Knockhill hands Ellis/Clement the double win as they home in
The weekend began as early as Friday with an open test session giving interested teams the chance to re-acquaint themselves with the 1.2 mile circuit. Express Tyre Services sponsored the British Championship races, enabling this prestigious series to run within the Jock Taylor Memorial event.
Several teams took the practice day option up, including the defending champions.
The weather was kind and lap times did not disappoint. A sub-52 second lap would be needed to set a new lap record, and this was a real possibility with the quality entry.
Three races over the weekend with two of them scoring points gave the teams a golden opportunity to maximise this trip north of the border, so we were set for two days of competitive action.
Qualifying
From the off, Blackstock/Rosney (DHR/ExpressTyres Yamaha and Ellis/Clement (Brookland LCR Yamaha) were in the groove. Just four minutes in, a red flag stopped the session. Prior to the stoppage, Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood had put the Quattro Yamaha third fastest on local soil. The three classes were all well-supported, so it was a very busy session with Lewis Nicoll heading the Cup class in the early stages. Sadly, Nicoll and Pattie’s weekend was over almost before it began with that early crash in which Lewis broke a shoulder and collarbone.
Away again with a full ten minutes of the session remaining, and Ellis/Clement were on provisional pole two-tenths ahead of Blackstock.
George Holden and Oscar Lawrence were out on John Holden’s F2 bike, having experienced handling problems with their long Kawasaki.
Martin Kirk/Kyle Masters who were mistakenly registered as Cup contestants for Saturday, topped that class early on, with Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie ahead in the F2’s.
Phil and Carl Bell secured Cup pole at the flag with a very quick final tour of 53.7 against Crawford’s 53.011 F2 time and Ellis’s GP class sub-lap record performance of 51.908. Blackstock was a few hundredths shy, second fastest in the GP class.
Race One
Eighteen laps lay ahead of the pack as the lights went out. A good start is imperative on this tight track. Several incidents in the earlier FSRA F2 race delayed proceedings somewhat, but conditions were good for the start and Blackstock/Rosney made the best of it. They continued their run of hole shots chased by Ellis/Clement, but the world champions were soon ahead with a new record time of 51.450. The Christie bothers sat third ahead of Kershaw/Charlwood. Two F2 bikes came next with Lee Crawford and Pete Founds doing a great job. Founds was to slip back, but it was an excellent performance by the two short bikes. In the Cup class, the honours were going Phil Bell’s way with a three tenths advantage over Martin Kirk. Kirk was still showing as a Cup entrant, but that anomaly was ironed out in the points before Sunday’s race. Then there was an amazing charge by the Laidlow brothers Sam and Jack to fight through to second place in class. Meanwhile, at the front, Sam and Tom Christie moved second behind Ellis/Clement, taking Steve Kershaw and Charlwood with them. Such was the race leaders’ speed, they pulled a ten second advantage over the race distance, with the battle for second place very much alive between Kershaw and the Christies. Blackstock was next, having settled in fourth.
Martin Kirk had spun on the opening lap, colliding with Simon Robinson who later retired. Kirk got his head down and earned points for a finish.
This was Ellis’s race to lose, and there was no way he was going to. In metronomic fashion he reeled off lap after consistent lap. Closing stages, and Kershaw nailed Christie at the hairpin and held it to the line. Rob Biggs/Ferry Segers made it to sixth in the race on a track which Biggs clearly enjoys. Fifth position and class win by Crawford/Hardie was outstanding on their F2 machine. The GP Class points gap was narrowed to seven points with race two still to come.
Result GP Class
1/Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Brookland LCR Yamaha), 2/Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood (Quattro Yamaha), 3/ Sam/Tom Christie (Hannafin Yamaha), 4/Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney (DHR/Express Tyres Yamaha), 5/Rob Biggs/Ferry Segers (Express Tyres Yamaha), 6/Rupert Archer/Adam Christie (Hannafin RSR Yamaha) 7/George Holden/Oscar Lawrence, 8/Martin Kirk/Kyle Masters (MK Racing Yamaha).
