For many years now the Sunflower Races have drawn some of the top sidecar teams from across the UK and Ireland and this year is certainly no different.
Over the past couple of decades, the names of Molyneux, Sayle, Birchall, Reeves, Hegarty, Neave, Bell, Clarke, Lawrie, Lynch and Knapton have all graced the tarmac of Bishopscourt and this year the October meeting is again bringing some of the best to the Ulster track.
The current in-form combination of Sam and Jack Laidlow, fresh from winning the Jock Taylor Trophy, the BSB F600 Cup and finishing in the top 10 in The World Sidecar Championship on their “Express Tyres-Marin” LCR F600, will be hoping to repeat history when they attempt to replicate 2005 when their dad Andy, aside Pat Farrance, took home the sidecar honours from this very meeting.
In 2017 John Holden also lifted the trophy with Mark Wilks in the chair but this year it’ll be his son George who flies the Holden family flag. George and passenger Oscar Lawrence have been running right up at the sharp end of the BSB F600 class for the past couple of years, but this coming weekend they will be on board their recently acquired “Holden/Barnes Racing” DMR F2 as they start their assault on the 2025 IOM TT in earnest.
Having raced at the sunflower as a passenger in the past, Leon “Beavis” Fitzpatrick is making a return to Bishopscourt but this time at the pointy end of his “Marin/FM Racing” Windle Suzuki F1, last year David Annan was a passenger to Ian Shouter but this time around he will be looking after the 3rd wheel for Beavis on this all-Scottish outfit.
Fellow Scotsman Lewis Nicole didn’t have the season that he would have hoped for when he spent the larger part of the year recovering from an injury sustained at Knockhill at the start of the year, but his natural pace is certainly not in doubt. Having competed at the Sunflower in the past in the superbike class his track knowledge will certainly be an advantage over those visiting for the first time, Lewis will be aided by French passenger Clement Conil on their “Cemcor” LCR Yamaha F600.
Although not raced in Ireland for several years, Tony Baker “The Chassis Maker” is certainly no stranger to this side of the water having competed here for many years at races in Bishopscourt, Kirkistown, Mondello and The Ulster GP to name but a few. Looking after the chair for Tony on the “Cumbra Express-Marin” Baker Suzuki is Tom Dawkins, already an accomplished passenger at the British Championship level, Scarborough Road races and Isle of Man TT.
Making his maiden race debut at an Irish Circuit is St. Helens-based TT veteran John Shipley, although only half of the team will be new to the Bishopscourt track as he will have Colin Smyth in the chair for him on the “Shipley Racing” LCR Suzuki F2.
Coming back for his 2nd year in a row is none other than Kenny Howles, a man who has made this trip many many times over the years including when he won the Ulster GP and Fore road races no fewer than 3 times. As was the case last year Kenny will be racing his KTM-powered “WinTec Racing” Ryde F2 but this time he will have Luke Gallagan in the chair, continuing this long-time family connection.
The best of the Irish teams must surely be the Southern and Irish Champions elect, “Nuts Racings” Darren O’Dwyer and Mark Gash. This pairing has been in superb form all year on their Suzuki-mounted Baker F1 and will be looking to continue their success so far.
The 2nd “Nuts Racing” Baker Suzuki F1 of Paul Clarke and Steve Daly, fresh from a 2nd place in the southern championship, will also be looking to build on their recent form.
Ulster Champions elect Fergie Woodlock and James Ging will be hoping that the mechanical issues that plagued them last time on the “Medler Racing” Suzuki LCR F1 out have been left behind them in Mondello Pack.
Mick Donovan will be making only his 2nd appearance on the recently acquired “Cosmic Racing” DMR Kawasaki F2, but those who had the pleasure of seeing him and Eamon Mulholland in action at Mondello Park a few weeks ago will be able to confess that the pairing is already on point and up to pace.
Ryan Dineen and Fran Newton will be doing all they can on their “Team Lawman Racing” Kawasaki F1 to hold on to their 2nd place in the Ulster Championship but with only a 10-point lead over the “Nightmare Racing” Suzuki LCR F1 of Eugene Kettle and Karl Lynch, all is to play for over the 3-race weekend.
Derek Lynch will be taking the bars of his “Eclipse Racing” DMR Suzuki F2. Having handed the controls to his passenger Anto McDonnell for the past couple of rounds, ‘Anto’ will now return to his more familiar duties of looking after Derek’s chair spot.
With Anto taking up his old chair position, Andrew Hutton is released from his recent responsibility with the Eclipse team. With this, in mind Andrew now partners up with Diarmuid MacReamionn on the “DMR” Racing Jacobs Yamaha F1.
Dave Marshall and Tony Pitt’s “HMH Safety” DMR Suzuki F2 will be making a welcome return to Bishopscourt after spending much of this year racing in the IOM and at Scarbrough Road Races. However, with Sam Wright and Karl Brady on board the “Trident Racing” LCR Kawasaki F2, this is surely lining up to be a “race within a race.”
Tony Wills and Ian Harron have shown to be real quick learners on their Jacobs Yamaha F1 having recently changed codes from Sidecar Motorcross to its tarmac-based cousin, as have this year’s other newcomers, the Havok Racing F2 team of Philly Newton and James Evans on their AWR Yamaha F2 outfit.
Of course, no Sunflower sidecar entry would be complete without Scobby Killough and his “Killough BitMac” Baker Yamaha F1. Making a comeback from a large part of the season off due to injury, he will again be partnered by his ever-present passenger Simon Mythen, and we all know that on their day…………well, just don’t bet against them!!!!!!!!!
The first sidecar race of the weekend (Friday evening) will be for the Elaine Surgenor Trophy.
The Peter O’Neil Trophy will be presented to the highest-scoring sidecar team over the 3 races.
The Charlie Finnegan Trophy will be presented to the first Irish passenger across the finish line.
The Mick Singer Trophy will be presented to the highest-scoring non-MCUI sidecar team over the 3 races.
A huge amount of credit must go to the Duff family of “Wash’N’Dash” and Boris and Bonny of “Marin Motorsport” for the support that they have given to the sidecar class at the Sunflower Races yet again. Thank you sincerely from all of us for making this event truly worthy of its standing in the sidecar race calendar.
Photo courtesy of Baylon McCaughey
Words by Baylon McCaughey