Vintage Road Racing Association

Ralf, thanks for the ride.

I would keep this quiet but it is the most fun I have had on wheels!
If you are ever offered the chair - take it.

There was a practice on the skid pad Friday followed by a lapping session on Nelson. My ego lets me think I am reasonably fit, after the first session I was happy not to have heaved in my helmet. In the second session I learned that if I fall asleep Ralf can't steer. He managed to save the rig in the hair pin with a cracked nose cone and a wild eyed monkey.

Saturday's heat race was brilliant. Ralf had an excellent hole shot that put the rig out front but it didn`t last long. It was like being chased by a swarm of killer bees, Greg Mcewan and Dave Minnet, Malcolm and Janice Lake, and of course the Whittakers, Paul and Marie, with a pesky P3 2 stroker rig flying in from all sides then vanishing on the straights.

I remember taking with Ralf a few weeks before the Quinte TT, telling him I would need to talk the school, that I thought it would be fun, and asking him what he was thinking, ''Well Jim, I would kind of like to win.'' I was thinking thanks Ralf no pressure now. ''Well do you want to do it'', sure, lets do it and it was set.

I haven't been in a race when all drivers wanted to be first place to and through every corner, no one was giving an inch. Malcolm or Greg seemed to be at every corner sliding in out of nowhere, Paul always seem to capitalize on the melee.

The racing was incredidable but was interupted with a little ''John Deere'' excursion in turn six, too much Malcolm to little Track and we were off roading. Ralf kept the rig level and pulled back on to the track and finished the heat race.

We would be starting at the back of the pack for Sunday`s final. I think Ralf's comment was ''Play on Saturday, get paid on Sunday''

You will have to watch the video to see how it turns out.



I will post a link to the final video once it has loaded, a couple of pics will have to do for now.

Great races to watch.Like being at the circus.Everyone in the stands were cheering and there were smiles everywhere.So,that wet spot on the front of your pants was from the puddle,right?

Indeed the best sidecar racing most of us have witnessed and the best racing of the weekend for the fans. Considering all the rookies out there it was tight, tight racing. Really too bad Paul and Marie had problems in the final because even practice on Sat showed us that their last years rig with Greg and Dave riding this year (farmer Len the new owner had to sit out the event after Daisy gave him a shove none of us would want to be on the recieving end of...but I digress) were not going to let the #1 team by. Even practice was a fun event to watch.

So congrats to Ralf and Jim and the rest of the field for a great show all weekend!

The reason Marie and I sat out the race on Sunday was quite simply the gear shift fulcrum came loose and jumped a spline, leaving us with 1st and neutral. However on inspection at home the near new primary chain slipper had broken and produced a handful of metal fileings which owing to the open concept will now be spread through the motor. I have no time presently to mess with it, being occupied with other matters, not least my brother is seriously ill. We do hope to be out for Mosport. thanks for a good weekend, all the new guys did remarkably well. Paul.