The fine weather was set to continue, with everyone lauding the success of the first qualifying day of the new season. The stage was ready for the two thirty-minute Sidecar Grand Prix races and the two EMX Championship events. The number of spectators was looking good early in the morning with a full campsite having enjoyed a Saturday night party.
The track had been well worked on following qualifying, and the riders and team presentation set the scene for what was bound to be a fantastic day of racing. They were not disappointed.
Race One – The temperature had dropped before the off and that was a good thing. Track preparation was very much in evidence following the opening quad race and conditions were near-perfect as the gate dropped.
Into turn one they flew with the arch-masters of hole shots Tim Prummer/Jarno Steegmans grabbing the lead from Killian/Evan Prunier and Koen Hermans/Ben van den Bogaart and Brett Wilkinson/Joe Millard. The Leferinks and Justin Keuben/Dion Rietman were next up, with the red plate holders Marvin Vanluchene/Nicolas Musset further back with the Lielbardis twins. Stuart Brown/Scott Grahame got tangled with a pile-up mid-pack and had to fight through to an eventual thirteenth place. This was just one outstanding performance among many.
Meanwhile, at the front, Prummer held off Prunier and Hermans for three laps, but when Hermans went by Prunier, he quickly moved into the race lead. Once there, he and Ben made the win secure by eking out an eventual twelve second gap over the Prunier brothers. They in turn, almost lost out to Prummer in the closing stages when the Verhees brothers faltered on the racing line, baulking the Frenchmen. Prummer saw his chance, but Prunier recovered enough to make good second place.
Despite making progress to fourth, Marvin Vanluchene could manage no more, and was followed home by a brilliant Justin Keuben/Dion Rietman for fifth place.
Daniel and Bruno Lielbardis worked hard all race but found themselves battling with Wilkinson/Millard and the Leferinks throughout as the leaders stretched the gap. That was how they finished, with many other good scraps happening behind them.
Result – 1/ Hermans/van den Bogaart, 2/ Prunier/Prunier,
3/ Prummer/Prummer, 4/ Vanluchene/Musset, 5/ Keuben/Keuben,
6/ Leferink/Leferink, 7/ Lielbardis/Lielbardis, 8/ Wilkinson/Millard,
9/ Weiss/Schneider, 10/Wijers/Van Hall
Race Two – The crowd was really up for this one having witnessed a great first effort. Could Hermans/van den Bogaart claim the red plate in the first round?
The next half hour would tell as the gate dropped, but no-one could have foreseen what was about to unfold. Austrians Benny Weiss and Patrick Schneider grabbed the holeshot from the Prunier brothers, Brett Wilkinson/Joe Millard, Marvin Vanluchene/Nicolas Musset and Tim Prummer/Jarno Steegmans.
Koen Hermans/Ben van den Bogaart were also in touch. However, on the first drop-down there was a huge tangle involving several teams, and as a result, the Lielbardis twins started the race well down the field. The race at the front was fascinating as Vanluchene/Musset made their way through to second place behind the flying Austrians Weiss and Schneider. Hermans was coming too, making huge gains on the downhill drops every lap.
Tim Prummer was once again in the top three lap after lap until relegated by First Vanluchene and then Hermans.
Wilkinson/Millard dropped back out of contention but recovered to pass the Leferinks and Prummer. Hermans made his way to second, gaining the overall win in doing so, but could not catch the jubilant Weiss and Schneider who took their first GP win.
The Prunier brothers had a great fourth place and ended second overall on the day with Marvin and Nicolas third.
Result – 1/Weiss/Schneider, 2/ Hermans/van den Bogaart,
3/ Vanluchene/Musset, 4/ Prunier/Prunier, 5/ Wilkinson/Millard,
6/ Prummer/Steegmans, 7/ Leferink/Leferink, 8/ Sanders/Vincent,
9/ Keuben/Rietman, 10/ Brown/Grahame
Overall -1/ Hermans, 2/ Prunier, 3/ Vanluchene
New Championship standings will be available here on www.fimsidecarcross.com along with other news, as well as all our social platforms.
From Barry Nutley
