FIM Sidecar World Championship and the FIM F2 Sidecar World Trophy.
Gamma Racing day
Assen.
With near perfect conditions for racing, and a huge crowd, 28 sidecar teams sat on the grid waiting for the lights to go out.
It was Markus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer on their “Sidecar Racing Team Schlosser” LCR, Suzuki who got the jump from the line and out dragged all the other teams into the first corner, however Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze on their “Remse Racing/Team Eaide” LCR, Yamaha, had different thoughts on letting Schlosser and Hofer get away, they nipped up the inside for the lead and set the pace into the “Strubben “corner. Pekka Paivarinta and Kirsi Kainulainen on their “44-Racing” LCR, BMW slotted into third spot, with Bennie Streuer and Geert Koerts on their “Team Streuer” LCR, Suzuki, right on their tails was Sebastien Delannoy and Kevin Rousseau with their “Team Sand Seb 72” LCR, Suzuki. There was a small gap then it was John Smits and Jeffrey Verhagen on their “Sidecar Team Smits” RCN, Yamaha. Ben and Tom Birchall on their “Birchall Racing” LCR, Honda, and the first of the F2 Trophy class were right on the tail of Smits and Verhagen, next up was John Holden and Stuart Ramsay on their “Silicone/Barnes Racing” LCR, Suzuki.
It was to turn out a lonely race for the top teams, except for the leaders. Paivarinta and Kainulainen managed to get by Schlosser and Hofer and gave chase to Reeves and Cluze. In doing so they pulled out a good gap on now the third place team of Schlosser and Hofer. They were to get right up with Reeves and Cluze.
By half distance Reeves and Cluze upped the pace and started to pull away from Paivarinta and Kainulainen and it looked like it would be a lonely race for the top eight teams.
On lap nine John Holden and Stuart Ramsay had a spin off track, with Ramsay coming out the sidecar, they rejoined, but pulled into pit lane, and were not to get going again.
Kees Endeveld and Jeroen Remme on their “Holder Sidecar Shop Racing” LCR, Kawasaki were in a great battle with Brian Gray and Adam Christie on their “Brian Gray Powerbiking” LCR, Yamaha, and Kees Kentrop and Danny Dehaas-Kamerbeek on their “Connect Roke Team” LCR, Kawasaki.
Enderveld and Remme were to get the better of the other two teams though, and pulled away from them. However Mike Roscher and Anna Burkard on their “Roscher-Burkard Penz 13 Racing” LCR, BMW, were on the move, they were having a great race, they overhauled the three teams in front of them and slotted into seventh place behind the Birchall Brothers.
By the end of the race, Gray and Christie would take the chequered flag for tenth place overall but ninth in the Sidecar World Championship class, they were really pleased with the result, with Gray saying “We really enjoyed that race, we had no problems with the bike, yes it was good racing”
Ninth overall, but eighth in the World Sidecar class, went to Kentrop and Dehaas-Kamerbeek, they had a trouble free race and were pleased with the result.
A great result for Kees Endeveld and Jeroen Remme, they were eighth overall but seventh in the F1 class. Enderveld said after “We had a great race, no problems with the bike, and it was good to have a battle with the other teams, we are really happy, a massive thank you to all our sponsors for their help”
Another happy team was Roscher and Burkard they took seventh overall, sixth in the F1 class. Roscher said “A great result for us, we started away steady, and had good battles with other teams. When we got up to this position we went steady, another good result for us, we are really happy”
Sixth place overall, but first place for the F2 Trophy class went to Ben and Tom Birchall. They had a lonely race but never the less a great result for the team. Ben said after “That was good fun, the bike was perfect, what can I say, a great result for the team, another win, great”
Second place in the F2 Trophy class went to Remy Guignard and Frederique Poux on their “Ramzy Racing” Honda SGR. The team were so pleased with the result; they hope they can maybe do another round, driver Remy said “We have had a great time, it’s great to be on the podium at this circuit, I will see if we can do another round, maybe at Donington”
Third place in the F2 Trophy class went to Eckart Rosinger and Steffen Werner on their “Team Early Gray” Baker, Suzuki. The team were overjoyed with the result. “Another podium for the team, it’s great” said driver Rosinger.
Fifth place went to Delannoy and Rousseau. They had a trouble free race, and were out on their own for most of the race. Delannoy said after “ We did our best, the bike was good, we are happy with the result, it’s good for the team, good points for the championship”
Fourth place overall in the race went to Bennie Streuer and Geert Koerts, maybe not the result they wanted. Streuer said after, “I don’t know, our tyre was no good again, our lap times are slower, but the other teams are slower too this year. It would have been great to be on the podium, but it was not to be. We will see what we can do for the next round in Germany”
Schlosser and Hofer were to take third place. Schlosser said after “We got a great start, but in the end the other teams were faster, we are happy with the result, maybe if we had some more track time we could have done better. The bike was perfect, no problems at all”
With three laps to go, it was visible that Paivarinta and Kainulainen were catching Reeves and Cluze. If anything it was going to be a last lap move if Paivarinta was to take the win. The crowd were up on their feet as the two teams appeared into the last few corners. Paivarinta and Kainulainen were right with Reeves and Cluze.
As the two teams approached the last chicane before the finish line, Paivarinta pulled alongside Reeves, but Reeves/Cluze had the better line into the corner, it was down to the drag up to the finish line. Paivarinta/Kainulainen got great drive out of the last corner and were right on the tail of Reeves/Cluze. The chequered flag was out and it was Reeves and Cluze who took the win from Paivarinta and Kainulainen by only 0.054.
Paivarinta said after “It was a great race, we had a good start to the race, but Reeves seemed to pull away early on, we had no problems, so I just had to let him go. But then I saw I was catching again, so we went for it, it was so close at the flag, a great race, and another good result for the team, Kirsi did a great job again. And I would like to thank all the people who helped us this weekend, thank you all”
Race winners Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze were really happy to be standing on the top spot of the podium again. Reeves said “What a race, I am quit worn out, (said with a smile on his face) We got a great start, then the tyres seemed to go off, the bike is great to drive when the tyres are good, but a real pig to drive when the tyres are getting worn, I knew we had a good gap between us and Pekka, but then I saw he was catching, better get a move on I thought. In the end it was really close. But we are really happy; it’s great for the team and all our sponsors, also the fastest lap time that’s great too”
The next round is later in the month at Ochersleben, Germany, there will be two races there.
Mark Walters