Speedway/long Track Sidecar Activity

[False dawn]

Were you competing on a German licence?

Yes indeed. The Dutch authorities refused to licence anyone to race 1000cc sidecars. They class it to be too dangerous. So Roel took out a German licence (I rode as normal on my ACU licence). When the FIM Gold Trophy was launched Germany were granted a place in the final. We went through the German qualifiers and made it to the final three times (IOW, Wayville in Adelaide and Kings Lynn). Oh alright, we were the only 1000cc team riding on a German licence so we were seeded to the final. But I did ride in an FIM world championship final three times. They can't take that away from me (cue a song!).

[Guest]

Ledbury grass track, Sunday, April 9, 2017:

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Edited April 10, 2017 by Guest

[The Doctor...]

It's in Holland, not Altrip.

 

Hence the apparently - one would hope grasstrack and sidecar experts on the list would have piped up before now and not relied on someone doing a reverse image search on google to point them in the right direction

[Guest]

2017 Australian sidecar action at Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia. Any ideas as to who the competitors are?

[Guest]

As the OP to this thread, and looking at the variation of formulas using it in regard to images, IMO in future only images and information relative to speedway sidecars and long track sidecars should be posted in this thread.

In the hope of the co-operation of other BSF members who are genuinely interested in sidecar racing, so far as sidecar grass track images are concerned, please in future Post these in the thread GRASS TRACK ACTIVITY.

Please note this thread has been retitled as Speedway/long track Sidecar Activity.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

Bennie Ludolphy

Team 55, Carvill and Noble. Jawa.

This sidecar outfit is used on both Long Track and Grass Track. An excellent photo.

[False dawn]

As the OP to this thread, and looking at the variation of formulas using it in regard to images, IMO in future only images and information relative to speedway sidecars and long track sidecars should be posted in this thread.

In the hope of the co-operation of other BSF members who are genuinely interested in sidecar racing, so far as sidecar grass track images are concerned, please in future Post these in the thread GRASS TRACK ACTIVITY.

Please note this thread has been retitled as Speedway/long track Sidecar Activity.

I sort of go along with you Gustix if only it were so straightforward. For some years, pure sidecar speedway has not been held in the UK. Instead there has been a series of Track Racing championships. Meaning that, with some modification, grasstrack sidecar outfits have competed alongside sidecar speedway machines in the same meetings. Sure these have, for the most part, but not exclusively, been held on speedway circuits. But you see the confusion.

And that's just the 1000's.

The 500's race on grass, shale and sand tracks. There was even one at Telford one year on the ice!

Sorry to be picky but us pedants rule in the final analysis

[Guest]

As the OP to this thread, and looking at the variation of formulas using it in regard to images, IMO in future only images and information relative to speedway sidecars and long track sidecars should be posted in this thread.

In the hope of the co-operation of other BSF members who are genuinely interested in sidecar racing, so far as sidecar grass track images are concerned, please in future Post these in the thread GRASS TRACK ACTIVITY.

Please note this thread has been retitled as Speedway/long track Sidecar Activity.

 

 

I sort of go along with you Gustix if only it were so straightforward. For some years, pure sidecar speedway has not been held in the UK. Instead there has been a series of Track Racing championships. Meaning that, with some modification, grasstrack sidecar outfits have competed alongside sidecar speedway machines in the same meetings. Sure these have, for the most part, but not exclusively, been held on speedway circuits. But you see the confusion.

And that's just the 1000's.

The 500's race on grass, shale and sand tracks. There was even one at Telford one year on the ice!

Sorry to be picky but us pedants rule in the final analysis

 

You make a valid comment False dawn in regard to sidecar speedway in the UK. TBH my knowledge of the modern day UK sidecar scene so far as racing on speedway tracks is concerned is limited.

From what you say, it does appear to be a rather complex situation. Much of my interest has been influenced by the advert (posted earlier in this thread) in regard to the UK Sidecar Speedway Championship.

​In the mid to late 1950s I followed the sidecar results from Belle Vue with some interest - that's in the times when then Belle Vue 'bossman' used to present extra formulas in the second-half of meetings - besides sidecars he also gave track time to 500cc 'Parker' midget cars.

