Post the celebration of thousands to Michael Dunlop’s all-time wins record tying 26th TT win, attentions turned towards the 3wheeling.media Sidecars opener.
Lap One:
With Ben Birchall not racing, we were guaranteed a first different winner since 2016.
Due to Birchall/Kevin Rousseau not starting, FHO Racing’s Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley were first off down Bray Hill at 5:45 PM.
Followed ten seconds later by qualifying week leaders the Crowes Ryan & Callum, the anticipated top two, occupied first, second positions at Glen Helen.
On the run to Ramsey Hairpin, the Honda powered Crowes upped the ante, opening a plus ten second advantage over Founds/Walmsley.
By lap one’s end, the race leaders were 12.223 to the good out front.
Their standing start lap speed was 118.525 mph (19 minutes 05.986 seconds).
The gripping fight for third was headed by Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney with Alan Founds/Rhys Gibbons, Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie, Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes all not far off P3.
Seventh place holders Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement lapped in the 113’s bracket with passenger Clement officially becoming the quickest female Sidecar TT racer in history.
Lap one retirements included Dave Molyneux/Jake Roberts, Steve Ramsden/Matty Ramsden and Daryl Gibson/Tom Christie, tipping off unscathed at Brandywell.
Lap Two:
20 seconds ahead at Ballaugh Bridge, the omens for a maiden TT success were extremely, extremely positive for the Crowe brothers.
Hitting 158.013 mph through the Sulby Speed trap, the only other crew to surpass the 150-mph barrier was World Sidecars great, former TT winner Reeves/Wilkes.
Whilst the Crowes continued to dominate, the race for third intensified.
Roughly 6.2 seconds covered Founds/Gibbons, Blackstock/Rosney, Crawford/Hardie, Reeves/Wilkes at Ramsey Hairpin.
First in the race, firmly first on the road, the Crowes ended lap two with a nigh-on 120 mph lap.
30.268 seconds was their race lead going into the third, final lap.
Founds and nephew, TT debutant Gibbons strengthened their grip on P3, lapping at 115.984 mph (Gibbons fastest newcomer passenger in TT history), 6.267 in front of Blackstock/Rosney.
Lap Three:
Ever since, they made their TT debut in 2019, one instantly knew the Crowes Ryan & Callum, were future TT winners.
Keeping cool heads, maintaining sterling pace, race craft, they would successfully go onto emulate their dad Nick Crowe in becoming TT winners.
Their final race winning margin over Founds/Walmsley was 26.894 seconds.
Founds/Gibbons held onto third, Blackstock/Rosney took fourth as Crawford/Hardie, Reeves/Wilkes rounded out the top six.
World Champions Ellis/Clement placed seventh, twice TT winner John Holden/Frank Claeys were eighth.
John Saunders/James Saunders, Conrad Harrison/Ashley Moore wrapped up the top ten whilst others to complete full race distance included:
Robert Dawson/Matthew Sims (13th), Gary Gibson/Justin Sharp (15th) and Dutch debutants Wiggert Kranenburg/Jermaine Van Middegaal (17th).
TT 2024 – 3wheeling.media Sidecar Race 1 Result:
1st – Ryan Crowe/Callum Crowe
2nd – Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley
3rd – Alan Founds/Rhys Gibbons
4th – Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney
5th – Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie
6th – Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes
7th – Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement
8th – John Holden/Frank Claeys
9th – John Saunders/James Saunders
10th – Conrad Harrison/Ashley Moore
11th – Greg Lambert/Andrew Haynes
12th – Shaun Chandler/Ben Chandler
13th – Robert Dawson/Matthew Sims
14th – Rob Handcock/Basil Bevan
15th – Gary Gibson/Justin Sharp
16th – Andy King/Andrew Sigsworth
17th – Wiggert Kranenburg/Jermaine Van Middegaal
18th – Maria Costello MBE/Gary Wheeler
19th – John Shipley/Diarmuid Mac Reamoinn
20th – Renzo Van Der Donckt/Vale Van Der Donckt
21st – Derek Lynch/Anthony McDonnell
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial

