Last Sunday the Sidcup & Dist MCC hosted the final round of the 2015 MAXXIS British Sidecarcross Championships at their Canada Heights circuit in Kent. The event attracted the largest entry of the year with 37 teams and with the new track layout it had all the ingredients for an excellent days racing. Add to this the excellent track preparation plus the bonus of autumn sunshine things couldn’t have been much better.
In timed training Brett Wilkinson / Steve Kirwin put up the fastest time from series leaders Stuart Brown / Josh Chamberlain with Daniel & Joe Millard third. A crash part way through the session sidelined Butler / Bonner whilst Maguire / White and Banks / Pannell went out with machine problems.
When the gate dropped for the start of race one Campbell / Graham took the holeshot from Millard with Wilkinson third. Brown didn’t get away well and was in about sixth place. Not long into lap one and Brown was now in ninth while Millard and Wilkinson were closing on Campbell. On the second lap Wilkinson was in the lead from Millard with Brown now up to sixth place. By half distance Brown was now up to third place but it took a further three laps before he could pass Millard. Behind Millard was Jarvis / Chamberlain with Etheridge / Grahame fifth. Leading the expert class was Grahame / Lloyd in eighth place.
Although Brown closed the gap on Wilkinson he finished second, just three seconds adrift thus finishing his run of consecutive race wins. Millard was third and Jarvis fourth. With two races to go the series title was still not settled with Brown 46 points ahead of Wilkinson but there were still 50 points to be won. In the experts class the scenario was identical with Grahame ahead of Moulds / Gardner.
In the second race Millard took the holeshot from Wilkinson, Jarvis and Brown. By the third lap Wilkinson led from Millard with Brown now third. Brown pushed Millard for three laps before making the pass then on the next lap Wilkinson made a mistake and Brown now led from Jarvis.
Brown went on to win and thus secure the title for the 13
th time. Jarvis was second and Wilkinson third. In the expert class Grahame took the win from Kinge / Snell also securing his title.
The third and final leg saw Wilkinson take the holeshot from Brown but by turn two they were side by side and it wasn’t long before Brown took the lead. Jarvis was in third with Etheridge fourth. After eight minutes Millard had passed Etheridge and two laps later Jarvis tipped over promoting Millard to third.Brown went on to take the win from Wilkinson with Millard third.
So another exciting championship drew to a close with Brown / Chamberlain champions with Wilkinson / Kirwin runners up again and Bradford / Peters third. Grahame / Lloyd were the Experts champions.
Hopefully most teams will be back in 2016 to do battle again but one team who won’t are Daniel and Joe Millard who announced their retirement at the prize giving ceremony. We wish them every success in the future.