2024 International Sidecar Revival - Cadwell Park
Report by: DEEGEE: Motorsport Photography
3rd - 4th August 2024
Photographing three days of Sidecar Racing in warm sunshine for me, is the perfect motorsport combination. Despite a bout of COVID in the week leading up to the event, nothing was going to stop me attending what is undoubtedly my favourite meeting of the year.
Yes, it was that time of year again when the sixth running of the International Sidecar Revival took place. Sidecars from six decades lining up to compete at the circuit tucked away in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds known as the mini-Nürburgring, Cadwell Park. Dozens of three-wheeled machines were in action across both days, at an event which is now a firm season highlight.
Headlining the event was the British Sidecar Championship, plus multiple support sidecar categories, with races from the ACU / FRSA British F2 Sidecar Championship the RKB / BMCRC F1 and F2 categories. The Camathias Cup European Classic Sidecar Series, and the FRSA 1st Call Pre-Injection and Bears Historic Sidecar Series.
British Sidecar Championship
The three-wheel festival included three races on the race programme that formed the penultimate round of the British F1 Sidecar Championship, recognised as the premier
series for long chassis F1 600cc outfits.
The Laidlows, Sam and Jack (#84), based in Cumbria, who are competing in what is only their second season, lead both the overall (GP) and Cup class standings.
The pair headed to Cadwell with a slender eight and a half-point lead over Lewis Blackstock and Paddy Rosney (#95). Pre-season favourites Lewis and Paddy were totally dominant last year at Cadwell, so they provided tough opposition for the young pretenders.
To add to the already highly competitive championship field, the regular British Championship entry list was boosted by World Sidecar Championship runners, the Christie brothers, Sam and Tom, on their Hannifin backed outfit (#34), Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes on their yellow Adolf RS chassis Yamaha (#77), and the 2022 and 2023 World Champions, local pairing of Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement (#6), who are based just a few miles from Cadwell Park at North Kelsey.
After a busy day of testing on Friday for most of the likely front-runners, and a brief practice session held in heavy rain on Saturday morning, qualifying got underway after lunch when the Christie brothers recorded a time of 1.33.576, to claim pole position for Race 1. Joining them on the front row were the Blackstock / Rosney combination, with Ellis/ Clement and the Laidlow brothers filling the second row of the grid.
It was these four crews who were to dominate the Championship Sprint Race, held in bright sunshine, over 10 laps, as they fought out an intense battle.
A superb overtaking manoeuvre on the very first bend of the race saw Blackstock and Rosney lead throughout, despite non-stop pressure from the three crews following closely behind.
The thrilling race ended with less than a second separating them from third placed Ellis and Clement, the Christie brothers forming the sandwich filling in the runner up spot.
The Laidlow brothers were in close attendance less than a second in arrears of the World Champions.

The top six were completed by Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes, who headed home Scottish pairing Steve Kershaw and Stuart Clark (#29), both being separated by less than half a second as they took the chequered flag.
With two championship races scheduled for Sunday, the crowds flocked into the circuit, welcomed by cooler and cloudier conditions.

Race 2, scheduled for 14 laps, was soon red-flagged, when George Holden and Oscar Lawrence’s Kawasaki outfit (#93), cried enough and deposited fluid over the fastest parts of the circuit, including Park Straight and Chris Curve.
There followed a lengthy stoppage which saw the Orange Army earning their keep, spreading concrete dust over the extended spillage, and removing the ailing outfit from the circuit.
The re-run race, held over the full 14 laps, saw Blackstock and Rosney produce an exact copy of the first corner manoeuvre that had proven so successful in Race 1, this time overtaking pole-sitters Sam and Jack Laidlow at Coppice Corner, albeit with some grass tracking involved.
Settling into the race they opened a small gap, but behind them the World Champions Ellis and Clement slipped past the Laidlows mid-race on the approach to Park Corner. Relentlessly they closed the gap to the leaders and were seemingly about to challenge for first spot, when with two laps left, the red Blackstock / Rosney outfit inexplicably slowed. Ellis and Clement swept past to claim victory, and with the Laidlow outfit also slowing due to clutch issues, Tim Reeves / Mark Wilkes and Steve Kershaw / Stuart Clarke took advantage to fill the podium places.

The top six was completed by the ailing Laidlows, the Kirby’s, Paul and Tom (#27) and Kevin Cable and Kyle Masters (#111).
Limping home to seventh and what could yet prove an important 12 valuable championship points, were Blackstock and Rosney.
The Christie brothers, so competitive in Race 1, headed to the pits, whilst holding fifth place, halfway through the race, seemingly unhappy with the condition of the circuit.

