Grobnik, Croatia
Race 2 report
After yesterday’s crash Bennie Streuer and Kevin Kolsch did not start the race, Streuer was advised not to race by doctors.
As the lights went out for the second 18 lap race in the baking heat of Croatia, it was Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement who got the run from the line, Stephen Kershaw and Ryan Charlwood were holding second but Markus Schlosser and Marcel Fries out dragged them to the first corner. Harry Payne and Mark Wilkes slotted into fourth with Lukas Wyssen and Thomas Hofer fifth. Ted and Vincent Peugeot were in sixth. Kevin Cable and Charlie Richardson were in seventh with Sam and Tom Christie in eighth, Claude Vinet and Sebastien Arifon were ninth.
Lap two saw Ellis and Clement in the lead with Kershaw and Charlwood second, the rest of the field went by, but Schlosser/Fries were way at the back of the field and going slowly. They had clutch problems, Schlosser managed to wrestle with the clutch cable and sort the problem, their race was back on.
Mid distance all the sidecar teams were holding station but Schlosser/Fries were on a charge making up places. Ellis/Clement had a good lead over Kershaw/Charlwood who in turn had a good lead over the now third place team of Payne/Wilkes, Ted and Vincent Peugeot were in a good third place with a good gap over Wyssen and Hofer who also had a good gap over the Christie Brothers Sam and Tom, Schlosser/Fries were up with the Christie’s by now after passing Vinet/Arifon and Cable/Richardson.
Lap 9, drama for Ellis and Clement, they were to pull into pit lane with a problem letting Kershaw/Charlwood take the lead with Payne/Wilkes second and the Peugeot’s third.
Lap 10 saw Cable and Richardson pull off track with a mechanical problem, they were to DNF.
Schlosser and Fries had the hammer down and were catching teams and passing, they were now up to fourth place but there was a fair gap to the third place team of the Peugeot’s.
Ellis and Clement were to rejoin the race but were two laps down on the rest of the field, they tried to soldier on to the end of the race, but they were to pull back into pit lane on lap 14 for a DNF. They had a problem with front of their machine, but were not sure what the problem was.
At the front Kershaw and Charlwood were keeping their cool, keeping a steady gap to the second place team of Payne and Wilkes. The Peugeot’s were now getting pressure from a fast charging Schlosser and Fries who had made their way up to fourth place. The pass was inevitable, Schlosser/Fries were up to third place, but there was no way they could catch the second place team of Payne and Wilkes.
As the chequred flag came out a delighted Kershaw and Charlwood punched the air as the crossed the line for a great win. Payne and Wilkes were overjoyed with their second place. Schlosser and Fries picked up the pieces from a nearly disastrous start and took third place, they were so happy with this result.
It was so close for Ted and Vincent Peugeot to getting on the podium but it was not to be this time, they took a great fourth place.
Wyssen and Hofer took a good fifth place and really enjoyed the race and their machine felt good throughout the race.
The Christie Brothers Sam and Tom took sixth place, they were really happy with this result, it was a hard race for them though, the heat and not being used to the long race distance.
Vinet and Arifon took seventh place, the team were happy, but it too was a hard race for them.
The next round will be at Donington Park, England, with World Super Bikes, that will be in July.
Mark Walters