A Hamilton-based sidecar race team won all four of their modern sidecars category races at Hampton Downs last weekend. And it puts them in good stead for other national championship meets during the next six months.
Driver Aaron Lovell and teammate Dennis (Denny) Simonsen topped the field of more than
20 sidecars, including some of Australia's best. The races were part of the Barry Sheene Oceania Challenge.
Racing a slick new Louis Christen Racing (LCR) bike from Switzerland, Lovell and Simonsen say they have one of the best purpose-built sidecar bikes at their disposal. Each LCR bike is badged a limited edition. Parts are aircraft quality; the bodywork is tough, but light carbon Kevlar. The 225kg machine puts out about 200hp and can reach straight-line speeds of up to 280kmh.
And while the bike itself is top notch, so must be the communication between Lovell and Simonsen. There's no verbal communication via radio with microphones so the men rely on being able to read each other and the track.
And that obviously paid dividends at Labour Weekend. The four wins at Hampton Downs bode well for the rest of the season which includes the Tri Suzuki Series (Hampton Downs December 6 and 7 and Manfeild December 14 and 15), the Boxing Day street race at Wanganui, January 4 and 5 at Christchurch, January 11 and 12 at Timaru, and the Paeroa street race on February 16.
