Local heroes' Keg party
By TMX Archives on 15th Aug 07
THE total dominance of Sidecar-cross this year by Daniel Willemsen and passenger Reto Grutter suffered a minor setback in Kegums on Sunday when they broke down in race one.
Business as usual was restored in race two whichthe pair won, and in doing so, they clinched the world crown with oneround to go. This is Daniel's sixth title - a record - and Reto'sfirst. Overall winners on the day were the local favourites KristersSergis/ Kaspars Stupelis.
In qualification Willemsen topped Group A fromSergis with young Belgian driver Nicky Pulinx third. Pulinx was laterpenalised for ignoring a yellow-flag and relegated to seventh. Group Bwas headed by Maris Rupeiks/ Haralds Kurpnieks from Jan Hendrickx/ TimSmeuninx. The only Brits present at this GP, John Lyne and PeteGirling, qualified well in tenth spot.
As the teams left the line for the start of raceone, Willemsen got tangled up with another bike at the end of the startstraight and eventually got away again dead last.
At the front Sergis took the holeshot fromHappich/ Schelbert and Rupeiks third. Lyne got away safely but by theend of lap two he had dropped back to 16th, just a couple of placesahead of the hard-charging Willemsen.
WORLD SIDECAR-CROSS CHAMPS
Rd 7-Kegums, LATVIA
1 Sergis/ Stupelis (LV - KTM Mefo) 25 + 22 = 47
2 Rupeiks/ Kurpneiks (LAT - KTM AYR) 22 + 20 = 42
3 Ja Hendrickx/ Smeunincx (B - Zabel VMC) 20 + 18 = 38
4 Rozehnal/ Rozehnal (CZ - Zabel VMC) 16 + 16 = 32
5 Burgler/ Beschart (CH - KTM VMC) 18 + 13 = 31
6 D Willemsen/ Grutter (NL/CH - Zabel Mefo) 0 + 25 = 25
SERIES STANDINGS after 7 (of 8) rounds: 1 D Willemsen/ Grutter 325points (WORLD CHAMPIONS), 2 Ja Hendrickx 264, 3 Sergis 242, 4 Rozehnal168, 5 Burgler 165, 6 Happich 158.
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, August 17, 2007.