Sidecar speedway
Encyclopedia
Sidecar Speedway is a motorcycle sport involving 4 crews of a rider and a passenger competing over 4 laps on an oval shale surface. Rules are governed by the national speedway
federation and are not dissimilar to conventional speedway rules.
Sidecar speedway is most popular in Australia
although in Great Britain it also has a strong following. Sidecar speedway events are also held in New Zealand
, South Africa
and United States of America. Because of the nature of the sports hotbeds being spread so wide across the globe, organising an official World Championship has been an arduous task, though in 2006 the first successful Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
World Track Racing Sidecar Championships (Sidecar Gold Cup) were held at Isle of Wight Speedway
stadium. Queenslanders Scott Christopher and Trent Koppe aka the honda boys were crowned the first ever official World Sidecar Champions. The event was screened live on Sky Sports
.
s on speedway involves a rider and a passenger mounted on a 1000cc purpose built, three-wheeled sidecar outfit. The passenger of the machine is as much involved in the race performance as the rider. The two members of the sidecar crew work in unison to ride the outfit as best they can. Speedway circuits are a loose shale surface and therefore traction is all important. The passenger plays a major part in controlling the amount of traction being created on the rear wheel. He does so by moving his weight forwards, backwards and sideways (either in to or out of the machine). The outfit only ever turns right so the passenger only finds himself on the right hand side of the outfit.
Sidecar speedway is much less popular than conventional speedway, though by no means less spectacular. Like conventional speedway, the machines are equipped with no brakes or traction control systems. However, they are powered by huge 1000cc engines, taken from roadrace
superbikes
. Therefore, power output can be anything up to 180 bhp and top speeds can reach up to 80 mph. Sidecar speedway is also very similar to sidecar Grasstrack
and many crews race both disciplines. For example the 2007 British Sidecar Speedway Champions Gary Jackson and Carl Blyth are also regular competitors in Grasstrack racing, Jackson being a former British Grasstrack champion himself.
One main difference between sidecar speedway and more conventional speedway is the rule of contact. In solo speedway, any contact is strictly forbidden, and this rule is enforced strongly by referee
s. However, due to the nature of sidecar speedway outfits being much larger, contact is inevitable between machines. Although if a machine is deemed to take an advantage by 'barging' another competitor off the racing line whilst 'under power', then they may be excluded. This rule is very difficult to judge and enforce and therefore is often the cause of controversy.
Crews can also be excluded for losing their passenger.
Similar rules to conventional speedway include
Also in British Speedway the SCB enforce the use of dirt deflectors on the rear of the machine.
in 1931. Ever since, sidecar speedway has been one of the most popular categories in Australian speedway at both capital city tracks such as the now defunct Sydney Showground Speedway
, Rowley Park Speedway
in Adelaide
and the Claremont Speedway
in Perth
while country tracks such as the Broken Hill Speedway, Olympic Park in Mildura and the Riverview Speedway
in Murray Bridge have involved sidecars since the 1940s. Motorcycling Australia
have also allowed riders from England
to compete but no recent success has been recorded. Another big event is the Australian Pairs title, where the best riders from each state pair up and compete against other states. The Australian Pairs championship and the 'individual' championship are run on the same track over consecutive days. The 2011 Australian title was run at Australia's premier motorcycle speedway track, Gillman Speedway
in Adelaide with Glenn O'Brien winning his 5th national crown. The 2012 event will take place on May 5 and 6 at the Maryborough Speedway in Queensland
.
Sidecar speedway is set to receive a boost for the 2011/12 Australian season with the first running of the 13 event Speedway Sidecar Grand Slam, the first of its kind in Australia. Running from October to April, the series will include such riders as 5 times Australian champions Glenn O'Brien from Western Australia
and Darrin Treloar from New South Wales
as well as the current World Champions Mick Headland and his partner, former champion (2009) Paul Waters.
In the UK, sidecar speedway has had more of a troubled upbringing. In the early 1990s the 'World Of Rebels' series was ran, involving sidecars from England
, Australia
, New Zealand
and South Africa
. This event eventually died out, with cost of travel and track wear being fingered as problems. A British Championship was run at Coventry Speedway
every year, mostly involving Grasstrack
machines. However, in 2000, the Supercup Qualifier was run at Kings Lynn
and it sparked a new era for sidecar speedway. The 'Supercup' ran for a few years, bringing with it many sidecar stars from Australia
, New Zealand
, and USA. During this time, the British Sidecar Speedway Championships were made official, again another big landmark for sidecar speedway.
In modern times, the Supercup has since diminished but the British Championships still run strong. They run over a series of rounds at different speedway tracks. The Supercup was re-established in 2008 as a one night event at Isle of Wight Speedway
and was won by World Champions Darrin Treloar/Justin Plaisted.
The 2010 World Championship was won by Australian father/son team Mick and Jesse Headland at the Brandon Stadium
in Coventry
, England
on the 14th August 2010. Jesse Headland substituted for his fathers regular partner Paul Waters who was still recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the year in New Zealand. Mick Headland was the defending World Champion having won the 2009 title in France
with Waters.
