2002 FIM SUPERSIDE Sidecar World Championship
Round 6 Misano - San Marino, Italy, 22nd , 23rd June

What a scorcher ! ! You couldn't have asked for more of a contrast in the weather between rounds, and what a difference Italy made ! With temperatures touching 40oC (105 oF ish), basking in the glorious sunshine of the Italian riviera for a couple of days was just what the doctor ordered, so the Team took the opportunity after arriving at the circuit, to soak up the sun and have a splash in the Adriatic Sea !

After two days of relaxation, it was back down to business on the Friday, and the first free practice session was certainly no exception. After posting the 4th fastest time, halfway through the session, the Team continued to search for seconds, to improve on their position. At the end of the back straight at Misano, is a big looping left hand corner. The approach speeds to this must be in excess of 140mph and when you are met by an oil spill on the braking point and along the racing line, disaster will prevail. Unluckily for Chris and Pete, this is exactly what happened. Chris recalls;
" There where no warning flags being waved and we approached the corner in our usual track position. As soon as I hit the brakes, I saw the oil." Pete stated; " We must have been doing 135mph", but it was too late to steer the bike away from the dumped oil and the team ended up spinning across the grass and then across the gravel trap, before finally coming to rest, just off the tyre wall, some 100m later! Pete scored at least 9 out of 10 for his backward somersaults, whereas Chris ended up covered head to toe with dust and gravel. Anyway 9th position was still a respectable qualifying position !

After returning to the pits, the pit crew had a big clean-up operation on their hands before the second session and first qualifier. The task was completed on time and the boys where back on the track again. After struggling with gearing, lack of brakes and intense heat, the boys only managed 15th place. Making adjustments between sessions, with the active involvement of newly drafted team member, Norman Hanks (Tom's dad), adjustments where made in readiness for the second timed session on the Saturday lunchtime.

The Saturday saw the sun beating down at Misano, and as track temperatures soared, so did the pressure. Chris and Pete, however managed to keep cool headed and piloted the bike to a creditable 12th place on the grid, whilst no-one else improved on their 1st session times ! So 6th row on the grid and all to play for in the race.

The Saturday afternoon temperatures reached an all time high, with the track temperature recorded at 52oC and the air temperature at 40oC. The race would be a war of attrition and fitness, which for Pete was not seen as a problem. For Chris however, sat in the bike, on-top of the exhaust system, this would prove to be a critical decider in the final results.

The race... the lights changed and the boys got a reasonable start, but got held up when Martien / Toni van Gils stalled in front of them. Demoted down to 15th, the boys worked hard to get back through the field, but this they did and climbed to 13th place. The boys continued to make good progress and had an epic battle with Eilers / Englemann, then catching up to Cameron / Simons and Uwe Gottlich, for 9th place. The boys lapped consistently until the last five laps when fatigue started to play a big part and everyone's pace slowed. Not able to make any more in-roads to pass Cameron, Chris and Pete pushed hard but could not reduce the two second gap and ended up nose to tail with Cameron and Gottlich across the finish line in 11th place. With more championship points in the bag, the team settled for the finish in the extreme conditions and a well earned cool drink of iced water..well a beer or two as-well then !.

So onwards we progress to the next round at Brands Hatch on the 26th , 27th July at Kent, UK for the European round at the theatre of dreams ! !

See you there... Or follow the Team's progress @ www.teamfoundsracing.com or @ www.superside.com......

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