson Group sidecars head for Hampshire over the weekend of August 12-14 at the mid-point of a topsy-turvy season.

Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney (DHR/Express Tyre Services Yamaha) had built a decent advantage going on to round three at Brands Hatch. A retirement cost them dear, compounded by double victory for Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement on the Santander Salt Yamaha. Last weekend, three more races at Cadwell Park Revival put a different complexion on the standings, with Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement emerging series leaders after ruling the roost with a devastating performance. They took three wins in Lincolnshire, smashing all known sidecar records along the way.

The Santander Salt duo also lead the World standings and will be away in Germany when this domestic series goes to Donington Park defending that lead. That is why they need another good weekend at Thruxton to get points in the bag ahead of that clash weekend in late September.

The Thruxton track is feared by sidecar passengers due to its outright high speed, grippy surface and enormous cornering forces. It will test the best, and last year, Ben and Tom Birchall emerged, after a tough battle, with double victory.

They, along with Craig Currie/Justin Sharpe, appeared for the first time this year at Cadwell Park last weekend on the F2 Honda TT spec machine but were ineligible for points. If their long bike is still not ready, the same could well apply at Thruxton. We are reliably informed the long bikes are on target to appear at Snetterton early September.

I sense this could be a pivotal round for those in contention, with Ellis/Clement in formidable form and Blackstock and Rosney, along with Sam and Tom Christie, on target for their best seasons yet. They have much to fight for and will not be holding back. Ellis/Clement are without doubt the in-form team, sweeping all before them this year, but this will be a new circuit for the French lady passenger, so that will be something of a challenge.

Ellis has an eleven-point lead over the Christies going into Thruxton, with Blackstock a further sixteen back, so with fifty up for grabs, anything could happen.

Neither should you discount George Holden and Oscar Lawrence. This young pair are not far off the top three and improving every week, claiming their first second place finish in race three Cadwell.

With half the season still to fight for and double points at the Brands Hatch finale, the next few weeks will be riveting, and it all starts at Thruxton this coming weekend.

Photo credit: Jenny “Triker” Wells

The weather was very kind, and the entry was superb across all classes for the fourth Cadwell Park Sidecar Revival. This Bemsee organised meeting is the only one outside of the British Superbike calendar and caters for all classes of sidecars ancient and modern.

Three races for the Molson Group F1 Championship with seventy-five points up for grabs were a meaningful target for all concerned, with Ben and Tom Birchall making their first appearance in the series this year. Both they and Craig Currie/Justin Sharpe were out on their short chassis TT Honda engine projectiles. They would not be eligible to take points however, due to their technical specification, and chose to compete in the FSRA F2 category. Todd Ellis had a degree of experimentation with the new Ryde F1 chassis, putting it through its paces extensively in Friday testing with great success. This was home ground for Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement, and they would be going for it as usual. Trying to stop them would be the top two crews in the series, Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney and Sam/Tom Christie.

Qualifying

Saturday dawned with glorious sunshine from the word go, with just one session scheduled for late morning. Todd Ellis popped out in the Bemsee session with the Ryde F1, posting a best time of 1.36.6, a clear six seconds ahead of the closest club outfit.

In the session proper, the Anglo-French par did the same again but this time on the LCR, circulating at sub-lap record pace ahead of Sam/Tom Christie and the series leaders Blackstock/Rosney. Just behind came George Holden/Oscar Lawrence who were easily the best of the rest, two seconds clear of Rob Biggs and new passenger Jason Pitt. They in turn, were well ahead of Kevin Cable/Chaz Richardson and Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde.

Race One

A flying start took the pole sitters into an immediate lead at Coppice with Blackstock/Rosney in close company from the Christie brothers and Holden/Lawrence. Then came Rob Biggs and Jason Pitt and Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst.

The top three broke away in perfect track conditions, opening a slight gap back to the Holden/Lawrence Kawasaki. These four outfits were steadily pulling away with Ellis/Clement easing out a slight edge on lap two.

Then Sam/Tom Christie were on the back of the Express Tyre Services Yamaha, with Blackstock suffering from tyre degradation. They had a moment on the grass and never felt safe thereafter. They simply lost confidence in the feel, lost their speed, and dropped to third, never to recover. Ellis/Clement meanwhile, set a new race lap record of 1.32.099 on lap four and headed the Christies home over the ten laps.

The pace was fierce, and the improvement in lap times by Ellis, Christie and Blackstock before his tyres went off was remarkable. Holden too has steadily gained pace and smoothness. Further down the order, Biggs and Robinson were enjoying their own scrap, with Kevin Cable/Charlie Richardson pulling a gap on Archer. Andy Peach and Ken Edwards sported new Gulf livery and spent the race fighting off Craig Clarke/Peter Ensor, eventually losing out. The Hazbeans duo of Hauxwell and Taylor had another enjoyable outing to claim more points.

Result

1/ Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha)
2/ Sam Christie/Tom Christie (CES Yamaha)
3/ Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney (Express Tyre Services Yamaha)
4/ George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Holden Racing Kawasaki),
5/ Rob Biggs/Jason Pitt (Santander Salt Yamaha)
6/ Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst (24 Seven Courier Service Yamaha)
7/ Kevin Cable/Charlie Richardson (L&W Contractors Yamaha)
8/ Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde (Hannafin Yamaha RSR)
9/ Craig Clarke/Peter Ensor (Centurion Yamaha)
10/ Andy Peach/Ken Edwards (Lifesafety Yamaha)
11/ Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor (Hazbeans Yamaha).

Race Two

It was more of the same this time around in terms of glorious sunshine, with Blackstock/Rosney sporting new rubber. They had a flying start fired up with determination with Ellis/Clement in second and the Christies third ahead of Holden/Lawrence. The lead was short-lived however, as Ellis shot the Yamaha past on the opening lap. From then on, he and his lady passenger just piled on the coals, setting yet another lap record of 1.31.617 on lap two. This surpassed the previous 1000cc record held by Tim Reeves, so the World Championship leaders were clearly setting new standards in 2022. The battle for second place raged between Blackstock/Rosney and the CES Christie brother’s Yamaha, with Blackstock slipping back to third.

