The Mel Harrison Sidecar National Trial on Sunday at Fellbeck, North Yorkshire, certainly opened a melting pot of opportunities in the championship standings.
The ninth trial in the eleven round series ran without a hitch after weeks of heavy rain. The fine acres of Kingstone Farm yielded a variety of sections for the twenty eight contenders. In the championship class Patchway former champion Jon Tuck and his passenger Matt Sparkes really set the standard with an exceptional ride through the thirty seven sections.
The Wessex TRS machine only stopped in three sections. For Yates's David Tuck and Joe Newman their trial ended seven sections on with a sidecar brake jammed on with six failures on their card. There were theories that the brake was overheating but then it was suggested that something mechanical was wrecking their trial so they parked up at the fifteenth and joined the ranks of spectators.
The Jon Tuck/Matt Sparkes victory brings them right up to Isle of Man series leader Nigel Crellin and passenger Chris Molyneux. Just four championship points separate Crellin and Tuck so there is every chance that Tuck and Sparkes will reclaim the national title.
Southway on October 29 is the next event with a finale at Dunsford on November 26.
Pics and Words Barry Robinson