Finishing fourth in Road Racing News top six Sidecar roads teams of 2019 are, prospective TT 2020 entrants Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie.
Rising and rising in stature within the three wheeling scene, one cannot but be ultra impressed with Crawford/Hardie’s list of accomplishments in recent years.
Beginning their 2020 roads tenure on Manx shores, sampling for the second time the Southern 100, they went onto produce series of strong, accomplished performances.
Top five finisher’s in the Ace Hire Sidecar race, the feature Sidecar Championship race would see them place an excellent third, along the way setting an impressive best lap speed of 99.171 mph, which equates timing wise to 2 minutes 34.279 seconds.
Hugely respected Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough exponents, they starred and some at the two day Barry Sheene Classic, which marked the beginning of a fresh, enterprising new era for England’s only closed roads course.
Dominant in both Sidecar races completed, they showcased in style why they are regarded for many as the current standout three wheeling competitors at the ‘Mini TT’.
Crawford/Hardie went onto take their overall Scarborough wins tally to nine at the 68th Scarborough Gold Cup, scooping a brace of victories including winning the blue riband six lap Ian Bell Trophy race.
A driver/passenger partnership that mixes raw talent, vast determination, true grit, tenacity in abundance, the Anglo/Scottish team are most definitely ones to watch throughout the next decade.
Looking towards 2020, they are planning to return to the Southern 100, plus are TT 2020 bound as driver Crawford joins the Mountain Course racing ranks for the first time.
Expect Crawford/Hardie to give good accounts of themselves around the roads course which for various Sidecar racers worldwide is the creme de la creme, the fabled, mythical Mountain Course.
Words by Stevie Rial