IT was a two-horse race in the sidecars at the National Longtrack Titles at Tamworth Showground on Saturday.
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While Dylan Blain and Stuart Firth were swapping first and seconds in the sidecar heats, Joey Ringwood and Hugh Skidmore did the opposite, taking out the Longtrack Solo and 450cc Pro Open championships respectively with neither winning a heat.
The crowd loved the sidecars on Saturday and Blain and Firth didn’t let them down.
Firth had Yolanda Wilkins climbing all over the bike as his passenger, while Blain had Hamish Golding doing the same.
Going into the final after six heats, the two riders had three wins each.
It turned out to be one of the battles of the day as both bikes were at top speed and never far off each other as they flew around.
Every time Blain won, Firth was right behind him in second, giving him the points to take the title after Blain missed getting enough points in the final race.
Sydney’s Ringwood arrived with several bikes for a few divisions and was in the mix in every heat and final he entered.
Tamworth Motorcycle Club president Paul Slade said Ringwood was in great form on the day.
“He didn’t win any of the heats but managed to make the final and win it,” Slade said.
On his long track solo, Ringwood placed in all the heats before leading all the way in the big one.
The Sydney rider beat Jason Stuart and local Michael Slade who made a remarkable comeback to take third.
Slade stopped competing seven years ago when he had his daughter Scarlett, but decided to return for a go on his home track.
With the feeling of racing fresh in his mind there is little doubt he will be seen on another track shortly according to his mother and organiser Jo.
Jo said that the titles were always good in Tamworth because of the track.
The surface is great but it is also long and really wide.
“The riders have plenty of room to overtake and pass each other at pace,” she said.
“It makes the racing more exciting but also safer.”
In the 450cc Pro Open Coffs Harbour’s Skidmore did the same as Ringwood, to Ringwood.
While Skidmore hadn’t won a heat in the Pro Open, Ringwood had, with both making the final.
The two riders battled it out for three laps, both leading at different times, but Skidmore had the pace on the home straight to just get in front and take the title.
“It was a very, very close race,” Slade said.
“Great competition.”
“These are the best riders in Australia.”