Please make full use in passing on False dawn what background you can provide to the UK sidecar speedway scene. From a thread point of view it is lucky that there is sidecar speedway input available from Australia and New Zealand, and possibly the USA. And so far as long track sidecars are concerned I feel sure we will have much from Germany.

However, let us hope there will be more encouragement towards sidecar speedway in Britain in the future?

Details of the 2017 Sidecar Speedway Championship rounds:

:::::::

Edited May 16, 2017 by Guest

[iris123]

I sort of go along with you Gustix if only it were so straightforward. For some years, pure sidecar speedway has not been held in the UK. Instead there has been a series of Track Racing championships. Meaning that, with some modification, grasstrack sidecar outfits have competed alongside sidecar speedway machines in the same meetings. Sure these have, for the most part, but not exclusively, been held on speedway circuits. But you see the confusion.

And that's just the 1000's.

The 500's race on grass, shale and sand tracks. There was even one at Telford one year on the ice!

Sorry to be picky but us pedants rule in the final analysis

Very true.Even the short track quad championship is held on a number of different tracks,both speedway and grass tracks.It would be very confusing to have some results on one thread and some on another

 

http://www.shorttrack-online.de/?p=1513

 

In the first meeting there is mention of a 77 year old competitor from the UK,Paddy Thorne

 

The next meeting is at Ludwigslust in a couple of weeks time.Might be tempted to take a look if the weather is good

 

[Guest]

Very true.Even the short track quad championship is held on a number of different tracks,both speedway and grass tracks.It would be very confusing to have some results on one thread and some on another

 

http://www.shorttrack-online.de/?p=1513

 

In the first meeting there is mention of a 77 year old competitor from the UK,Paddy Thorne

 

The next meeting is at Ludwigslust in a couple of weeks time.Might be tempted to take a look if the weather is good

 

 

That's most interesting about the quads. They feature quite regularly at 'pukka' speedway meetings on the USA's East Coast. However, may I respectfully suggest that if they need to be featured in a thread on the BSF it just might be an idea to give them their own outlet?

This thread is "Speedway/long Track Sidecar Activity" and while it appears it is going to be a struggle to feature this to any great depth, maybe our concentration should nevertheless be in that area of sidecar racing?

Edited April 12, 2017 by Guest

[iris123]

Just wanted to use that as an example of how confusing it could all get.Understand your reasons though

 

Think in general the whole thing is complicated and some longtrack meetings are held on grass.Even some of the official FIM meetings are held on various surfaces.Some of the youth competitions seem to be held both on grass and speedway tracks etc

Edited April 12, 2017 by iris123

[Guest]

From Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia, April 2017. Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell (white), Dave Bottrell/Ant Diener (blue) and Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr (yellow). Photo by Judy Mackay.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

 

2012, Melsungen, Germany. Can any forum member please provide more details?

[Guest]

 

HELP! All that is known is that this classic sidecar action photo was at Eenrum, Holland. Can any forum member provide more details please?

 

Edited April 13, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

 

New Zealand sidecar speedway action - 2017 - from Western Springs Speedway, Auckland.

[Guest]

 

The photo is courtesy of Louis Bennett. Information in regard to it would be appreciated.

Information requested in regard to this Matze Motke photo please?

[Guest]

From Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia:

:::::::

Trent Headland and Darryl Whetstone new Australian Sidecar Champions

Last season Trent Headland and Darryl Whetstone firmly established themselves as Australia #2, finishing second behind Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox in all three of the major events in World Speedway, the World Cup, Oceania Championship and the Australian championship.

It was a breakthrough season for the 30-year-old Headland and the anticipation was high on whether he could topple Treloar for the #1 position this year.

After building a new bike for this season, the results were disappointing however. They were still up at the top end of the score cards but not winning events in a way that looked like they could take the #1 crown. It was looking like a disappointing letdown on the previous season, but just when it was needed everything clicked into place and over the last three weeks and they reached the final of the World Cup and Oceania Championship at Gillman last weekend, before last night reaching the pinnacle with victory in the Australian Championship.

Like the Qualifying meeting the night before, competition was fierce and the points well spread amongst the riders with only two able to consistently win races, Andrew Buchanan/Denny Cox and Headland/Whetstone.