Behind came Holden/Lawrence again, closing a little on Blackstock towards the end of the race. Next was a fine fifth throughout by Simon Robinson and Mick Fairhurst celebrating his 2021 “passenger of the year” award presented the previous evening. Their result put them fifth in the standings after race two.

Kevin Cable fought a race-long duel with Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde ahead of Clarke and Hauxwell. It was retirement for both Andy Peach and Rob Biggs who was suffering with a distinct lack of engine performance as the race wore on. It is hard to see any answers for the devastating speed of Ellis/Clement. With one more race to go here, and Thruxton coming up, they were moving towards a strong series challenge.

Result

1/ Ellis/Clement
2/ Christie/Christie
3/ Blackstock/Rosney
4/ Holden/Lawrence,
5/ Robinson/Fairhurst
6/ Cable/Richardson
7/ Archer/Hyde
8/ Clarke/Ensor,
9/ Hauxwell/Taylor

Race Three

The heat had gone up considerably ahead of the final outing with Ellis again almost making the best of the pole position start. He shot off the line but was beaten into Charlies by Blackstock/Rosney, with George Holden/Oscar Lawrence third and fighting. The Christie boys were fourth, but eager and desperate to get back in touch. Lap two, and Holden/Lawrence were not about to give their second spot away, with Blackstock/Rosney nipping at their heels, and the frustrated Christies stuck in fourth. As Ellis/Clement gave a masterful display on the singing Yamaha, the trio behind circulated lap after lap in close formation with Holden looking strong, if a little under pressure.

Robinson/Fairhurst were next, ahead of a despondent Rob Biggs/Jason Pitt. These crews have the speed when all is well, but the bikes were simply not playing ball in this final outing. Both were eventually to retire towards the end of the race on laps seven and eight respectively. The field was now down to eight finishers with Andy Peach/Ken Edwards already non-starters in this one. A gleeful Kevin Cable/Chaz Richardson who had spent the entire race defending another challenge from Archer/Hyde, found themselves in fifth with more solid points. Rupert Archer is another competitor who, by sheer doggedness and consistency, is now placed fifth in the standings just two points ahead of relative newcomers Robinson/Fairhurst. But for their retirement, they would have been in that position.

At the front the battle raged into the final two laps with Ellis/Clement now twenty seconds clear of the trio behind. Blackstock/Rosney were down to fourth with the Christies climbing all over George Holden/Oscar Lawrence on the Holden Racing Kawasaki.

Then the inevitable happened approaching the mountain section before the final lap. A coming together between third and fourth saw the Christies emerge with wheel arch damage and a smoking tyre, whilst Blackstock/Rosney appeared later. They were still fourth, but the chance had gone. Holden/Lawrence meanwhile were cock-a-hoop with their best result at this level.

This championship might have been missing some top names early in the season, but those teams who have turned up and supported the series, have had good racing, and found reward for their efforts.

As for Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement, they are simply in a special pace at this precise moment and few, with any honest knowledge of this sport, could possibly argue with that.

Result

1/ Ellis/Clement
2/ Holden/Lawrence
3/ Christie/Christie
4/ Blackstock/Rosney,
5/ Cable/Richardson
6/ Archer/Hyde
7/ Clarke/Ensor
8/ Hauxwell/Taylor

Standings

Ellis/Clement 175
Christie/Christie 164
Blackstock/Rosney 148,
Holden/Lawrence 107
Archer/Hyde 68
Robinson/Fairhurst 66
Hauxwell/Taylor 60
Cable/Richardson 47
Peach/Edwards 40
Clarke/Ensor 38
Kirby/Kirby 35

After much consideration (and the onset of old age) I have decided to hang up my boots at the end of the year.

We have had a good run from the conception in 2010 with Thundersport right through to 2022 with BSB.

My thanks go out to all those people who have helped over the years to put the show on the road. In particular, Mike Dommett and his BEMSEE team, Barry Nutley, Glenn Walsh, Darren Philpott, Gary Bryan, Jane Haselden and Stuart Higgs at MSV and all of his team.

I will also be disbanding our team (Santander Salt) and again many thanks go out to all theriders we have had at the team and the team helpers. We will obviously be finishing the year, and look forward to the continued success of Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement with back up from Rob Biggs team. We also have an interest with Jack Nixon in the FHO Team, again we will continue to support him.

I know there are many people in the wings looking to continue and improve on the series and I wish them every success in the future.

Roger Body

An eclectic mix of competitors made for a very interesting grid at Brands Hatch for the third round. From World and British Championship regulars and series leaders for both series, to new names and wild cards testing the water for the first time, the weekend was always going to have an unknown flavour. Certain predictions were inevitable, but equally there were surprises along the way.

For the first time ever, the Santander Salt team featured two lady passengers, as Sarah Stokoe joined Rob Biggs alongside Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement. Sarah is well known in the sidecar world, partly as George Holden’s partner, but also for her exploits alongside multiple TT winner Rob Fisher in classic racing.

A newcomer to the series was Bemsee Championship runner Luke Williams with Jason Pitt alongside, running very well inside the top ten in free practice.

The feeder system in identifying new talent at club level has once again provided strong candidates for the higher order. Williams, at thirty years of age, already has over twenty years of kart and motor racing experience behind him. He follows his father into the world of three wheels. Bemsee F1 series leader Gordon Pottinger/David Dodd were another crew to step up and try their hand at a new level.

Qualifying

Just as the session got underway, rain started falling, catching out a couple of outfits on the opening lap. Gordon Pottinger collected a spinning Craig Clarke, with Pottinger’s passenger David Dodd suffering concussion and an overnight hospital stay for observation. All teams came back to pit-lane or the paddock to change tyres causing a further delay to proceedings. The resumption of qualifying left ten minutes on the clock, with Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde setting the early standard. Ellis/Clement got stuck in and shot to the head of the times, with a respectable 1.47.348 given the conditions.

Blackstock and Rosney then took control at the front, with Kershaw/Charlwood rushing to change tyres in pit lane, vainly trying to get one lap in. A red flag brought it to a close, with Kershaw unable to complete his lap. He would now start from the back of the grid. Conditions were against them
today, but not so the series leaders. Blackstock and Rosney would start from pole position, ahead of Ellis/Clement and the Christie brothers from George Holden on row two.