The 2011 World Sidecar Speedway Championship took place on November 12, 2011 at the 360m long Riverview Speedway
in Murray Bridge in South Australia
with Darrin Treloar and Jesse Headland taking the title.
The other major event in world sidecar speedway is the FIM
Track Racing Gold Trophy. It had a troubled start, being cancelled due to rain at its Wertle venue. Since then, the event has been a success. Riders from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Holland have competed, though the Australian teams have dominated the events to date.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
federation and are not dissimilar to conventional speedway rules.
Sidecar speedway is most popular in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
although in Great Britain it also has a strong following. Sidecar speedway events are also held in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and United States of America. Because of the nature of the sports hotbeds being spread so wide across the globe, organising an official World Championship has been an arduous task, though in 2006 the first successful Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
World Track Racing Sidecar Championships (Sidecar Gold Cup) were held at Isle of Wight Speedway
Isle of Wight Islanders
The Isle of Wight Wightlink Islanders are a British Speedway team. They currently compete in the National League and ride at the Smallbrook Stadium....
stadium. Queenslanders Scott Christopher and Trent Koppe aka the honda boys were crowned the first ever official World Sidecar Champions. The event was screened live on Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
.
Nature of the sport
Racing sidecarSidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
s on speedway involves a rider and a passenger mounted on a 1000cc purpose built, three-wheeled sidecar outfit. The passenger of the machine is as much involved in the race performance as the rider. The two members of the sidecar crew work in unison to ride the outfit as best they can. Speedway circuits are a loose shale surface and therefore traction is all important. The passenger plays a major part in controlling the amount of traction being created on the rear wheel. He does so by moving his weight forwards, backwards and sideways (either in to or out of the machine). The outfit only ever turns right so the passenger only finds himself on the right hand side of the outfit.
Sidecar speedway is much less popular than conventional speedway, though by no means less spectacular. Like conventional speedway, the machines are equipped with no brakes or traction control systems. However, they are powered by huge 1000cc engines, taken from roadrace
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
superbikes
Superbike racing
Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs modified production motorcycles. Superbike World Championship is the international superbike championship, and national superbike championships are held in many countries as well, including the United Kingdom, the United States,...
. Therefore, power output can be anything up to 180 bhp and top speeds can reach up to 80 mph. Sidecar speedway is also very similar to sidecar Grasstrack
Grasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of motorcycle racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. Mountain and hillside tracks are also common in the UK, creating more technically demanding circuits...
and many crews race both disciplines. For example the 2007 British Sidecar Speedway Champions Gary Jackson and Carl Blyth are also regular competitors in Grasstrack racing, Jackson being a former British Grasstrack champion himself.
One main difference between sidecar speedway and more conventional speedway is the rule of contact. In solo speedway, any contact is strictly forbidden, and this rule is enforced strongly by referee
Referee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
s. However, due to the nature of sidecar speedway outfits being much larger, contact is inevitable between machines. Although if a machine is deemed to take an advantage by 'barging' another competitor off the racing line whilst 'under power', then they may be excluded. This rule is very difficult to judge and enforce and therefore is often the cause of controversy.
Crews can also be excluded for losing their passenger.
Similar rules to conventional speedway include
- running off the racing circuit (surprisingly easy on a machine that will only turn right).
- touching or braking the starting tapes when under starters orders (again, easily done with a clutch holding back 180 bhp).
- Being unable to make the start within a 3 minute time allowance.
Also in British Speedway the SCB enforce the use of dirt deflectors on the rear of the machine.
Events
Sidecar Speedway in Australia has been popular for many years with the first Australian Championship taking place in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1931. Ever since, sidecar speedway has been one of the most popular categories in Australian speedway at both capital city tracks such as the now defunct Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway, originally known as the Speedway Royal and later the Speedway Royale but often referred to as just The Royale or The Showground, was a dirt Dirt track racing venue at the old Sydney Showground used from 1926 until 1996....
, Rowley Park Speedway
Rowley park speedway
Rowley Park Speedway is a former Dirt track racing venue that was located on Torrens Road in Brompton, South Australia, The speedway was named after Mr Enoch Procter Rowley, an English-born Dentist who moved to Adelaide from Kalgoorlie in 1908 where he had forged a reputation as being Western...
in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and the Claremont Speedway
Claremont Showgrounds
The Claremont Showgrounds were built in 1905 in the Perth suburb of Claremont. The Showgrounds are home to the annual Perth Royal Show. They were also the original home of Claremont-Cottesloe in its first year in the WAFL before moving to Claremont Oval....