Buchanan had breezed through the qualifying meeting unbeaten, and unchallenged, but in his first ride in the championship he finished well behind Headland and the thought was “this is a whole new level and it is not going to be an easy run like the qualifying night” but that first race proved to be an aberration as they won their remaining four rides to top the score card with 14 points, which gave then first choice of gate in the final and they naturally selected red.

Headland started with that win over Buchanan in heat one, and smashed Darrin Treloar’s track record in the process, reducing it from 57.30 seconds 56.36. He then won his second ride (against Treloar) to be the only unbeaten rider after 8 heats, but was then relegated to third place by Dave Bottrell/Chris Bottrell and Mark Mitchell/Sam Harrison in his next ride. The question was quickly asked if he could continue to be a threat and again that race proved to be a minor glitch as he won his remaining two rides to finish with 13 points. He said he wanted to take yellow in the final but he’d made that mistake in the World Cup, which resulted in him being filled in in turn two and having to spin to the infield unable to see, so he took the safety first option and chose blue.

The third direct qualifiers for the final were the new World Cup Champions, Warren Monson/Andrew Summerhayes, amazingly on only 10 points, and that was without a countback. They were the only ones on 10 points, showing the tightness for points behind the dominant duo of Buchanan and Headland.

The major contenders for a final/semi-final place on points going into the last round of heats were Buchanan 11, Headland 10, Bottrell 9, Monson 8, Treloar 7, Mark Mitchell 7 and Brodie Cohen/Damian Egan 7, while Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt 6, Arron Hartwig/Teagan Hartwig 6, Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear 5, Grant Bond/Glenn Cox 5, Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell 5 and Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris 5 were all still an outside chance of a semi-final place.

Plaisted, Bond and Moon were all out first, in heat seventeen, but along with Trent Headland, and Headland won easily to all but end their hopes. Plaisted finished second after a close race with Moon, so he went to 8 points and was still just hanging in there for a possible semi-final berth.

Rudloff, Niesche, Monson and Bottrell were drawn together in heat eighteen and this was to have a serious effect on the championship outcome. Bottrell (9) and Monson (8) were the two going for that automatic start in the final, but Rudloff and Niesche were still a rough chance of a semi-final berth but only if they could win the race.

In the initial start it was Niesche who took the lead, with Monson looking for an outside pass and Rudloff just behind them, but as they all took a high line down the back straight, Bottrell pulled off what looked like a master stroke and raced under all three of them. Unfortunately just as he was passing Niesche, his (Bottrell’s) bike reared up on one wheel. It was only a split second thing but as the bike came down there was minor contact with Niesche and his bike then reared up on the back wheel, and Monson, on the outside was left with nowhere to go and crashed heavily into the fence. Monson and Summerhayes were immediately on their feet but the bike was wrecked – the sidecar wheel had been torn out – and it looked as if their championship was over. There was also another incident after Monson crashed, as Mitchell Spear fell from Niesche’s bike in turn three. There was a lengthy delay while competitors and bikes received attention and then it was announced it would be a rerun with all four riders, with Monson riding Mark Mitchell’s spare bike, but the dramas were not over.

Niesche again took the lead in the rerun, ahead of Bottrell and Monson, but Rudloff went under both of them to take second place going into turn three, but there was contact between Rudloff and Bottrell in turn four and Rudloff run off the track and Monson, in last place on the borrowed bike, spun infield to avoid any potential collision.

This time Bottrell, despite his protests, was excluded and a place in the final looked unlikely but he was looking safe for a semi-final berth, and riding well enough to win that.

In the next rerun Niesche again took the lead and this time he led all the way to win and finish level with Plaisted on 8 points, while Monson survived a lot of challenges from Rudloff, which saw them side by side for a lot of the race, to grab the vital second place to move to 10 points, although his championship chances were looking slim without his own bike.