World champions Ellis and Clement occupied pole position for Race 3 of the championship triple-header, but once again it was Blackstock and Rosney who produced a lightning start to head into the first bend.
The two crews circulated the track within touching distance for the full race distance, providing superb entertainment for the large crowd, but despite endless pressure Blackstock and Rosney held their nerve to fend off the double world Champions for a fully deserved victory by just 0.2 seconds.

The Laidlow brothers, unable to keep up with the blistering pace of the leading outfits, settled for a safe third spot and 20 points. Steve Kershaw and Stuart Clarke and Sam and Tom Christie filled the fourth and fifth spots, and veteran John Holden and Clement Conil (#2), after a race long battle with Cable / Masters claimed a deserved sixth spot.
Three consistent rides saw the Laidlow brothers maintain a slim 2.5-point lead in the Overall British Championship over the Blackstock / Rosney combination going into the final round, which will be held at Brands Hatch in October, and promises to be a thriller.

And with three World championships rounds remaining, Sam / Tom Christie and Todd Ellis / Emmanuelle Clement, lying third and fourth respectively in the current standings, will be hoping for some victories in the second half of their season.
FRSA British F2 Sidecar Championship
The International Sidecar Revival marked the midway point in the highly competitive British Formula 2 Championship, so there was plenty to play for amongst the Overall front runners, notably Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie (#17), who was 35 points ahead of Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley (#72), going into the meeting.
Still with a mathematical chance of the championship were the father / son pairing of Steve and Matty Ramsden (#99) and the Kieran Clarke / Andrew Johnson combination (#9), who also lead the Cup competition.
The three race F2 programme at Cadwell took on huge significance as Founds and Walmsley dominated throughout, winning all three races. A DNF for Crawford / Hardie in the third of the three races, after two second places, may yet prove vital as the championship enters its final stages.

Three good results saw the Clarke / Johnson pairing consolidate their Cup Championship lead over James Saunders and Sarah Stokoe, and leapfrog Ramsden / Ramsden into third place in the Overall standings.
Camathias Cup Championship
The Cadwell Sidecar Revival is a well-established part of the Camathius Cup Championship for Historic Sidecars, which races throughout Europe. Crews taking part had travelled from France, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and all parts of the UK to take part.
Race 1 on Saturday was won by Danny Quirke and Sharon Reeves (#54) on their immaculate black Bellas Vincent, followed home closely by Martin Vermeulen and Troy Klinker (#56) on their Triumph Bonneville, with Seppe Noel and Kobe Dehouck on their BMW (#121), filling the final podium spot.
In Race 2 Vermeulen and Klinker “triumphed” over Quirke and Reeves with Jon Perkins and Ian Nickels (#8) taking third spot.
The third race of the weekend certainly caused commentators Keith Rossiter and Bradley Hix some headaches, as it was a Handicap race. The 5-lapper, starts with the slowest runners from the two previous races given head starts, some almost two minutes before the fastest runners, who start last.
The winners of this unique, and at times, confusing event, were Alastair and Patricia Lewis (#5), who probably had the most difficult and longest journey to Cadwell Park, from their home in Aberdeen. Second place was filled by Perkins and Nickels, with the Jan Beens / Arends (#48) combination filling the third spot.
BMCRC F1 and F2 Sidecar Championship
The four races over the weekend for the Bemsee F1 and F2 Championships resulted in Christopher Wright and Paul Bailey on their F1 Ryde outfit (#62), being crowned 2024 F1 Champions, having built up an unassailable lead in the Championship.
Also consolidating their F2 title hopes was Greg Lambert, who over the weekend gave the opportunity for Andy Haynes and Andy Jeavons to the fill the passenger role on his highly colourful outfit.
Two races were won by non-points scorer Rupert Archer / Phil Hyde (#70), one by Ross Buchanan / Adam Evans (#83) and the final one, fittingly, by F1 champions Wright and Bailey.
FRSA Pre-Injection F1 and F2 Sidecar Championship
The Pre-Injection class provides a sidecar racing class where teams can be competitive with more affordable less hi-tech machines of pre-2002 design.
The outfits, both F1 and F2, vary widely, with competition for places, all the way down the field. Joining the Pre-Injection runners this weekend were half a dozen B.E.A.R.S outfits.
The International Sidecar Revival meeting held at Cadwell Park annually continues to grow and thrive, with large crowds present all weekend.
Those who attended were treated to some superb three-wheel action and intense competition, and no doubt like me, will be pencilling in a return next year.
Thanks to David Gowshall for this report which you can share with your friends on Social Media using these links.
You can see more of :DEEGEE: Motorsport Photography by clicking his website picture.
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