With the sun splitting the skies and a large crowd all around the circuit, the sidecar teams took to the grid for the 12 lap sprint race.

As the lights went out it was Tim Reeves and Gregory Cluze on their “The Relocator, Remse Racing, SMT” LCR, Kawasaki who just managed to get the whole shot into the first complex of corners from the Birchall Brothers Ben and Tom on their “Mitchells of Mansfield” LCR, Suzuki. Right on the tail of the Birchalls was Benni Streuer and Geert Koerts with their “Team Streuer” LCR, Suzuki. A great start from Pekka Paivarinta and Timo Karttiala on their “Paivarinta-Karttiala” LCR, BMW slotting into fourth just behind Streuer and Koerts. Jokob Rutz and Thomas Hofer on their “Sidecar Racing Team Rutz” LCR, Yamaha were side by side with Uwe Gurck and Manfred Wechselberger with their “Polizei Sport Verein Wels” LCR, BMW all the way round the first complex of corners. Petri Makkula and Harri Asumaniemi slotted into sixth spot on their “Team Makkula” LCR, BMW. Michael Grabmuller and Sander Faber on their “Polizei Sport Verein Wels” LCR, Kawasaki, had a coming together with Andre Kretzer and Jens Lehnertz on their “AKW-Kretzer-Racing” LCR, Suzuki on the long drag down to the first corner. On lap 5 Grabmuller and Faber were to retire from the race. Faber fell from the sidecar in qualifying and he now has an injury to his foot due to this accident, but the team hope that the can race tomorrow.

At the front, the battle was on between Reeves/Cluze and the Birchalls, with no team giving an inch to the other the pace was hot. Brothers Ben and Tom managed to get by Reeves/Cluze, but Reeves was back at the Birchalls and passed back for the lead. Reeves and Cluze stayed in front till half way through the race, when again the Birchall Brothers got by Reeves/Cluze for the lead. Ben and Tom made this stick this time and started to make a small gap between them and second place Reeves/Cluze. As the race came to its closing stages Reeves and Cluze had managed to get back with the Birchall Brothers, when on lap 11 of 12, the gear linkage on Reeves/Cluze machine broke completely off, the pair crossed the line with the machine coughing and spluttering, it was jammed in third gear. With arms raised the pair continued onto the last lap trying to get a finish. The Birchall Brothers Ben and Tom took the chequered flag for the win, and they set a fastest lap time of 1:30.425, a new lap record. All eyes were on the last corner to see if Reeves and Cluze would make second place or even finish, as the seconds passed it was Reeves and Cluze who appeared and took the flag for second to the relief of the team.

The last spot on the podium was a hard fought battle between Streuer and Koerts and Gurck and Weschselberger, there was nothing between the two teams until half way through the race, when Gurck and Weschselberger managed to get by Streuer and Koerts. Gurck/Weschselberger started to put a good gap between them and now fourth place team, Streuer and Koerts. Gurck/ Weschselberger would cross the line in third for the all important podium spot. With Streuer/Koerts taking the chequered flag for fourth place.

Fifth place would go to a very happy Andre Kretzer and Jens Lehnertz, although they had contact with Grabmuller at the start of the race the team battled on for this good result.

Makkula and Asumainiemi would take the flag for sixth place, they were lucky to get the finish as they had gearbox problems. Makkula said “it is getting a really hard season for us this year”

Taking the flag for seventh place was Pekka Paivarinta and Timo Karttiala. They had a god start to the race, but electrical problems with the gear quick shifter caused the sidecar to cut out more than once throughout the race. But Paivarinta and Karttiala were happy with the result, and hope they can sort the problem for tomorrow’s race. Reeves and Cluze will go into tomorrow’s 21 lap Gold race with a 46 point advantage over the Birchall Brothers Ben and Tom. The race will start at 14.00 hours local time.

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