Sparkes fly as Tuck takes victory
By TMX Archives on 8th Feb 07
THE BVM Beta pairing of Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes got off to a winning start in the 2007 British Sidecar Trials Championship with a comfortable victory over closest rivals Robin Luscombe and Les Ashby in the Isle of Man on Saturday.
Held in beautiful spring-like conditions, the Peveril MCC's third annual Andy Smith Trophy event was based around the Island's central valley and included several venues never previously used by chairs.
Without reigning champions Robin and Gill Morewood in the line-up, most eyes were on 13-times title holder Luscombe and ballast man Ashby on their Appleyard Montesa 4RT, with Tuck and Sparkes the likely challengers.
A couple of early nervous dabs from the latter pair gave Luscombe and Ashby the initial advantage leaving Knock Froy, a lead maintained after six slippery hazards alongside the TT course at Glen Lough, where the leading crews each had dabs on different sections.
The narrow and slippery stream at Ballavitchell proved a real handful to the Sidecar Clubman class riders in particular, but the Manx duo of Jamie Teare and John Charker were particularly impressive, scoring the first clean on the second sub and the only dab of the day on the muddy slot exiting the third.
BRITISH SIDECAR TRIALS CHAMPS
Rd 1 - Andy Smith Trophy Trial (Peveril MCC)
EXPERT SIDECAR: Jon Tuck/ Matt Sparkes (Beta) 32 marks lost, Robin Luscombe/ Les Ashby (Montesa) 45, Kevin Nolan/ Karl Jarvis (Sherco) 72, Gary Flowers/ Antony Smith (Gas Gas) 85, Adrian & Aaron Smith (Gas Gas) 85, Jonathan Kelly/ Ealish Baxter (Montesa) 103.
SERIES STANDINGS after 1 round: 1 Tuck/ Sparkes 20 points, 2 Luscombe/ Ashby 17, 3 Nolan/ Jarvis 15, 4 Flowers/ Smith 13, 5 Smith/ Smith 11, 6 Kelly/ Baxter 10.
MASTER SIDECAR: Adrian Beale/ Jane Birchall (Scorpa) 60, Lee Granby/ Amelia Haigh (Gas Gas) 69, Ali Haigh/ Sam Luscombe (Montesa) 97.
SERIES STANDINGS after 1 round: 1 Beale/ Birchall 20 points, 2 Granby/ Haigh 17, 3 Haigh/ Luscombe 15.
CLUBMAN SIDECAR: Peter Dale & Darryl Dale (Beta) 67, Martyn Kissack/ Nigel Woods (Scorpa) 77, Mick Treagus/ Steve Gold (Gas Gas) 80, Trevor Moore/ Jim Davidson (Beta) 91, Dave Haynes/ Wendy Brennan (Montesa) 98, David Jeff/ Matthew Swales (Montesa) 126, Gerry Hannay/ Chris Molyneux (Beta) 127, Dougie Christian/ Kevin Watterson (Gas Gas) 131, Andrew Kissack/ Julie Molyneux (Montesa) 132, Rob & Helen Lunt (Gas Gas) 137, Chris Guppy/ Sara Carter (Sherco) 149, Andy & Kieran Abraham (Montesa) 150, Craig Baxter/ James Caine (Sherco) 171.
SERIES STANDINGS after 1 round: 1 Dale/ Dale 20 points, 2 Kissack/ Woods 17, 3 Treagus/ Gold 15, 4 Moore/ Davidson 13, 5 Haynes/ Brennan 11, 6 Jeff/ Swales 10, 7 Hannay/ Molyneux 9, 8 Christian/ Watterson 8, 9 Kissack/ Molyneux 7, 10 Lunt/ Lunt 6, 11 Guppy/ Carter 5, 12 Abraham/ Abraham 4, 13 Baxter/ Caine 3.
NEXT ROUND: Feb 18 – DK Mansell Trial (South Birmingham MC).
SOLO CLASSES
Hard Route: Stephen Collins (250 Cub) 17 marks lost, Neil Christian (250 Suzuki) 22, Kevin Whiteway (200 Honda) 33, Mick Jackson (Bultaco) 37, Neil Gibson (Suzuki) 37, Buddy Yeardsley (Fantic) 42, Peter Christian (348 Montesa) 47, Stuart Clague (Fantic) 56, Peter Hindley (Ossa) 57, Jason Brown (Majesty) 62, David Harding (BSA) 76, Graham Thomas (Honda) 84, Geoff Griffiths (Fantic) 98.
Easy Route: Thomas Sharkey (Triumph Cub) 29, Howard Sharkey (Triumph Cub) 63, Geoff Cannell (250 Suzuki) 77.
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, February 9, 2007