Race One

The blue sky was back for Saturday morning with warm-up scheduled for midday and race one late afternoon. It was to be hoped the weather would hold and the prognosis was good. It was indeed hot stuff when the lights went out and the pack streamed into Paddock Hill Bend. Blackstock and Rosney got the initial drop, but Ellis/Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha) dived up the inside and took control. They were never to look back, breaking the lap record in the process of building an eight second lead over the twelve laps. Behind them, Sam and Tom Christie (CES Yamaha) fought tooth and nail with Blackstock/Rosney before the Express Tyres Services Yamaha pair pulled a gap. By the end of lap one Rob Biggs/Sarah Stokoe were out after an incident at Stirlings. Further down the order, Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood had a problem from the start and ran wide at Paddock Hill Bend, so their race was over too. There appeared to be an electrical fault on the Quattro Yamaha which remained undiagnosed late into the evening. The rate of attrition in the early laps was high, accounting for three teams in the early stages. As Ellis/Clement marched on at the front, the Christies had a good scrap with Blackstock/Rosney until the red “ninety-five” bike let go and was also out with a blown engine. This allowed George Holden/Oscar Lawrence to grab their third consecutive podium spot, and a delighted Luke Williams/Jason Pitt moved into fourth in their debut Championship race.

Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst, Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde and Martin Kirk/Kyle Masters all scrapped throughout, with Robinson claiming fifth. Kevin Cable/Chaz Richardson had a solid ride to eighth in their first appearance in this title chase this year ahead of an entertaining battle between the Haz Beans Yamaha of Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor and Craig Clarke/Peter Ensor. Shawn and Anthony Hildidge claimed the final points in ninth.

Total retirements included Peach/Edwards with another mysterious electrical fault, Biggs/Stokoe, Blackstock/Rosney and Kershaw/Charlwood.

Result

1/Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha)
2/Sam Christie/Tom Christie (CES Yamaha)
3/George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Holden Racing Kawasaki)
4/Luke Williams/Jason Pitt (WSRT Yamaha)
5/Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst (24 Seven Courier Service Yamaha)
6/Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde (Hannifin RS Yamaha)
7/Martin Kirk/Kyle Masters (MK Racing Yamaha)
8/Kevin Cable/Charlie Richardson (L&W Contractors Yamaha)
9/Craig Clarke/Peter Ensor (Centurion Packaging Honda)
10/Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor (Haz Beans Yamaha)
11/Shawn/Anthony Hildidge (H&K Racing Yamaha)

Race Two

Warm-up set the scene on another beautifully sunny day, with the race scheduled late morning. Rob Biggs had drafted in Adam Christie alongside, so needed to get his three laps in. Kershaw’s problem appeared sorted he ran third fastest to Ellis but would start from the back of the grid. The Christie brothers were on top of warm-up times. A reverse grid once again was entertaining with Hauxwell/Taylor on pole, and three of the top four crews right at the back.

From the lights, the two front row crews Hauxwell and Clarke were under pressure, first from Kevin Cable/Chaz Richardson, and then by Sam/Tom Christie. The Christie boys had started alongside Todd Ellis but made a better job of hitting the front. This they did on lap one, and immediately pulled a three second lead over the pack. Ellis/Clement conversely, were almost on the grass into turn one from the lights, and then had a fight to get past Holden/Lawrence. By lap two they had made it through, but Sam and Tom Christie were flying, holding the lead for four laps. Wild card and new kid on the block Luke Williams with Jason Pitt in the hot seat was fourth on lap one behind Holden/Lawrence but quickly fell victim to the charging Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood, who earlier had claimed the scalp of Blackstock/Rosney. The series leaders coming to Brands were not having the best of days by their high standards. Deep into what was a fantastic race, Ellis/Clement were away with it, not quite bettering their new lap record set earlier, but still faster than the 2021 time set by Ben and Tom Birchall.

Further down, a great ride by Martin Kirk/Kyle Masters saw them move from eighth to fifth at the flag in Kirk’s first ride for well over a year. Simon Robinson headed Rupert Archer, from Kevin Cable and the original front row occupants Hauxwell and Clarke. Ellis’s winning margin at the flag was three seconds over Kershaw/Charlwood who were just happy to know their mysterious gremlins had gone away. Third place for the Christies moved them further ahead in the tile chase. Rob Biggs and Adam Christie had an issue which put them into the pits, but they re-joined to finish in twelfth place behind Shawn/Anthony Hildidge.

Result

1/Ellis/Clement
2/Kershaw/Charlwood
3/Christie/Christie
4/Blackstock/Rosney
5/Kirk/Masters
6/Robinson/Fairhurst
7/Archer/Hyde
8/Cable/Richardson
9/Hauxwell/Taylor
10/ Clarke/Ensor
11/Hildidge/Hildidge
12/Biggs/Christie
DNF – Holden/Lawrence lap 9
Williams/Pitt lap 8

Standings

Christie 108
Blackstock 103
Ellis 100
Holden 61
Robinson 45
Archer 41
Hauxwell 40
Kirby 35
Peach 34
J Holden 22
Kirk 21
Kershaw 20
Cable 17
Biggs 14

The next round comes from the Cadwell Sidecar Revival August 6-8.

Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney head for Kent with a sizeable series lead over Sam and Tom Christie after double victory in Scotland on the DHR/Express Tyres Services Yamaha. This is the first time they have found themselves in this position and will be very keen to preserve the margin against all odds.

It will not be an easy task, as FIM World Championship leaders Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement are fresh from Croatia and will be aiming to double their current tally of British points for the Santander Salt Yamaha team.

We have yet to see Ben and Tom Birchall in action this year, but they are entered at Brands Hatch hoping to open their score in style, along with Birchall Racing team-mates Craig Currie and Justin Sharpe. Both crews have had a slow start to the domestic scene having focussed on a successful Isle of Man TT.

Sam and Tom Christie (CES Yamaha) sit second in the title chase twenty-two points ahead of Ellis/Clement who claimed a maximum fifty points in the opening Oulton Park round. The Christie brothers from Beverley were also in World action recently in Croatia and are currently in top form, so they will expect to be in the big numbers.

