Report: Sidecarcross GP 10 Stelpe – Latvia
By Tracy Thacker on 29th Jul 19
The FIM Sidecar Motocross World Championship descended on the fantastic Stelpe track in Latvia for GP 10 where Arne Dierckens/ Robbie Bax and Etienne Bax/ Kaspars Stupelis took one win each with Dierckens/ Bax taking the top step.
The track is set in grounds of a private house with a shop, bridge, rowing lake and viewing platforms. It has man-made jumps and wide sweeping bends, a great backdrop to a wonderful weekend of racing.
Still much in the minds of the sidecar community is the saddest news from Valentin Giraud who was injured in a terrible accident on the start of race two in Markelo. Valentin broke his spine and doctors do not think he will regain feeling in his legs.
The sidecar family is still in shock and are continuing with fundraising to help with medical costs.
At the end of GP 9 in Strabessenbach, Bax and Stupelis retained the red plate and aimed to do the same in passenger Kaspers home GP in Latvia.
Current world champions Marvin Vanluchene/ Ben Van Den Bogaart hold second and are fighting to regain that championship lead.
Koen Hermans/ Nicolas Musset remain third helped by a double win in Estonia but have suffered mechanical failures and injury problems driver Koen damaged his hand but luckily it wasnt broken.
Helped by some great holeshots, the pairing of Dierckens and Bax have been consistent over the first half of the season and hold fourth in the series.
Top British team Stuart Brown/ Josh Chamberlain have put themselves on the podium in the last two GPs and move back into fifth place.
Davy Sanders/ Lari Kunnas hold sixth but passenger Lari still has a damaged hand and will be unable to race. Driver Davey has been using stand-in passengers but this week also suffered a serious hand injury while at work, we think the team will be out for the rest of the season.
Qualifying races were the best we have seen this season, with four British teams qualified for the GP races.
The weather was extremely hot reaching over 30 degrees on race day its lucky theres a swimming lake on site!
In Race 1, Dierckens/ Bax took the holeshot and despite strong challenges hung on for their first GP win together.
Behind, Hermans/ Musset tucked into second and challenged hard but couldnt find a way past. Bax/ Stupelis worked hard and their efforts were rewarded with a third place as they gapped Julian Veldman/ Glenn Janssens who took fourth.
Jake Brown/ Joe Millard had a great start working hard to take a brilliant fifth.
Vanluchene/ Van Den Bogaart were just ahead of them until their machine got tangled in the green fencing. This left the front wheel from turning freely, slowing them up considerably.
Kert Varik/ Lauris Daiders held sixth much to the delight of the home crowd who cheered Latvian passenger Lauris right to the last lap. Brown/ Chamberlain fought back from a slow start to take seventh.
George Kinge/ Lewis Gray had a midfield start but work hard in the difficult conditions to take 11th.
Brett Wilkinson/ Ryan Humphrey had a big tumble over a jump on lap one. Driver Brett came off worse as he cartwheeled up the track with the bike although very dazed, the pair were able to walk away.
In Race 2, the holeshot kings Dierckens/ Bax again took an early lead but this time red plate holders Bax/ Stupelis were on the back wheels of the leaders.
Much to the delight of the home crowd the pair would blast into the lead within the first half of the race.
Dierckens/ Bax kept them in sight; however, they were unable to challenge and they had to settle for a second place as they took the chequers. But it was enough points to seal an excellent overall.
Behind Hermans/ Musset had a steady race passing Vanluchene/ Van Den Bogaart to tuck into third, and take third overall on the day.
Varik/ Daiders were holding fourth with Vanluchene/ Van Den Bogaart in fifth.
Behind them J Brown/ Millard were trying to hold back Brown/ Chamberlain. When J Brown/ Millard went wide and slowed slightly in the rough, Brown/ Chamberlain struck and blasted up the inside. The pair were on a charge and Vanluchene/ Van Den Bogaart were their next victims unable to hold them back.
Brown/ Chamberlain finished fifth, Vanluchene/ Van Den Bogaart were sixth and J Brown/ Millard brought it home in seventh.
Kinge/ Gray had a bad start but battled hard throughout and despite begin exhausted hung on for a 12th place.
After being left dazed from their race one crash, Wilkinson/ Humphrey didnt start race two taking the sensible option to sit it out. They finished the weekend sitting just outside the top 20 in the standings.
Bax/ Stupelis sits at the top of the championship with a 61-point gap over their rivals Vanluchene/ Van Den Bogaart. #10 Dierckens/ Bax have moved up another place this week to take third, with Hermans/ Musset on exactly the same points in fourth.
There are now three British teams in the top 20 with Brown/ Chamberlain holding fifth, J Brown/ Millard 11th and Kinge/ Gray 15th.
In four weeks the championship moves to the Roggenburg track in Switzerland and well be there to keep you updated of all the action.
Overall Results - Sidecarcross GP 10 Steple, Latvia
FIM Sidecar Motocross World Championship After 10 Rounds 2019
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