2011 F350/Post Classic Sidecar Championship Round 3 Mallory Park
- Details
- Category: F350 and Post Classic
- Created on Saturday, 23 July 2011 11:11
- Published on Saturday, 23 July 2011 11:11
- Written by John Moulton
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At a bright but blustery Mallory Park on Sunday 22nd May, Stuart Mellor and Pat Gallagher shared the wins to show that they will be the main contenders for the FSRA Post Classic championship this year. Greg Noble's enforced long term absence due to his Cadwell crash has opened the championship right up and it would be difficult to choose between the two main protagonists at this point. In contrast, last years runner up in the F350 class, Gordon Jones significantly extended his championship lead with three wins.
The field was reduced even before the start with Ian Arnold/Steve Alexander (Windle Banshee) out with a broken crank and Dave Smith/Ben Watson (D&D Yamaha) suffering ignition problems in practise. In the first race, Pat Gallagher/Sean Rooney (Derbyshire Suzuki) made a blistering start and were never headed in the Post Classics.
Fuel starvation problems meant that Stuart Mellor / Mick Fairhurst (MarTek TZ750) had to settle for a safe second place, some twelve seconds adrift. There was a race long battle for third between Chris and Gary Fairhurst (1100 Kawasaki) and Ed Taylor/Ian Breakwell (Suzuki GS1000) with just 0.1 seconds separating the outfits at the flag. Fairhurst took the place, but Taylor was consoled by his fastest ever lap around Mallory.
Tony and Neil Wheatley (Ireson TZ750) retired on lap two with clutch problems which would hinder their racing all day. In the F350 class, championship leaders Gordon and Julie Jones (Shelbourne TZ350) stormed ahead, even passing Post Classic second place man Mellor on their way to victory. Merv Noble/Keith Brotherton (HamYam TZ350) battled for second place with Alan Longshaw/John Longbottom (Ireson YPVS) until Longshaw's engine holed a piston, putting an end to his day's racing.
Dave Cheesmond/Smudge Taylor (BSK Windle) were nineteen seconds adrift in third after Cheesmond was caught napping, expecting a second sighting lap! Mellor and Gallagher were so quick off the line in race two that they both incurred 10 second penalties. Such was their pace that they took first and second in class despite the handicap. His fuel starvation problems cured, Mellor pulled out an advantage on his rival by the finish. Fairhurst and Taylor repeated their third place scrap, finishing in the same order with just 0.2 seconds between them.
Gordon Jones again dominated the F350 class finishing half a lap ahead of his rivals. The battle of the race involved Cheesmond and Noble, with the Post Classic outfits of Fairhurst and Taylor in the mix to make it even more interesting! Cheesmond managed to put the Post Classic outfits between himself and Noble to take a well fought second place.
In the final race, Mellor and Gallagher were in close contention, with Mellor taking the lead from his rival on lap five. Shortly after the overtake, Gallagher's Suzuki expired with a blown head gasket, leaving Fairhurst and Taylor to take second and third respectively. Gordon Jones made his usual quick start in the F350's but he was almost caught napping by a hard charging Merv Noble, who closed to within a couple of machine lengths by the flag. Plagued by fuel starvation problems, Dave Cheesmond took a distant third in class.
With several campaigners due to rejoin the fray at June's Cadwell Park meeting, the Post Classic and F350 championship races should prove really interesting!
Next Round 4 Cadwell Park 19th June Auto 66 Club