George Holden and Oscar Lawrence are fourth in the table after two podiums in Knockhill and will be rueing their DNF in the opening race of the season at Oulton Park. But for that, they would almost certainly be ahead of Ellis coming here to Kent.

The full entry list is still taking shape as I write, and there might well be one or two surprises.

The Grand Prix circuit at Brands is very popular with the sidecar crews, and Pilgrims Drop is the fastest part of the lap. With one race on Saturday and another Sunday, there are fifty points up for grabs for the double win. Will there be any takers? One thing you can be sure of is there will be no shortage of teams trying their luck.

Eurosport are providing their usual live coverage, with our regular highlights package available later on www.britishsidecarchampionship.co.uk. Make sure you stay across all the action as it happens, or better still, find your way to Brands Hatch for a summer festival of racing.

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells

As the southern half of the UK basked in Mediterranean temperatures, Fife was a total contrast, with a very wet opening day on Friday.

A relatively small entry was amplified by a clash with the FIM World Championship in Hungary which kept the series leaders Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement away. Tim Reeves/Kevin Rousseau also signalled a late change of plan and were not present, along with double TT winners Ben and Tom Birchall. This left the door well and truly open for others to capitalise.

The invitation was gleefully accepted, with some serious fighting at the front for  the big points. Making a one-off return was Stuart Clark, who accompanied Steve Kershaw to the 2018 title. He jumped in with Simon Robinson for a one-off appearance, and the pair did pretty well once they had adjusted to each other. Free practice saw Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney run at the front, with Sam Christie giving brother Tom only his second trip out at Knockhill ahead of Phil Bell and his cousin Carl on the Marin Motorsport Yamaha.

Qualifying

The weather had improved significantly ahead of the only timed session. The sun  was out although there was a very stiff breeze in the backs of the crews as they came up from the hairpin and away over the start-finish line.

The Christie brothers Sam and Tom made the early running, but it was not long before Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney on the DHR/Express Tyre Services Yamaha made their presence felt at the front.

They opened a slight advantage, with Simon Robinson and Stuart Clark sitting third. Once ahead, Blackstock/Rosney were never to let the lead slip, making pole position theirs in fine style. Locals Lewis Nicol and Rhys Gibbon were mid-pack behind Scottish Championship rivals Phil and Carl Bell. In fourth, halfway through the session were George Holden and Oscar Lawrence, with every chance of grabbing a podium at this event. That possibility was reinforced as they moved third with seven minutes remaining. Simon Robinson fought back to reclaim third place however, as the Christies tried to close down Blackstock/Rosney. Paul and Tom Kirby went seventh fastest, underlining their steady improvement, with Andy Peach/Ken Edwards, Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde and Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor on the Hazbeans Adolf RS Yamaha completing the grid.

Race One

Late in the day, with a low sun, there was a good crowd of sidecar fans staying for what would be a welcome move to three-wheeled action. Would there be a new series leader at the end of the race? There was every chance, and
away they went for fifteen hectic laps.

Blackstock/Rosney led the charge off the line into Duffus Dip with the Christie brothers and Simon Robinson/Stuart Clark neck and neck behind. Next came George Holden/Oscar Lawrence looking left and right for a way through. Phil and Carl Bell were also tucked in behind. These five outfits circulated in close formation with Blackstock easing a small gap on lap two. Equally, Sam and Tom Christie had a small cushion over a lot of action behind. George Holden eventually muscled the Kawasaki past Robinson, who seemed to be in handling trouble, taking to the grass and gravel exiting Leslie’s. It later transpired that his bike for some reason had become almost unrideable, eventually spitting Stuart Clark out. They would need to sort the problems before race two.

Further down the order, young Scotsman Lewis Nicol was having a great ride chasing down his local championship rival Phil Bell and Andy Peach/Ken Edwards. Phil Bell had to pit late in the race with Carl suffering from arm-pump. He was dejected and very disappointed but determined to make the grid for race two. It was to be a fine fourth place for the Nicol/Gibbon pairing in only their second British Championship race.

Race leaders Blackstock/Rosney were away with it, posting a time just seven tenths outside Todd Ellis’s lap record, so clearly were in form. Peach/Edwards, Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde and Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor had their own fun further down the field, but Peach was rewarded with fifth.

Result

1/ Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney (DHR/Express Tyre Services Yamaha)
2/ Sam/Tom Christie (CES Yamaha)
3/ George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Holden Racing Kawasaki)
4/ Lewis Nicol/Rhys Gibbon (Nicol Racing Yamaha)
5/ Andy Peach/Ken Edwards (Lifesafety Yamaha)
6/ Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde (Hannafin Adolf RS Yamaha)
7/ Paul/Tom Kirby (Adolf RS Yamaha)
8/ Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor (Adolf RS Hazbeans Yamaha).

Race Two

The reverse grid was always going to be interesting into Duffus Dip and we were not disappointed. Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor were keen not to repeat their Oulton Park antics as they headed off from pole position.

They did a good job on the opening lap, but George Holden/Oscar Lawrence were on them, as indeed were the Christies. Blackstock/Rosney had a heart-stopping moment after the first warm-up lap with a dead engine. They pushed off the grid and onto the grass, only for it to fire up again. The second warm-up lap gave them the breathing space to take their place.

They had a harder fight through but made it on lap three to take the lead, Behind them however, there was lots going on. Simon Robinson had his handling sorted, and he and Stuart Clark were fighting hard, as indeed was Phil Bell. Carl was in better shape this time and they had a good race.

The Bell pairing claimed fourth place when the rear tyre of Robinson’s outfit failed on the final lap. Knockhill was a weekend to forget for Robinson and Clark. Young Lewis Nicol/Rhys Gibbon enjoyed a good scrap with Andy Peach/Ken Edwards behind the Bell outfit, and Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde stayed ahead of Paul/Tom Kirby. The Gloucester duo have been steadily improving, are consistent, and the standings reflect their efforts.

Archer and Hyde enjoyed their weekend in Scotland picking up twenty-one points for their trouble. Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor, from pole position, slipped to the back of the field, but smiling faces in the “Hazbeans Racing” camp told a great story. Who knows, if there had been prize money, Craig might even have bought some razor blades!!!

