ACU Wessex Plant Hire British Sidecar Championship - Round One

By Andy Withers Photos by Awsportsphoto

The first round of the 2020 ACU Wessex Plant Hire sponsored British Sidecar Championship was held at Dunsfold in Surrey in early March. Over 30 entries took on the challenge of the annual Ray Thomas Sidecar Trial greeted by bright sunshine and 36 very slippery sections well crafted by Richard Thomas and his Normandy MCC team.

Neil Hannam/Debbie Smith

Southern crews had a very successful day heading most of the classes. In the experts 2019 champions Jon Tuck and Matt Sparkes who put in a dominant performance on their TRS outfit, using all their experience with measured aggression to successfully attack the multiple slippery climbs. They lost twelve on lap one and seven on two to finish on nineteen. With the Goldings moving to the clubman class, Nigel and Gracie Mae Scott in their second expert season were sixty marks back with Elliott and Richard Tickner third on their expert debut.

Luke Golding/Beth Thomas

After a break of ten years from modern sidecars Southern Centre Solo Expert Kevin Nolan returned with Karl Jarvis in the chair, nervous before the start he went over the handlebars on the first section. Robbie Head and Aaron Jacobs led at the halfway stage, from Paul Fishlock and "new" passenger veteran Pete Pesterfield. However, Nolan and

Jarvis rode a superb second lap losing just six to take a clear win from Fishlock and Pesterfield, Head and Jacobs blew a gasket on their Sherco and limped to the finish for third.

Jon Tuck/Matt Sparkes

Former expert champions Josh and Luke Golding rode separately with new passengers in the clubmans. Josh riding with fourteen year old Sam Tuck lost just one on each lap to win. However, because of Sam's age they do not qualify for points so it was brother Luke with Beth Thomas who led at the halfway stage who took the points. Graham Thomas and David Tuck were in the mix on two after lap one but lost three fives late on, so Steve and Izzy Saunders who had an excellent ride with two consistent laps pipped Thomas and Tuck to make it a TRS 1 2 3.

Two crews made it to the finish in the newcomers with Torbjorn Eyre and Kiri Owen from Manchester were battered, bruised and soaking wet pipping Elliot and Scott Owen for the class win both having their scores on the second lap.