World Sidecar
Championship contenders Ben and Tom Birchall are facing a
new challenge for 2009 for as well as contesting the World
Championship once again on the F1 LCR Suzuki they will also
make their debut at the Isle of Man TT races on an LCR F2
outfit powered by a 600cc Honda engine plus run in the 2009
British F2 championship.
The Mansfield brothers have made amazing progress since
beginning their world championship career in 2005 and taking
ninth place as a wild card entry into the world round at
Assen that year.
2006 saw Ben and Tom contest the full World championship
where they were consistent top 10 finishers, ending the
campaign in 13th position.
2007 saw the duo shine, they were fifth in the world
championship and notched up wins in various events including
the prestigious Jock Taylor Memorial Trophy.
2008 saw Ben and Tom secure their first World Championship
race win at Rijeka in Croatia to end the season in a fine
third place.
Ben and Tom have high expectations for the forthcoming
season and are serious contenders for the World title this
year. They have spread their wings to include the Isle of
Man TT, which is one event they have always been keen to
try.
With this in mind they have had talks with the Isle of Man
race officials who readily accepted their entry into this
year’s event where they will contest both three-lap sidecars
races in June. To prepare for this the team will contest the
British F2 sidecar championship, the first three rounds of
which are prior to the TT.
More track time beckons at Donington Park as Birchall Racing
has been invited to represent England in the six-nation Moto
Six event at the Leicestershire circuit at the end of March.
The event has attracted a lot of media attention and is
expected to benefit from extensive television coverage.
Ben and Tom have spent the winter months preparing both
outfits for the coming season and are anxious to get some
serious testing under their belts prior to the opening race
of the season at Donington Park over the weekend of March
28/29. |
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2009 Yokohama/ACU British F2 Sidecar Championship
1. Donington Park March 28/29 New Era
2. Brands Hatch April 10/11/12 BSB Easter
3. Cadwell May 3/4 Derby Phoenix Bank holiday
4. Mallory Park July 18/19 BSB
5. Anglesey August 1/2 WIRRAL
6. Cadwell Sept 19/20 Derby Phoenix
The Isle of Man TT begins with practice from
May 30th through to June 5th followed by the first
three lap sidecar race on Saturday June 6th at 3pm.
Race two is on Wednesday June 10th at 1.15pm.
FIM SUPERSIDE F1 SIDECAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
May 10 Schleiz Germany
June 27 Assen Netherlands (tbc)
July 4 Albacete Spain (tbc)
July 18 Sachsenring Germany
August 23 Grobnik Croatia
September 6 Le Mans France
Date tba Great Britain tba
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