At the flag, Blackstock/Rosney had a two second edge over Sam and Tom Christie, getting to within seven tenths of Todd Ellis’s lap record. Holden/Lawrence were again on the podium in third and that was good to see. Events conspired against a strong entry here, but the ten crews present put on a good show, throwing the title race wide open. When the big guns return from foreign parts, the title race will be very interesting with Brands Hatch next up.

Result

1/ Blackstock/Rosney
2/ Christie/Christie
3/ Holden/Lawrence
4/ Bell/Bell
5/ Peach Edwards
6/ Nicol/Gibbon
7/ Archer/Hyde,
8/ Kirby/Kirby
9/ Hauxwell/Taylor

Standings

Blackstock 90
Christie 72
Ellis 50
Holden 45
Kirby 35
Peach 34
Hauxwell 26
J. Holden 22
Robinson 22
Archer 21
Bell 13
Biggs 10

Round Three comes from Brands Hatch July 22-24.

The Isle of Man TT has come and gone, the FIM World Championship has seen three rounds of great action involving last year’s top four teams, and now it is time to resume the domestic series at the popular Fife circuit of Knockhill.

Paddy Rosney must surely be to amass as many points as possible in the absence of series leaders Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement. The Santander Salt duo will be defending their fourteen-point lead in the FIM World Championship in Hungary, leaving the door open for others to capitalise.

The Birchall Brothers Ben and Tom were early entries in Scotland, with their focus being to retain their British title. For 2022 they also plan to contest selected World rounds, but having missed just the Oulton Park opener, the appeal to stay at home is obvious. That opinion is shared by Birchall Racing team-mates Craig Currie and Justin Sharpe, although a good appearance at the Estoril World finale last season whetted their appetites for more international action.

Back here, the British title race looks strong, with any number of fast, reliable teams able to score consistently at every round. Most prolific of those are, as stated, Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney. The DHR/Express Tyre Services Rishton based pair have shown a great ability to run at the front and mix it with just about anyone. Their time as a team over several seasons has resulted in a good understanding and mutual desire to win. They could easily be dark horses for a debut title if they finish every race strongly. Twice runners-up at Oulton gave them a great start in that regard. Santander Salt’s Rob Biggs/Jeroen Schmitz will defend team honours in Scotland and have a good record on the Knockhill circuit. John Holden and Jason Pitt ran their TT outfit at Oulton Park, with a question mark over future appearances on the long chassis. Nonetheless, they emerged fourth overall, just ten points behind Sam and Tom Christie. The Beverley brothers are regular front runners with the potential to spring a surprise at season end.

Previously there were no planned British Championship appearances for either Tim Reeves or Steve Kershaw, both choosing to focus on either the World Championship, or in the case of Reeves, Germany. That is where his sponsor is active, so it made commercial, if not sporting sense to stay in his back garden.

However, a late entry will now see the eight-times World Champion line up on the grid in Scotland. The lure of real competition against top line rivals is surely what all top sportsmen and women aspire to and relish? One thing is for sure, we now have greater strength in depth at our disposal than for many years. The prospect of most of those main British crews getting stuck in at Knockhill will indeed be a sight to behold.

There are also some new names earning reputations this season, and they will be in Scotland enhancing those credentials. Simon Robinson, former F2 Champion has taken to the long bike well, with Mick Fairhurst doing a
great job alongside. George Holden and Oscar Lawrence have moved to Kawasaki power and claimed a fourth place at Oulton Park after a race one DNF spoiled their day. Cupar’s Lewis Nicol and Rhys Gibbon wave the Saltire for Scotland and must surely know their way round Knockhill.

​The opening two races of the 2022 season at a packed Oulton Park gave the spectators good value for money, despite a reduced grid size. Clashes with other events diluted the normally strong attendance. However, it was clear to see the crowds were delighted to be back trackside at BSB, with its full programme of support classes.

Following free practice in which Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement set quickest time on the Santander Salt Yamaha, the sunny conditions which prevailed for two days prior, turned into a grey day with spots of rain in the air just as the outfits rolled out for qualifying.

Thirteen crews were entered, with a good bunch of fast boys intending to give Ellis a run for his money. Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney and Sam/Tom Christie (CES Yamaha) were second and third quickest, with George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Kawasaki LCR) running a strong fourth. John Holden/Jason Pitt were impressive on their TT F2 chassis with a standard specification motor fitted. Gary Bryan and Phil Hyde were another crew
bedding in their TT LCR Honda, looking not in the slightest rusty.

Qualifying

From the word go, despite tricky conditions, Ellis/Clement were in attack mode, with the Christie brothers giving it their best shot. The race lap-record set by Ben and Tom Birchall last season was the benchmark, and the World Series leaders surpassed that on lap six. A time of 1.43.644 was two tenths inside the record, and that was on a cold and very slightly damp track, which the French lady was seeing for the first time. Behind them, the Christie brothers and Blackstock/Rosney were strong, with George Holden/Oscar Lawrence marginally quicker than Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley on their Rowtech Honda. Always a force to be reckoned with, Pete Founds was his usual determined self.

Rob Biggs and Jeroen Schmitz suffered head gasket failure, with Paul/Tom Kirby out of action with suspected clutch problems on their KRT Racing Yamaha Adolf RS. Both crews were busy in the garage at the close of play, and would do their best to make the grid for the opening race, albeit from the back. So, the front row featured Ellis/Clement and Blackstock/Rosney, from Sam/Tom Christie and George Holden/Oscar Lawrence, then came F2 rivals Founds/Walmsley and Holden/Pitt, with row four carrying Andy Peach/Ken Edwards and Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst.

Two ten lap races were scheduled, so there was plenty of opportunity to grab big points. Given there were a couple of clashes between World and British title fights, it was imperative that Todd Ellis scored as many as possible here at the opener.

Race One

Overnight rain fell, but by the time the outfits arrived at the line, the track had seen hectic British Superbike action dry the track. Pole sitters Ellis/Clement got a flyer, chased by Blackstock/Rosney. The Christies were up into third and there they stayed. The speed differential between them and Blackstock was tight but overtaking on the Oulton Park circuit is not easy. Next came Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley. The leading F2 outfit was hassled in the early laps by a hard charging George Holden/Oscar Lawrence.