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
while country tracks such as the Broken Hill Speedway, Olympic Park in Mildura and the Riverview Speedway
Riverview Speedway
Riverview Speedway, sometimes referred to as Murray Bridge Speedway is a Dirt track racing venue that is located in the town of Murray Bridge, South Australia, only 66 km from Adelaide. Racing at the speedway generally takes place between September and May meetings are held every second...
in Murray Bridge have involved sidecars since the 1940s. Motorcycling Australia
Motorcycling Australia
Motorcycling Australia is the governing body for motorcycle racing in Australia, covering road racing, motocross, trials, supercross, dirt track, supermoto and speedway...
have also allowed riders from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to compete but no recent success has been recorded. Another big event is the Australian Pairs title, where the best riders from each state pair up and compete against other states. The Australian Pairs championship and the 'individual' championship are run on the same track over consecutive days. The 2011 Australian title was run at Australia's premier motorcycle speedway track, Gillman Speedway
Gillman Speedway
Gillman Speedway is a purpose built motorcycle speedway located in the Adelaide suburb of Gillman in South Australia.The closure of the nearby North Arm Speedway at the end of the 1996-97 season left Adelaide without a venue for motorcycle speedway for the first time in almost 80 years. David...
in Adelaide with Glenn O'Brien winning his 5th national crown. The 2012 event will take place on May 5 and 6 at the Maryborough Speedway in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
Sidecar speedway is set to receive a boost for the 2011/12 Australian season with the first running of the 13 event Speedway Sidecar Grand Slam, the first of its kind in Australia. Running from October to April, the series will include such riders as 5 times Australian champions Glenn O'Brien from Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and Darrin Treloar from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
as well as the current World Champions Mick Headland and his partner, former champion (2009) Paul Waters.
In the UK, sidecar speedway has had more of a troubled upbringing. In the early 1990s the 'World Of Rebels' series was ran, involving sidecars from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. This event eventually died out, with cost of travel and track wear being fingered as problems. A British Championship was run at Coventry Speedway
Coventry Bees
The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane...
every year, mostly involving Grasstrack
Grasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of motorcycle racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. Mountain and hillside tracks are also common in the UK, creating more technically demanding circuits...
machines. However, in 2000, the Supercup Qualifier was run at Kings Lynn
King's Lynn Stars
King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Elite League. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team...
and it sparked a new era for sidecar speedway. The 'Supercup' ran for a few years, bringing with it many sidecar stars from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and USA. During this time, the British Sidecar Speedway Championships were made official, again another big landmark for sidecar speedway.
In modern times, the Supercup has since diminished but the British Championships still run strong. They run over a series of rounds at different speedway tracks. The Supercup was re-established in 2008 as a one night event at Isle of Wight Speedway
Isle of Wight Islanders
The Isle of Wight Wightlink Islanders are a British Speedway team. They currently compete in the National League and ride at the Smallbrook Stadium....
and was won by World Champions Darrin Treloar/Justin Plaisted.
The 2010 World Championship was won by Australian father/son team Mick and Jesse Headland at the Brandon Stadium
Brandon stadium
Brandon Stadium, located in Brandon, Warwickshire, England, is the home of the Coventry Bees motorcycle speedway team and is also the city's main Greyhound racing stadium. The stadium's capacity is 5,000 and was built in 1948...
in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on the 14th August 2010. Jesse Headland substituted for his fathers regular partner Paul Waters who was still recovering from injuries sustained earlier in the year in New Zealand. Mick Headland was the defending World Champion having won the 2009 title in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Waters.
The 2011 World Sidecar Speedway Championship took place on November 12, 2011 at the 360m long Riverview Speedway
Riverview Speedway
Riverview Speedway, sometimes referred to as Murray Bridge Speedway is a Dirt track racing venue that is located in the town of Murray Bridge, South Australia, only 66 km from Adelaide. Racing at the speedway generally takes place between September and May meetings are held every second...
in Murray Bridge in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
with Darrin Treloar and Jesse Headland taking the title.
The other major event in world sidecar speedway is the FIM
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
Track Racing Gold Trophy. It had a troubled start, being cancelled due to rain at its Wertle venue. Since then, the event has been a success. Riders from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Holland have competed, though the Australian teams have dominated the events to date.
See also
- Auto RaceAuto Raceis a Japanese version of motorcycle speedway, but combines gambling added into it and is held on an asphalt course, throughout Japan. It is regulated by the JKA Foundation.A typical Auto Race bike is 599㏄. Autorace is predominantly a gambling sport...
- Dirt track racingDirt track racingDirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
- GrasstrackGrasstrackMotorcycle Grasstrack is a form of motorcycle racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. Mountain and hillside tracks are also common in the UK, creating more technically demanding circuits...
- Ice speedwayIce speedwayIce Speedway is a developed form of Speedway racing, featuring racing on frozen surfaces. The sport uses bikes enhanced for the terrain. Participants can compete at international level.- Outline :...
- Outline of motorcycles and motorcyclingOutline of motorcycles and motorcyclingThe following outline is provided as an overview of motorcycles and motorcycling:Motorcycle – single-track, engine-powered, two-wheeled motor vehicle...
- Track racingTrack racingTrack racing is a form of motorcycle racing where teams or individuals race opponents around an oval track. There are differing variants, with each variant racing on a different surface type....