FIM Sidecar World Championship.
Oschersleben.
Race Two Report.
The sun was out and no chance of any rain today, which made the sidecar teams very happy as they lined up on the grid for the second 21 lap race in Oschersleben.
The lights went out and Marcus Schlosser and Marcel Fries were fending off Bennie Streuer and Kevin Kolsch for the lead, and they did manage this. Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement were in third spot just in front of Stephen Kershaw and Ryan Charlwood, who were just in front of Pekka Paivarinta and Ilse de Haas, Ted and Vincent Peugeot were next up with Lukas Wyssen and Thomas Hoffer in their wheel tracks. Harry Payne and Callum Crow were next. Kevin Cable and Charlie Richardson next up with a small gap to Cedric and Arnaud Pierard. Claude Vinet and Christophe Pouillot were next with Pierre Leguen and Leopold Rouby at the back.
It was close at the front with the first five teams jostling for position for the first few laps. Ellis and Clement got by Streuer and Kolsch for second place and gave chase to Schlosser and Fries, this left Streuer/Kolsch getting into a great battle with Kershaw and Charlwood.
Paivarinta and De Haas were holding fifth place but started dropping back a little by half distance.
The Peugeot’s were also locked in a battle with Wyssen and Hoffer, but today the French pair of Ted and Vincent were getting the better of Wyssen and Hoffer.
Like yesterday it was turning out to be another lonely but steady race for Payne and Crow, who were looking more settled than the race yesterday.
Once again Cable and Richardson were to have great fight for their placing in the race with the Pierard brothers.
Vinet and Pouillot, and Leguen with Rouby were out on their own at the back.
As the race got well into three quarter distance things were starting to hot up front. Lap 15 saw Kershaw/Charlwood make the pass on Streuer/Kolsch for third, and lap 16, Ellis/ Clement took the lead from Schlosser and Fries. Once Ellis and Clement passed for the lead they started to make a gap on Schlosser/Fries, but it was turning out to be great fight between Kershaw/Charlwood, Streuer/Kolsch, for the final podium spot.
Paivarinta and De Haas were falling back from the leading four teams but were in a good fifth place.
By this time now, the Puegeot’s had broken free from Wyssen and Hoffer, and were making a good gap from them.
Payne and Crow were still on their own and working steadily away and starting to catch Wyssen and Hoffer slowely.
The battle between Cable/Richardson, and the Pierard brothers had changed with the tem from Belgium getting the better of British team.
The chequred flag was waiting for Ellis and Clement who were to take the win to the delight of the team, another two race wins for the team in a weekend. Schlosser and Fries took second place once again.
Kershaw and Charlwood held off Streuer and Kolsch for third place, the team were so happy with this result. Both teams congratulated each and other after the race, it had been a great battle.
Paivarinta and De Haas fell back but a great fifth place for the team on their comeback.
The Peugeot team were so happy crossing the line in a great sixth place, made up for their disastrous day yesterday.
Wyssen and Hoffer took seventh place, they wanted more but it was not to be.
Payne and Crow took eighth place, also they wanted more but considering they had not seen their machine till the weekend, a good result.
The battle between Pierard and Cable/Richardson went to the Pierard brothers, they were really happy with their ninth place. With Cable and Richardson tenth.
Vinet and Pouillot took eleventh, a lonely race but they finish. As too for Leguen and Rouby they took twelfth place.
The teams will be heading to the last round of the championship in Estoril, Portugal at the end of October, beginning of November.
Mark Walters