There was a new level of determination from the former Bemsee champions, and their bike was fast. They swarmed all over Founds/Walmsley until the 600 Kawasaki let go in a big way, breaking a con-rod. The dry sump configuration contained the oil in the tank, so there was no contamination to the track. That left Pete Founds to make fourth place his, ahead of John Holden/Jason Pitt, who with their standard engine, claimed the fourth place points.

Shawn and Anthony Hildige had a hairy moment exiting Old Hall on lap three, slamming the Armco barrier at 115 MPH before spinning and throwing Anthony from the chair. They were lucky not to go in head-on. This ended their day. Another rare, if not unique situation saw Phil Hyde exit Gary Bryan’s Honda, only to jump straight back in and claim a ninth- place finish.

Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst made great strides from a pit-lane start to overhaul Andy Peach/Ken Edwards for sixth place, with Rob Biggs/Jeroen Schmitz still with coolant trouble, not completing a lap. Tom Kirby was feeling the effects of no track-time and found Oulton Park almost a bridge too far in race one, but after a good night’s sleep, had his head in a better place for race two. Nonetheless, they were credited with a finish and points. This pair of Kirbys are committed to the season, and simply need to be more on the bike. Lap times were good, and all the signs are there. They were up there with Craig Hauxwell and Gary Bryan, so they can take encouragement from that.

At the front, Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement were cruising, but banged in a new lap record on their way to victory. They were half a second quicker than Ben and Tom Birchall were this time last year. Blackstock/Rosney and the Christie brothers completed the podium with polished displays.

Result

1/ Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha)
2/ Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney (DHR/Express Tyre Services Yamaha)
3/ Sam Christie/Adam Christie (Christie Engineering Services Yamaha)
4/ Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (Rowtech Honda F2)
5/ John Holden/Jason Pitt (Barnes Racing Yamaha F2)
6/ Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst (24/7 Courier Service Yamaha)
7/ Andy Peach/Ken Edwards (Lifesafety Yamaha)
8/ Craig Hauxwell/Derek Taylor (VINYLS 4U Adolf RS Yamaha)
9/ Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde (GBR Honda LCR)
10/ Paul Kirby/Tom Kirby (KRT Racing Yamaha)

Race Two

In keeping with tradition, the reverse grid saw Paul and Tom Kirby on pole position alongside Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde. The first few laps were spectacular, in fact the action surpassed the first race in terms of entertainment. Craig Hauxwell and Derek Taylor went onto the grass at Cascades on lap one, spinning on the gravel and ending up capsized. Neither was hurt, dented pride being the only affliction. Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley were not about to pass up the chance of having top crews behind and led after lap one from Blackstock/Rosney and Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde. Todd Ellis was fifth but on a charge. He was soon up with the leaders and went ahead on lap three.

He and Clement were never to look back, setting another new lap record in the process. They came to within one second of Tim/Tristan Reeves 1000cc best from 2017 with a time of 1.42.987.

Sam/Tom Christie’s Yamaha was the fastest through the speed traps, and testament to their engineering skills. They fought from eighth on lap one to third at the flag, although it took them five laps to muscle past Pete Founds. Rob Biggs/Jeroen Schmitz spun the other Santander Salt bike, but given the way their weekend had gone, were more than happy to recover and claim ten valuable points. Once the Christies had dispensed with Pete Founds, it was the turn of George Holden/Oscar Lawrence to tangle with the F2 star. Lap after lap he was hassled and harried, but only succumbed in the closing stages, as the youngsters shot by on the final lap. This scrap, with Holden junior using the spare engine – in his own words “an old motor”, was almost the highlight of the race.

Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst did another great job, bringing it home in sixth, ahead of Biggs and John Holden/Jason Pitt on their resplendent TT bike. Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde, along with pole men the battling Kirbys, completed the top ten, with another eight championship points going to the latter crew. They emerged from Oulton in sixth place overall – get in!!!

Andy Peach/Ken Edwards, after scoring well in the opener, were deemed non-finishers along with Hauxwell/Taylor. All in all, given the shortage of entries due to alternative event clashes and TT preparation, the racing was good, if a little eventful, with the Ellis/Clement bringing their World series class to bear in emphatic style.

Result

1/ Ellis/Clement
2/ Blackstock/Rosney
3/ Christie/Christie
4/ Holden/Lawrence
5/ Founds/Walmsley
6/ Robinson/Fairhurst
7/Biggs/Schmitz
8/ Holden/pit
9/ Bryan/Hyde
10/ Kirby/Kirby

Standings

Ellis/Clement 50
Blackstock/Rosney 40
Christie/Christie 32
Holden/Pitt 22
Robinson/Fairhurst 22
Kirby/Kirby 16
Holden/Lawrence 13
Biggs/Schmitz 10
Peach/Edwards 10
Hauxwell/Taylor 9

Round Two comes from north of the border at Knockhill, Fife, June 17-19.

The way time is running, we will be into full swing with racing action before we know it. Our season kicks off at Oulton Park, with Knockhill and Brands Hatch the next up. It is then off to Cadwell Park for the excitement and spectacle of the Sidecar Revival Festival.

The early August date is guaranteed to appeal to all sidecar fans, who have demonstrated in previous years how much they welcome the variety of outfits and personalities on show.

Given the difficult circumstances surrounding the past two seasons, we are determined to make this the best Revival ever, and for that reason we urge all owners of modern, classic, and period sidecar outfits to enter or become involved. There are classes for virtually all types of racing outfits from F1 British Championship spec. machinery to the grass roots bikes in the BHR Bears category.

If there is no specific class available for your machine in terms of actual competition then why not come along and join in the parades. This event has become a standard in the annual calendar with stars from far and wide joining in the fun.

Entries for the event are open and there is already strong interest, but the more the merrier, and we are keen to make this another memorable event. If you’ve registered before on the Bemsee website, then just go to www.bemsee.net and click on “Race Entries”.

If you are a new entry for the Revival you will need to register on the site and then will be free to enter the meeting.

