Dave first raced at the Southern 100 in 1979, not as a Sidecar Passenger, but as a Sidecar Driver with Tony Smith in the chair – the pair finishing in 18th position in their race and taking a creditable seventh in the Consolation race.
In 1987 Yorkshireman Dave, moved out of the driver’s seat and became passenger to Howard Langham taking ninth and eleventh positions in the two-leg Sidecar Championship races.
1999 saw Dave acting as ‘ballast’ for Geoff Bell taking sixth place in the Sidecar race and 4th in the Championship race at that year’s Southern 100.
Millennium year (2000) saw him team up with Roy Hanks, a partnership that has continued ever since.
Dave Wells as he will always be remembered
working hard in the sidecar
Southern 100 - 2011
(John Turton)
The popular crew finished third three times in Southern 100 Sidecar Championship in 2000, 2007 and 2009 and were runners up in the Sidecar Championship in 2002 behind Dave Molyneux and Craig Hallam and in 2006 behind Nicky Crowe and Darren Hope.
One of the most experienced crews in the Billown Paddock, Roy Hanks and Dave Wells took a fine sixth place in the opening Sidecar race in the 2001 Southern 100.
The Paddock at Billown will feel a massive void, come July 2012 without Dave Wells’s presence, although his personality and achievements over the years will remain in everyone’s thoughts and he will be fondly remembered.
The Committee and all associated with the Southern 100 express their deepest condolences to his family and friends at this very sad time and wish Roy Hanks a speedy recovery from injuries sustained in the racing incident.
Away from the Southside course in the Isle of Man, Dave first rode in the TT in 1988 and as passenger to Mick Boddice completed a double in 1991 winning both races and joined Roy Hanks in 2000 and has ridden on the Snaefell Mountain Course each year including 2011 taking 12th spot in Sidecar race one and collecting a DNF in the second.