Nick Crowe Racing - British F1 Sidecar Championship

Full Croatia report, courtesy of Mark 'Wally' Walters - Race One (10 laps)
As the lights went out it was Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker Hock Racing, LCR, Suzuki who got the hole shot under the blazing sun, right with them though was Pekka Paivarinta and Adolf Hanni, Team Suzuki Finland, LCR, Suzuki, Ben and Tom Birchall, Mitchells of Mansfield, LCR, Yamaha then Tim Reeves and Ashley Hawes, “The Relocator” LCR Suzuki. There was a small gap to the next group which was led by Jorg Steinhausen and Gregory Cluze, Steinhausen Racing Team, LCR, BMW who were side by side with Markus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer, Team Schlosser, LCR, Suzuki, right behind them was Josef Moser and Daniel Evenson, Team Tirol, LCR Suzuki, and right with them was Michael Grabmuller and Manfred Wechselberger, Delta Racing, LCR Kawasaki.

By lap two Reeves and Hawes had passed Hock and Becker bringing with them the Birchall Brothers who had got passed Paivarinta and Hanni, this put Hock back to fourth. Steinhausen and Cluze managed to get passed Schlosser and Hofer and started to reel in Hock and Becker, Hock started to get tyre problems which let Steinhausen get by, but as they were getting to grips with the race they too had a problem first losing water then power but they managed to cross the line in fifth place. The battle at the front had moved to the Birchall Brothers and Paivarinta as Reeves and Hawes started to pull away from the pursuing teams, however with the battle raging for second spot, this let Schlosser catch and make it a three way battle for the second place spot, as they all fought amongst themselves Reeves and Hawes pulled away and they were to take the chequered flag by nearly 10 seconds. The following teams fought hard for their places but with tyre problems affecting all of them it was hard going.

In the end it was an overjoyed Markus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer who crossed the line in second place. Closely followed by Paivarinta and Hanni and the Birchall Brothers Ben and Tom with them. Following Steinhausen over the line was Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker for sixth spot.

Slovenian driver Janez Remse and his passenger Jamie Biggs, Remse Racing, LCR Yamaha, lost power to their machine, and DNF the race

Full Croatia report, courtesy of Mark 'Wally' Walters - Race Two (18 laps)
Air temperature was 36 degrees and track temperature was 54 degrees, this was not going to stop 19 sidecar teams race for the top spot in the 18 lap race.

As the teams took their place on the grid the lights went out and it was Markus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer, Team Schlosser, LCR Suzuki who were first into turn one, Tim Reeves and Ashley Hawes “The Relocator” LCR, Suzuki right with them, then was Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker, Hock Racing, LCR, Suzuki, a small gap then Josef Moser and Daniel Evenson, Team Tirol, LCR, Suzuki followed by Ben and Tom Birchall, Mitchells of Mansfield, LCR, Yamaha, Pekka Paivarinta and Adolf Hanni, Team Suzuki Finland, LCR, Suzuki, then Michael Grabmuller and Manfred Wechselberger, Delta Racing, LCR Kawasaki.

On lap one Reeves and Hawes got by Schlosser and Hofer and the places were to stay like this till lap three when Hock and Becker were staying with the two in front, and even starting to catch, they had to pull off track with electrical problems, Hock saying it was the best thing to do as he thought to dangerous to continue. This let Moser and Evinson through to third. Meanwhile Jorg Steinhausen and Gregory Cluze, Steinhausen Racing, LCR, BMW started to move up the field passing Grabmuller, the Birchall Brothers who had been passed by Paivarinta, Steinhausen battled with Paivarinta then got the better of him and slotted into fourth, he then started to make good time on Moser who was starting to get tyre problems. Meanwhile the two teams at the front were starting to pull away from the chasing pack, but Reeves was able to keep in front of Schlosser and he would keep a safe gap for the rest of the race till the chequered flag. Steinhausen got by Moser and started to try and close the gap on the two front teams, but they were able to keep a safe cushion between themselves and Steinhausen. Paivarinta and Hanni followed by the Birchall Brothers got by Moser and Evenson who were starting to have big tyre problems, but Paivarinta and the Birchall’s too were starting to have tyre problems. Grabmuller and Wechselberger stayed in seventh place till the flag.

As the flag came out it was Reeves and Hawes with a total time of 29:14.898 second was Schlosser and Hofer who had the fastest lap time of 1:35.854. Third were Steinhausen and Cluze, Fourth was Paivarinta and Hanni, fifth were the Birchall Brothers, sixth Moser and Evenson, seventh were Grabmuller and Wechselberger.

Janez Remse and Jamie Biggs, Remse Racing, LCR, Yamaha once again had electrical problems leaving them with a DNF. “ It has been a bad weekend for us, as this is our home track and we wanted to do well for our supporters” said Janez.

Jean-Louis Hergott and Josse Stephane, France Quest Racing Team F.O.R.T. RSR, BMW were also a DNF

Double Tops for Reeves and Hawes
As the teams took their place on the grid the lights went out and it was Markus Schlosser and Thomas Hofer, Team Schlosser, LCR Suzuki who were first into turn one, Tim Reeves and Ashley Hawes “The Relocator” LCR, Suzuki right with them, then was Kurt Hock and Enrico Becker, Hock Racing, LCR, Suzuki, a small gap then Josef Moser and Daniel Evenson, Team Tirol, LCR, Suzuki followed by Ben and Tom Birchall, Mitchells of Mansfield, LCR, Yamaha, Pekka Paivarinta and Adolf Hanni, Team Suzuki Finland, LCR, Suzuki, then Michael Grabmuller and Manfred Wechselberger, Delta Racing, LCR Kawasaki.

On lap one Reeves and Hawes got by Schlosser and Hofer and the places were to stay like this till lap three when Hock and Becker were staying with the two in front, and even starting to catch, they had to pull off track with electrical problems, Hock saying it was the best thing to do as he thought to dangerous to continue. This let Moser and Evinson through to third. Meanwhile Jorg Steinhausen and Gregory Cluze, Steinhausen Racing, LCR, BMW started to move up the field passing Grabmuller, the Birchall Brothers who had been passed by Paivarinta, Steinhausen battled with Paivarinta then got the better of him and slotted into fourth, he then started to make good time on Moser who was starting to get tyre problems. Meanwhile the two teams at the front were starting to pull away from the chasing pack, but Reeves was able to keep in front of Schlosser and he would keep a safe gap for the rest of the race till the chequered flag. Steinhausen got by Moser and started to try and close the gap on the two front teams, but they were able to keep a safe cushion between themselves and Steinhausen. Paivarinta and Hanni followed by the Birchall Brothers got by Moser and Evenson who were starting to have big tyre problems, but Paivarinta and the Birchall’s too were starting to have tyre problems. Grabmuller and Wechselberger stayed in seventh place till the flag.

As the flag came out it was Reeves and Hawes with a total time of 29:14.898 second was Schlosser and Hofer who had the fastest lap time of 1:35.854. Third were Steinhausen and Cluze, Fourth was Paivarinta and Hanni, fifth were the Birchall Brothers, sixth Moser and Evenson, seventh were Grabmuller and Wechselberger.