Molson Championship dates are as below.

With all eyes on a full Molson Group British Championship in 2022, it’s important to note the fourth round will be at the popular and now well-established Cadwell Park Sidecar Revival.

This event has become a favourite with teams and spectators alike, and with restrictions imposed by two years of pandemic now easing, the entry is expected to be bigger than ever.

Classes over the weekend are as before, with the FSRA British F2’s and Wintec Pre-Injection brigade featuring strongly. Bemsee F1 and F2 outfits add to the spectacle, along with the ever popular and thunderous Camathias Cup and BHR Bears outfits completing the supporting line-up.

Grand Prix Legends and historic outfits will parade as before, with several former World Champions appearing in person.

Add to this the Molson Group Championship runners with the series at the half-way stage and this is bound to be another memorable weekend.

Entries for the event are already open. If you’ve registered before on the Bemsee website, then just go to www.bemsee.net and click on “Race Entries”.

If you are a new entry for the Revival you will need to register on the site and then will be free to enter the meeting.

Molson Championship dates are as below.

Santander Salt Racing announces new initiative with FHO Racing putting Ellis, Biggs and Nixon in FHO colours. Roger Body with his Santander Salt Racing team has forged a new collaborative agreement with Faye Ho and her FHO Racing Team.

Faye’s prominence in the BSB paddock continues apace announcing that Pirelli Junior Superstock Champion Jack Nixon will step up to ride for the FHO Racing Team in the Pirelli National Superstock class on a BMW M1000RR machine.

The 20-year-old from Folkestone took seven victories and a further five podiums on his way to last year’s title riding the Santander Salt Yamaha R6 courtesy of Roger Body’s Kent-based operation. Alongside his significant commitment to the World and British Sidecar Championships, Roger’s involvement with Jack remains ongoing. He will take an even keener interest in this next level of competition, forging yet another connection with a high-profile Superbike team.

The National Superstock class is arguable the most challenging and strongly disputed in the paddock with a wealth of talented and experienced riders, mixing it with many stars of the future. All are mounted on highly competitive machinery from the top manufacturers. This will be a steep learning curve for Jack Nixon, and he relishes the task ahead.

The collaboration between Faye Ho and Roger Body does not stop there. The distinctive colour scheme and livery of FHO Racing will also adorn the Santander Salt World and British sidecar racing teams.

Faye Ho’s initiative and enthusiasm for promoting women in sport is manifested in the three young women who will wear her colours in the Hel Performance Junior Supersport class, and the Honda British Talent Cup. She has now extended that female portfolio with the inclusion of sidecar star Todd Ellis’s French passenger Emmanuelle Clement, who will once again partner Ellis in their second season together.

Runners-up last year, they are of one single mind as to the goal for 2022. One year later, most of the tracks will now be familiar, the young pairing have their rookie season behind them, and they have high hopes of championship success.

All parties in this new initiative are immensely excited about the year ahead, with Nixon understandably circumspect but realistic.

Jack commented: “Stepping up to the 1000cc class is going to be a steep learning curve for me, but I will use the chance wisely and get as much time on the bike as possible before official testing. It is a massive opportunity with such an important team, and I want to thank Faye Ho for her faith and confidence in me. You can see how much effort and investment she has put in already, and I am really looking forward to being part of that. I also am hugely grateful to Roger Body of Santander Salt for his support right from my early days in the BSB paddock. He has known my family for many years from the sidecar GP days, and that connection has been a fantastic help”.

FHO Team Owner Faye Ho added: “I am really happy to welcome Jack to our line-up for the coming season. I like to give young talent an opportunity and winning the Junior Superstock class last year gave Jack the perfect platform from which to step up and further his career. I am also delighted with the broader association between FHO Racing and Roger Body’s Santander Salt organisation which will allow cooperation across our combined motorsport interests”.

Roger Body expanded on his reasons: “I have always seen links with prominent solo teams in the BSB paddock as important. In recent seasons we have seen several sidecar teams running in BSB team livery enjoying the extra sponsorship and publicity that comes with it. Jack has been under our umbrella for a few years now and there is a strong historic sidecar connection with his family. Faye Ho’s FHO Racing Team provides a golden opportunity for Jack to develop and progress his career, whilst giving us a strong association with a modern and forward-thinking team across all classes. I have no doubt Jack will seize this chance with both hands. This is a really good fit for Santander Salt, and I am delighted”.

Donington Park has been added to the 2022 schedule making nine rounds in total, with eight of those alongside the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. The Leicestershire circuit is popular with the sidecar teams and always provides great racing.

The inclusion of Donington Park creates an attractive and exciting season for the established star names, as well as several new crews who have signalled their intention to step up and compete in the full series.

Whilst the FIM World Championship dates have still to be finalised and published, every effort is being made to dovetail the two series, with the minimum of clashes.

The nine-round British fixture list is now as follows: –

April 30/May – 2 Oulton Park
June 17-19 – Knockhill
July 22-24 – Brands Hatch
August 5-7 – Cadwell Revival (test day Friday)
August 12-14 – Thruxton
August 27-29 – Cadwell Park
September – 9-11 Snetterton
Sept 30-Oct 2 – Donington Park
October – 14-16 Brands Hatch

The FIM World calendar is in the process of finalisation and will follow imminently.

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells

The 2022 British Sidecar Championship roars into action with two races at Oulton Park in the traditional opener over the weekend of April 30-May 2nd. This will set the scene for an eight-round series, with the now firmly established Cadwell Park Revival meeting the only exception outside of the Bennetts British Superbike calendar.

Roger Body and his RKB-F1 team have been frantically busy since close of play at Brands Hatch juggling dates for both the British and FIM World Championships, with the sole objective of running meaningful, high-profile rounds and the minimum of clashes. A top priority has been to offer all teams the opportunity to compete in both championships with a real chance of succeeding in both.

The wealth of sidecar talent now prominent in the UK ranks means there are possibly ten crews capable of running at the sharp end of world-class competition, and it therefore behoves the UK organisers to maximise the exposure of these teams at that level. The British dates are the first to be set in stone due to the early publication of the BSB calendar, and we can announce those.

