Congratulations to this year’s Pre-Injection championship winners - the F1 class being Simon Horton / (novice passenger) Jordon Forrest. The achievements of F2 champions, Rob Fisher / Sarah Stokoe this year have however been absolutely phenomenal, winning every race not just in class but overall race winners at each meeting with no DNF’s.
A fantastic achievement aboard Rob's immaculate 600 Baker Thundercat Yamaha, with meticulous standards of preparation and ability leaving the rest of us only trying to aspire to his standards. Rob has stated that it is time for him to retire from racing with plans to tour the continent with his wife on their road bike. Let’s hope that the hot sunny weather and those “funny foreigners”(!) put him off and he changes his mind. He has been the example to all, giving help and advice to other competitors whenever he can. Our championship will miss this great ambassador.
Many thanks to the Wirral 100 M.C. welcoming us back for their final 2021 meeting, the “Anglesey Grand” on the 2.1-mile international circuit. With a full grid of twenty-eight sidecars evenly split between club and the F.S.R.A. Pre-Injection championship. It was good to see John Shipley / Gary wheeler back out on “Bigfoot”, their 1000 Ireson Yamaha Thunderace in the F1 class, and in the F2's representing the ladies - Marianne Walford / Jan Tyrrell (600 Baker Yamaha).
Fisher / Stokoe 600 had a memorable end to the year, with maximum points and four wins over the weekend.
Saturday race one was held in damp to wet conditions, making tyre choices difficult but wets turned out to be the best option. Newcomers Bob Dawson / Sarah Hulme (600 Derbyshire Yamaha), who after having a great qualifier to put themselves just in front of Fisher / Stokoe were going great until being unfortunately black flagged on lap six due to their engine breather bottle dripping oil onto their exhaust causing marshals to fear the worst, ending their race early. This promoted Wes Pettman / Rian Saunders (600 Windle Yamaha) to second behind Fisher / Stokoe. Guest novice team brothers Graham & Neil Davenport (600 Baker Honda) finished third. In the F1 class, returnees Shipley / Wheeler managed to take the F1 win from this year’s dominant team of Horton/ Forrest (1100 Wintec Suzuki). Guest team Steven Broadstock / Terry Truman (1100 Wintec Suzuki) completed the podium. Following the top three home were Dave Tibbles / Raitch Greenwood (FJ1100 DDR Yamaha), Mark Burns / Steve Winfrow (1000 Baker Yamaha), John Stephenson / Jason Miller (1100 Baker Suzuki), Steve Alexander / Amanda Mason (FJ 1200 BroadstockYamaha).
In race two, on a drying track saw slick tyres being the better choice. Due to the race officials ruling the unfortunate Dawson's machine could not be recovered until the end of the days racing due to possible oil issues, seeing them miss this race. Again, Fisher / Stokoe won the F2 class at a canter, followed by Pettman / Saunders, the Davenports, Gerald Hodgson / Dawkins (600 Shelbourne Honda) and Walford / Tyrrell. In the F1 category, Shipley / Wheeler took their second win of the day, this time from Burns / Winfrow. Horton / Forrest retired due to a broken ignition wire, giving a chance for Tibbles / Greenwood to close the championship gap until they too were forced into retirement a lap later, no thanks to a broken gear shift linkage.
By the time the opening race on Sunday came around, the weather had improved to dry and sunny perfect conditions! Fisher / Stokoe again were first to pass the chequered flag. With successful repairs made, Dawson / Hulme were second followed by Pettman / Saunders, Hodgson / Dawkins, the Davenports and Walford / Tyrrell. In the F1 class, Shipley / Wheeler won from Horton / Forrest, then Burns / Winfrow, Tibbles / Greenwood and Alexander / Mason.
In the final race of the 2021 season, the three F2 finishers were Fisher / Stokoe, Pettman / Saunders and Walford / Tyrrell, while in the F1 class, Horton / Forrest's Suzuki died with engine problems leaving Shipley / Wheeler to take their fourth win chased by Burns / Winfrow, Tibbles /Greenwood, Broadstock / Truman and Alexander / Mason.
Final Points table 2021
F2 Class
R Fisher / S Stokoe
315
W Pettman/ Rian Saunders
236
Liam Saunders/ J Saunders
161
B Dawson/S Hulme
132
G Hodgson/T Dawkins
54
S McCain/M Davies
24
M Walford/J Tyrrell
17
S Brooks/B Snell
9
A Longshaw/D Selleh
8
Les Saunders/S Parker
8
F1 Class
S Horton/J Forrest
264
D Tibbles/ R Greenwood
227
S Best/K Cole/M Davies
141
S Alexander/A Mason
129
M Burns /S Winfrow
106
J Shipley/M Ward/G Wheeler
84
D Crawford/D Baxter
49
J Stephenson/R Gilroy
45
J Heys/G Wheeler
25
G Fairhurst/R Childs
19
Words - Dave Tibbles / Photographs - Haydn Wyatt