Brown's number one as Sidecar-cross kicks-off
By TMX Archives on 5th Mar 09
THIS Sunday, March 8, the Maxxis British Sidecar-cross Championship kicks-off with the opening round being staged at the Talsarn Motocross Park in mid-Wales. The host club is Mid Wales MXC, which is new to ACU events as well as sidecar-cross racing but the club members have taken on this venture with tremendous enthusiasm and professionalism. (The club also hopes to continue throughout the rest of the year with a ten-round championship across the Talsarn and Lledrod venues.)
On the Saturday evening prior to race day there will a social get together in the local pub where a barbecue is being laid on as well as a race-betting event. This is a series of video recordings of horse races where the punters' can place bets on the horses.
Transport from the track to the pub is being provided by the SMCA in the form of a minibus that will shuttle back and forth from approx 7pm until midnight. Any profits made from the evening will be donated to local charities.
The sidecar entry for the event is completely full with 30 registered riders plus four wild-cards. They will all contest three 20-minute plus two-lap races.
Multi-British champions, Stuart Brown and Luke Peters, will be carrying the number-one plate for the first time in three-years and are intent on securing the title again.
At the end of last year the pair swapped their 700cc Zabel two-stroke engine for a 650cc Husaberg four-stroke and after much testing over the winter they are confident that the problems they initially encountered are behind them.
Although they may be favourites to win again, there will be 33 other teams out there aiming to prevent them. Focused on going one better than last year's second place in the final standings are Dan and Joe Millard who will be hoping to get their 650 Husaberg WSP to the finish line ahead of Brown. Also armed with a new power plant is last year's third placed driver, John Lyne, who has now switched to a KTM LC4 engine. John has also changed passenger for this season and now has Steve Kirwin in the chair.
Making a welcome return to the ACU championship this year is the multi-AMCA champion, Simon Bradford, with Neil James in the chair. Simon has not raced against the top ACU runners since 2006 and has not beaten Brown in a championship race since the middle of 2000, so he feels it is about time to do it again!
To add a bit a spice there will be a holeshot prize of 20 for each moto. SMCA vice chairman, Martin Guilford, will adjudicate on every race and his decision will be final.
In addition to the three sidecar races there will be solo support races for MX1 and MX2 plus an open adult class. Practice starts at 9.15am and admission for the public is a very reasonable 3 per head.
The track is at Talsarn and will be signposted from the B4337 road. For those with SatNav, the postcode is SA48 8QE.