Now a long-established and integral part of the Bennetts British Superbike weekend, the sidecars will once again provide huge entertainment for the thousands of three-wheeler fans trackside, whilst enjoying live coverage from Eurosport, whether on the Eurosport App or live TV broadcast (schedules permitting).

Due recognition and thanks go to Stuart Higgs and his MSV team for the extra level of cooperation in enabling these dates against a difficult and complex backdrop for 2022. In the meantime, we take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very safe and happy Christmas with a prosperous New Year. Here’s to 2022 !

The eight-round fixture list is as follows –

April 30/May 2 – Oulton Park
June 17-19 – Knockhill
July 22-24 – Brands Hatch
August 5-7 – Cadwell Revival
August 12-14 – Thruxton
August 27-29 – Cadwell Park
September 9-11 – Snetterton
October 14-16 – Brands Hatch

The FIM World calendar is in the process of finalisation and will follow imminently.

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells

The late cancellation of the FIM World Championship entry at Brands Hatch freed up some top names to race alongside the Molson regulars as wild cards. Reigning British Champion Steve Kershaw with Ryan Charlwood made an appearance on that basis.

Other top teams had registered for both series, so were eligible to score points. Among those crews were Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement, currently lying second in the world rankings. With double points on offer in this final round, they had a good opportunity to make the Birchall Brother’s lead look less dominant, although they too would be going for glory. Also on the race card were Kevin Cable and Kyle Masters, having enjoyed their foreign trips, now back to score British points. Also falling into this category were Ellis’s Santander Salt teammates Rob Biggs and Jeroen Schmitz.

Qualifying
There was a distinct chill in the air late on Friday afternoon ahead of this one and only twenty-five-minute session. The Birchall Brothers had moved within half a second of lap record pace in free practice, narrowly ahead of Ellis/Clement.

After a quick opening lap by Kershaw/Charlwood, the Birchall brothers banged in a good time to go top. An immediate response by Ellis/Clement saw a pattern begin to unfold of two teams at the top of their game, vying for pole position. Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney were right in the mix with the top two, reflecting their runner-up spot in the standings.

Suddenly, with four laps done, the Birchalls were below lap-record pace, with the Haith Honda flying. Their time allowed them to sit out the session, with Todd Ellis reeling off lap after lap to come within nine-tenths of what was a special lap. Blackstock/Rosney were third from Kershaw/Charlwood and Scott Lawrie/Shelley Smithies.

Grid
1/ Birchall/Birchall
2/ Ellis/Clement
3/ Blackstock/Rosney
4/ Kershaw/Charlwood
5/ Lawrie/Smithies
6/ Biggs/Schmitz
7/ Holden/Pitt
8/ Crawford/Hardie

Race One
There was no stopping Ben and Tom Birchall in this one for the early laps. Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney, Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement and Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood were magnificent in pursuit, hardly split throughout the race. The Haith Honda of the Birchalls was over two seconds clear within three laps and going away. They set a new lap record on lap three and then in lap five, they were out with a mechanical problem which turned out to be a split exhaust.

This left a fantastic three-way battle between three of the best crews in Britain. Steve Kershaw was lapping close to lap-record pace, and he was not about to give up the lead. Toss Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement were climbing all over the back of the number twenty-nine outfit, but that was all they could do. Their Yamaha was running rich, so not at its best. Blackstock/Rosney were still in touch, just half a second off the lead. Behind them a great race between Scott Lawrie/Shelley Smithies and Rob Biggs/Jeroen Schmitz saw both outfits touch and spit simultaneously but re-joined to finish fourth and fifth.

Kershaw/Charlwood were back on top of the podium, with Ellis earning a good bag of points for the championship table.

Result
1/ Kershaw/Charlwood
2/ Ellis/Clement
3/ Blackstock/Rosney
4/ Lawrie/Smithies
5/ Biggs/Schmitz
6/ J.Holden/Pitt
7/ Crawford/Hardie
8/ Currie/Sharpe
9/ Bell/Connell
10/ Robinson/Fairhurst.

Race Two
This outing was fraught with incidents but there was plenty of action. With a reverse grid, and Ben/Tom Birchall starting from the back, it was very busy indeed with outfits swarming all over each other to make up places.

The first lap was hectic, but Ellis/Clement made it through the pack very well in pursuit of the early leaders. Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst made the most of pole position and proved difficult to pass and kept a good pace going. Further down the order, a massive coming together between John Holden/Jason Pitt and Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney brought out first the safety car, and shortly after, a red flag brought proceedings to a halt. With only two laps completed, a new re-run over five laps, using the original grid was declared.

This was another frantic start, and Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst gave another good account of themselves, as did Craig Currie/Justin Sharpe, but a great move by Todd Ellis saw him launch the Santander Salt Yamaha to the fore.

Kershaw/Charlwood and Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie went with them, as the Birchall Brothers made headway through the pack fighting to fifth on lap three.

Scott Lawrie/Shelley Smithies did not complete a lap, Phil Bell/Jimmy Connell retired the Marin Motorsport Yamaha on lap two, and then on lap four, another huge crash at Surtees took out Rupert Archer/Phil Hyde and Kevin Cable/Kyle Masters. Another red flag signalled a result at the conclusion of lap three.

No fewer than four of the battered teams were treated in the Medical Centre, with two members taken to hospital for further assessment.

At the time of going to press, no further details were available, but all at RKB-F1 wish the wounded parties well for a speedy recovery.

Result
1/ Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha)
2/ Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood (Kershaw Racing Yamaha)
3/ Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie (ARC Kawasaki)
4/ Simon Robinson/Mick Fairhurst (24seven Couriers Yamaha)
5/ Ben/Tom Birchall (Haith Honda)
6/ Rob Biggs/Jeroen Schmitz (Santander Salt Yamaha)
7/ Craig Currie/Justin Sharpe (Birchall Yamaha)
8/ Brian Gray/Sarah Stokoe (Yamaha)

Final Standings
Birchall 340
Blackstock 271
J.Holden 189
Ellis 140
Holland 135
Biggs 126
Lawrie 122
Archer 119
Peach 108
Bell 105

Photo credits: Jenny “Triker” Wells