VMXWA 15th Anniversary Scramble August 2010-Sidecar Report
The camp sites where full and pit lane a squeeze with as many pre75 outfits (11) and solos as the Dandaloo Park grounds could fit in.
Everyone has many a yarn to tell including those that came to visit for memories sake or be part of this pre75 racing event. Ours is one of many of those as written below.
Three rounds of practice were held on Friday with racing on Saturday and Sunday. Some of the riders in the list above also ride solos in more than one class. I reckon these guys are pretty fit for their ages.
The practice sessions on Friday were pretty low key, with only a couple of outfits getting out to checkout the conditions. This event had a number of international visitors and it was interesting to note that the South Africans have never witnessed MX sidecars in their country, so the opportunity to participate in the practice session was not missed. The Norton Wasp outfit of the Melvin team provided the opportunity for Evan Pretorius of South Africa to sample the physical torment of providing ballast for an outfit as well as the enjoyment of “pulling the string”. Sandy Wicks (yep that’s a female Sandy) took up the opportunity to pilot the Dillon outfit, with Robert Dillon providing the coaching and passenger services. Both picked up the skills like naturals, although it took Sandy a while to work out that the rider also needs to do some leaning to keep it on the straight and narrow. Both remarked that the experience was one they will never forget.
Saturday morning saw the track a little damp and slippery, but never the less perfect for the beginning of a great weekend.
The full compliment (but one) made the start line for the first event, which was dominated from the onset by the MacDonald outfit. The Norton of the Melvin team was in hot pursuit until electrical gremlins stopped their race. The Povee / William’s Wasp and the Johnson/Henare machines provided close competition throughout the race.
With seven outfits on the line for the last race on the program for Saturday. Gary Johnston/Laith Henare on the newly built red rocket Yamaha 850 set up a 400 metre lead on Cliff Cook/Neal Fletcher on their Yamaha/Wasp 850 on the first lap with the MacDonald machine close on “Cookies” heals. Cliff Cook an outfit pilot of the 80’s has returned to the fold and after the initial “running in period” is showing clear evidence of his past talents. The race concluded with the team of Gary Johnston& Laith Henare placing first. The Cook/ Fletcher outfit succumbed to the pressures of Peter and David MacDonald to take out third with Irving and Harron holding out Povee /Williams for the day’s conclusion.
Ryan Fanderlinden escaped with little more than a blood nose after loosing his footing landing from a high speed back straight jump in front of the Melvin Norton. Amazingly Wayne Fanderlinden managed to keep the outfit from tipping when he committed to the left hander at the end of the straight and gracefully exited the track into the scrub. The Melvin team’s race was done as they stopped to assist the shaken and wobbly Fanderlinden.
Sunday dawned a cooler day than the very warm Saturday. A little less water and no dust for the track, yippee.
The roar through Dandaloo Park track attracted the crowds with spectator numbers growing. People where everywhere trying to get a view. The local kids perched on the rocks around the track getting an eye full of sidecars and” Loving it”. Why is it that the crowd always seems to swell to the track side when the sidecars get out there? It’s because they wish they could have a go too….
The Melvin outfit retired for the day with repair and gremlin issues along with a full solo program. However the rest of the field remained and the enthusiasm high
The outfits were lined up and the rubber band start was used. The deceptive red rocket of Johnston/Henare was out first into the long sweeping first corner (nothing like an ex sand drag engine for grunt) , to establish a small but well fought gap from Peter (father) & Dave(son) McDonald and the orange #95 of Steven Povee/Aaron Williams.
With #8 not coming around for the last lap board, it was a whole new ball game of chase and pass.
Chequed flag went to #25 second #95 with Fanderlinden team claiming third place.
The rest of the field didn’t return from over the back, the ambulance had disappeared to assist. This ended up being a good outcome.
The second Sunday race gave more old fuzzy feelings back to the #32 Cliff Cook/Neal Fletcher Yamaha/Wasp 850; though Neil is only new to the game I believe this was his third event.
These guys had #8 McDonalds boys on there tail and in hot pursuit was,#32,95,13,26,51 Andrew Irving/Robert Harron Yamaha/Johnson 650cc,61,242 and 114.
It’s always attractive to watch all four striped black and white Beagle Boy jerseys on in this race. The outfits here in the west would win a color coordinated fashion show some race days.
# 61 Peter Baker/Shane O’Keefe Suzuki/JohnsonT500 flipped onto her right side in the fourth corner with 242 passenger quickly lifting the motor side from Peters pinned body, before doing more injury-good leverage with the bar work. Everyone involved dusted themselves of and continued racing on with #13 Adam Fanderlinden/Benn Fanderlinden Yamaha/Johnson 650 placed a hard ridden second here.
Third race #28 on the program…Holshot and into the corner was 8,32,95 with midfield four wide into the the long sweeper, with the speed on this sweeper it was good to see no one ended up in the scrub. Apparently back in the day the drop gates at the grid got taken out due to the speed of this starting straight. The old AJS/CZ/HD and the like would have been hooting down there. I suppose that’s why there is way less fatalities these days as the rule and regulations are striker on the track speed of venue tracks.
After watching four wide into the above mentioned sweeper I had my heart in my mouth or eyes shut (can’t remember) as it was white hot, close action for me to report on. I think some days they have a mind set that there is a big fat 10k cheque at the end of the days racing-which of course is only in ya dreams. Would be nice though.
Placings #8,# 26 Wayne Fanderlinden/Ryan Fanderlinden Yamaha/Wasp 750 and #95
Sidecar last Race #35 for the 15th Anniversary weekend saw #25 Gary Johnston/Laith Henare Yamaha/Legend/Wasp 850 return after skipping race 17 & 28.The Cook team was out of this race so the leads changed for the hard fighting McDonalds. Gary made the most of his new chair power and had a good lead from #8 for two laps. Third and fourth positions racing was between #13 Adam Fanderlinden/Benn Fanderlinden Yamaha/Johnson 650 and Steven Povee/Aaron Williams Yamaha/Wasp 840.Over the back of the track #25 lost his position to #8.
While #51 Andrew Irving/Robert Harron Yamaha/Johnson 650cc lost his seat for the second time, which very well may have end up with a some serious kind of bad monkey butt.
Other weary outfit/solo riders running mid pack and enjoying the comradeship of the whole vmx weekends racing were #114 Luke Boston/Jamie Harris Yamaha/Johnson 750 and Sarah Dillon/Robert Dillon on a Kawasaki/Wasp 500.
Another brilliant weekend at VMX
See you at the next one.
Steven and Alison WA