The next race brought together Rick Howse/Adam Commons, Cohen, Mark Mitchell and Russell Mitchell/Andy Gajek. It was Cohen and Mark Mitchell who needed the points as a win to either rider would put them on 10 points but ahead of Monson on countback, but in an upset it was Howse (3 pts) who led all the way. Mark Mitchell passed Cohen at the end of lap one and at that stage it was going to finish as Mitchell 9 points, and Cohen 8, with both in the semi-final but Cohen went too hard on the third lap, ran into the back of Mitchell and spun out. The resulting exclusion cost him his place in the semi-final.

Amazingly – or maybe not as he has achieved the improbable results on so many occasions that you never discount him – after 19 heats Treloar, despite being on only 7 points, still had a very good chance of going straight into the final. A win in heat twenty would have put him on 10 points, but ahead of Monson on heat wins. But it was not to be. Buchanan took the early lead and led all the way with Treloar finishing second which put him into the semi-final against Bottrell, Mark Mitchell and Niesche.

Niesche had started poorly with bike issues resulting in two pointless rides but finished with 8 points from his last three rides to edge out Plaisted on a countback. The minor consolation for Plaisted is that 8th place may see him get a berth in next season’s World Cup and Oceania Championship depending on how many places Australia is allocated.

The semi-final was another hectic affair like heat 18. The initial start saw some contact and the race was restarted. In the restart Treloar (gate 2) went under Bottrell (gate 1) in turn two to take the lead and then Mitchell moved under Bottrell going into turn three and Bottrell crashed heavily. Bottrell and son Christopher were down for quite some time and although they suffered no major injuries, and took their place in the rerun they were far from race fit for such an important race. In the third start, Treloar again went under Bottrell on the back straight, and Niesche went until Mitchell, but going into turn three Niesche spun, Mitchell clipped his back wheel and Niesche rolled and was excluded.

In the fourth start Treloar again took the lead but this time led all the way to win relatively easily from Mitchell with Bottrell struggling in third.

So Treloar was in the final once again, in his 26th championship appearance, but he was in gate four. The odds were on a Headland or Buchanan win but Treloar made a good start and for a moment, as they headed towards turn two, he looked as if once again he was going to win against the odds and take championship number ten. But he just failed to get ahead of Buchanan coming out of the turn onto the back straight and Buchanan was able to block his line, which effectively ended Treloar’s challenge but at the same time allowed Headland to race under both of them and he was gone. Buchanan gave chase but Headland just pulled further head for a 50 metre win. Buchanan took second with Monson third. Monson and Treloar were dicing for third and Monson, on the borrowed bike went tighter, and slower, into turn two on the second lap than Treloar anticipated and Treloar went across the pole line. That put him off line, and off balance, down the back straight and he crossed the pole again in turn three and was excluded.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

 

From Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia:

:::::::

Trent Headland and Darryl Whetstone new Australian Sidecar Champions

Last season Trent Headland and Darryl Whetstone firmly established themselves as Australia #2, finishing second behind Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox in all three of the major events in World Speedway, the World Cup, Oceania Championship and the Australian championship.

:::::: A full report is carried in Post 57 of this thread.

Australian Sidecar Championship. From Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia: 2016-17 Australian sidecar champions Trev Headland and Darryl Whetstone. Photo by Judy Mackay.

 

Australian Sidecar Championship 2016-17. For Gillman Speedwy, Adelaide, South Australia. Australian Sidecar Championship placegetters. Left to right, back row, Darryl Whetstone, Trent Headland, Darrin Treloar; middle row Warren Monson, Andrew Buchanan; front row Andrew Summerhayes, Denny Cox, Blake Cox. Photo by Judy Mackay.

Australian Sidecar Championship 2016-17. From Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia. Problems in a semi-final for Dave Bottrell/Chris Bottrell crash. Photo Judy Mackay.

Australian Sidecar Championship 2016-17. From Gillman Speedway, Adelaide, South Australia. In trouble - Warren Monson/Andrew Summerhayes crash in heat 18. Photo by Judy Mackay.

[Guest]

Grasstrack & Speedway History

At Altrip, Germany. Is Altrip a grass track or a long track? It looks like the latter to me.

[Ozrik]

Some Australian sidecar action. Unfortunately I have no idea who the photo shows!

Pretty sure this is Russell Mitchell from Western Australia, probably racing at Pinjar Park.

Don't know when.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Ozrik