Monday August 6, 2018 at 4:36pm
Round five of the ACU / F.S.R.A. British F2 sidecar Championship, takes place with our host club - North Gloucester Road Racing Club at the Leicestershire circuit Donington Park this weekend 11/12 August The reigning back to back British Champions Peter Founds / Jevan Walmsley will be the team to beat on the Donington circuit, taking two wins here last season, at a meeting where they also broke the lap record registering a time of 1:14.636 (94.3mph). However, they are on a different chassis this season - a DDM - but still using Suzuki power. One thing to note is their qualifying time was even quicker - 1:14.570. They currently hold an healthy fifty point lead in the championship having finished on the podium in all eight races contested so far. Currently sitting in second place are Sean Hegarty / James Neave on their Baker Honda. Whilst they have not made the top step so far this season, the consistency they have shown in recording five podium finishes and other valuable points in the other three outings have propelled them up the standings. Just five points behind in third place in the championship are the Team A.R.C. pairing of Binchester's Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie. This team have managed four wins so far this season but due to three DNF`s they have dropped down one position on the leaderboard following round four at Anglesey. They will have food for thought as a team as whilst leading a race on two occasions - Cadwell Park and Anglesey - the passenger parted company with the outfit and has proved costly on their attempt to claim their first British title. After a superb weekend for Team Ramsden Racing - Steve and Matty – at Anglesey in which the father and son pair secured a win and second onboard their LCR Honda to finally kick-start their championship campaign, they have moved up to fourth place in the championship and sit just fifteen points behind Crawford / Hardie. Some twenty eight points adrift in fifth place are Printer Roller Services sponsored Conrad Harrison / Andy Winkle on their Bellas Honda. This pair didn't take part at this meeting last year, however, with a second place in race one at Anglesey they will be looking to be up at the sharp end of the pack. Lying sixth just seven points adrift are Gordon Shand / Tony Belsey on the Shand Suzuki. Gordon has been consistently accumulating points in seven of eight races and the one he didn't start in was through no fault of his own after he got collected by another outfit on the formation lap. In seventh place two points behind Shand / Belsey are the Scunthorpe brothers John and Jake Lowther. At this meeting last season the pair secured two second place finishes and will be looking for more of the same at this meeting. Now onto the F2 Cup, you will notice that these teams run yellow numbers on a red background whilst the Super F2`s have white numbers on a red background. The leading protagonists in their first season together are young guns Daryl Gibson / Ashley Moore on their Shelbourne Suzuki. Daryl is in his first season as a driver but is also passenger to his dad Gary where they have competed at the Isle of Man TT for the past two seasons gaining top ten finishes. The pair hold an eighteen point championship lead after securing a double win at the last round at Ty Croes. With six podiums from eight races and scoring points in the other two races in second are Ralph Remnant / Samantha Tilley on their Lumley Kawasaki. A brace of thirds from Anglesey will give them the confidence to keep the leaders honest. Also on a Lumley Kawasaki in third place in the F2 Cup championship are Richard Lumley / Ray Whitnell. Despite having a disastrous round three at Mallory Park coming away pointless from that meeting, they find themselves forty eight points adrift. In fourth place in the championship finishing seven of eight races so far this season on their Windle Yamaha are Wes Pettman / Sue Taylor. Whilst they haven't made the poduim they have been plugging away and have shown consistency in their results. They currently lie thirty points behind the team in third but are sure to maintain their points scoring consistency. The next team up into fifth after achieving two second place finishes at the last round are John Shipley / Jonathan Saidi on their LCR Suzuki. Although they have only competed at the last two rounds of the championship I would like to think this has given them the drive to carry on the rest of the season. Joint sixth in the championship are Team Powerhouse Brian Ilaria / Olly Lace on their DDM Suzuki. Whilst they had a meeting to forget at Anglesey with no points scored due to newcomer passenger Olly coming out in race one and the clutch giving up in race two they will be looking to secure some valuable points and more experience gained together as a team. The team of Chris Schofield / Derek Taylor on their Ireson Honda achieved two fourth place finishes on Anglesey and are now tied on forty five points with Ilaria / Lace. The Sunday race is for the Bill Boddice trophy and Mick Boddice snr will be presenting the trophy. We will be joined this weekend by teams in the F.S.R.A. / Adrian Lane Building Services Pre-Injection Sidecar Championship, so there will be a wide variety of sidecars on show. The live timing link for the meeting is on the link below: http://www.vola-racing.com/circuitpro/ngroadracing/ Preview by Mark Dennis - FSRA Press Officer.