The roar of 1000cc sidecar engines returns to Brandon Stadium this Friday as Sidecar Speedway makes a triumphant return to shale racing. With some of the countries top three-wheeled racers converging, racing is sure to be fast and furious.
Leading the line-up is Mark Cossar. The 4x British Masters champion has been instrumental in getting the event organised in a very short space of time. Cossar will be crewed by equally decorated racer Liam Brown. The European champion passenger steps into the spot left by Carl Blyth, who is away getting married. Cossar has beaten everyone in the sidecar speedway world, having won races against legends such as Darrin Treloar and Mick Headland when racing in Australia.
Once again, the Cossar outfit will have to contend with invaders from the North in the form of brothers Gareth and Billy Winterburn. The two crews created Grasstrack majesty when they clashed in Cornwall in mid-July. Winterburn hopes to travel to Australia with Cossar for a winter's racing Down Under. With limited speedway track time, Friday provides a great opportunity for the British Sand Racing champions to get to grips with the shale.
Former British Sidecar Speedway champions Matthew Tyrrell and Mark Courtney join the lineup, being the only crew travelling up from Cornwall. Since 2005, after taking up an ex-Andrew Cleave sidecar outfit, Tyrrell has been one of the front runners on the shale and will relish the opportunity to race at Brandon. He also has been making regular winter visits Down Under and possesses the ability to take a meeting win on Friday.
Leading the Grasstrack fraternity must be Rob Wilson and Terry Saunters. The experienced 2x British Masters champion managed to finish on the rostrum at the FIM Gold Trophy event on the Isle of Wight aboard a Grasstrack machine; a tremendous feat given all of the specialist equipment of the other competitors. Wilson has shown that he can match the speed of the speedway outfits if plenty of dirt is on the track.
A name that is sure to bring plenty of interest is Sidecar Speedway legend Paul Pinfold. The English ex-pat has spent many years racing in Australia after practically revolutionizing frame design in the sport. Pinfold and another legend Alan Artus travelled to Australia in 1984 and very nearly won the Australian Sidecar title. Within several seasons, Australian frames were modified drastically and an international sidecar speedway series grew in Great Britain, much of which grew off of the back of Pinfold's inroads into the sport Down Under. Now, Pinfold still looks to push the boundaries. His current machine looks very different to any other and he has shown in a recent practice day that he is still as quick as many of the top riders. Pinfold will be passengered by Sam Heath, who himself has done plenty of laps of a speedway circuit, although most of them have been done aboard a solo speedway outfit, Heath having raced at National League level in the past.
Another interesting crew in the line up is 8x British 500cc Sidecar champions Shaun Harvey and Daniel Hogg. The pair have been racing their immaculately turned out sidecar speedway outfit for several seasons now, although due to the nature of the sport in this country at present, have had limited laps. Harvey and Hogg actually took to sidecar speedway very quickly, and now are a crew to be reckoned with.
Paul Whitelam reunites with last season's passenger Kizz Ivy on Friday. Whitelam has been a sidecar speedway mainstay since the Super Cup days and is always in amongst the results on the shale.
With several other accomplished crews in the 16-strong line up, a surprise could come from anywhere. The event will be run with a support class of top 500cc sidecars. The continental class have been putting on a great display of racing all season in the Super Series and four top crews now compete on the shale.
Also, a reserve class is being trialed for the first time. To ensure a full complement of outfits in every race, four other outfits will be on standby to fill any gaps in the programme. And as an added incentive, these reserve riders will be given the opportunity to race in their own races. An excellent initiative which has proved very successful in sidecar events in Gillman, Australia.
The racing starts at 7:30 at Brandon Stadium, Coventry, with riders practising from 6:30. Sidecar speedway has always proven a spectacle to behold in the past and with such a strong line up assembled, this one sounds like a Friday night not to be missed.
Full Line Up
Mark Cossar/Liam Brown
Gareth Winterburn/Billy Winterburn
Paul Whitelam/Kizz Ivy
Peter Lloyd/Fraser Sutherland
Gary Gal Shearer/ Sam Bond
Matthew Fumarola/Gareth Williams
Mick Stace/ Joshua Edwards
Rob Wilson/Terry Saunters
Robbie Wilson/Bradley Fish Steer
Will Offen/ Nicky Owen
Paul Pinfold/Sam Heath
Simon Beaney/Gareth Bemister
Joe Mogg/ Jake Cutler
Matthew Tyrrell/Mark Courtney
Shaun Harvey/Danny Hogg
Rob Heath/Paul Smith
Gareth Tregilgas /Daniel Prescot
Charles Ridley/Harry McQuirke
Andy Cossar/Tom Cossar
500cc Sidecar support
Scott Dunn/Scott Goodwin
Dan Berwick/ Mark Hopkins
Barrie Bennett/ Eifion Hughes
David Carvill/ Kai Noble