Cup Class
1/Phil Bell/Carl Bell (Marin Motorsport), 2/Sam/Jack Laidlow (Laidlow/Marin Yamaha), 3/ Paul/Tom Kirby (KRT Yamaha ARS), 4/Brian Gray/Clement Conil (Brian Gray Powerbiking Yamaha), 5/Mick Bell/Shane Colbrook (Marin Motorsport Yamaha), 6/Gordon Pottinger/David Dodd (GB Precison/Opal Lazer Yamaha).
F2 Class
1/Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie (Team ARC/Marin), 2/Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (Team Founds Honda), 3/Greg Lambert/Andy Haynes (Greg Lambert Racing)
Race Two
A three-hour delay due to a red flag in an earlier race gave those with last-minute repairs and maintenance a massive breathing space. Great weather conditions and track temperature of twenty-five degrees prevailed for the second encounter which would run over a reduced distance. The Jock Taylor Memorial race scheduled for later in the day was incorporated with the grid due to the
organisers running out of time, so this one was the biggie and well worth waiting for!
Ellis lined up on pole as the grid was set on lap times, alongside the Christie brothers. Row two featured Kershaw and Blackstock. Row three saw the flying F2 of Crawford partnered with Biggs/Segers. Blackstock and Rosney’s slender seven- point lead in the title chase might not be enough, so this would be damage limitation. George Holden/Oscar Lawrence were out in warm-up on the long Kawasaki, but once again had fuel issues. They would be using John Holden’s F2 once again.
From the lights, the sprint to Duffus Dip saw Christies and Ellis fighting for the lead with Blackstock and Kershaw duelling it out behind.
Ellis was charging hard and away at the front two seconds clear of Christie and Kershaw when on lap three Kershaw and Christie came together at the chicane, with Blackstock involved as well but continuing as Christie retired.
Lee Crawford was promoted to third because of the incident, but Blackstock was back in business and fighting through. Kershaw/Charlwood still sat second from Crawford with Blackstock absolutely flying, now past Rupert Archer into seventh place, but fourth in class. Then suddenly, Crawford was out with a problem, handing third place to Rob Biggs/Ferry Segers.
This fifteen-lapper flew by, action-packed all the way down the field, with Ellis/Clement supreme lifting maximum points, the Jock Taylor trophy and the Steve Webster fastest lap award.
It was indeed damage limitation for Blackstock/Rosney, giving away seven points to Ellis, now sharing the series lead.
N.B – Official standings will be available prior to the final round from the BSB official timekeepers TSL, but below are my calculations based on the Speedhive timekeeping data from the Knockhill organisers. Please accept apologies if there are errors.
Result GP Class
1/Ellis/Clement, 2/Kershaw/Charlwood, 3/Biggs/Segers, 4/Blackstock/Rosney, 5/Archer/Christie, 6/Kirk/Masters, 7/Holden/Lawrence
Cup Class
1/Bell/Bell, 2/Robinson/Van Middelgaal, 3/Gray/Conil, 4/Bell/Colbrook, 5/Pottinger/Dodd, 6/Kirby/Kirby.
F2 Class
Founds 97, Atkinson 50, Lambert 22, Crawford 25, Gibson 22, Crowe 20.
Standings GP Class
Ellis 237.5, Blackstock 237.5, Holden 189, Biggs 137, Kirk 134, Christie 132, Kershaw 99, Currie 80, Archer 79, Cable 27.
Cup Class
Bell 264.5, Kirby 222, Gray 216, Robinson 184, Clarke 129, M. Bell 109, Pottinger 107, Laidlow 92, Williams 87.5.
F2 Class
Founds 97, Atkinson 50, Lambert 22, Crawford 25, Gibson 22, Crowe 20.
The final round comes from Brands Hatch over the weekend of 13-15 October, where double points are on offer. Eurosport TV will be covering both races either in the live TV slot or on the Eurosport App.
Meanwhile, keep up with news as it happens here on www.britishsidecarchampionship.co.uk
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