National Series & Supports 2021 ... BSB/AMA/IDM - You name them

Current motorcycle racing related news, information and discussion.
Post Reply
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

National Series & Supports 2021 ... BSB/AMA/IDM - You name them

#1

Post by Andy »

With the start of the BSB season today I thought I put a little reminder up for the action at Oulton Park tomorrow.
BSB seemingly has changed the qualifying format in SSTK as far as I could gather and now holds a 10 lap sprint race to qualify on Saturday. But only top 8 really do qualify on the spot they've finished in said race. Personally I think that BSB regs are getting more stupid from year to year.
In said quali race Michael Rutter would finish fourth, well into his 32nd season of pro racing and beat opposition he could be granddad of !
That alone was worth to watch it. :cool: :bye:
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#2

Post by Andy »

86th International Schleizer Dreieckrennen 2021

„Finally, I’ve met some normal people again“

Where to start.
Almost exactly 2 years ago I went to see my final race meeting of 2019 before the mess we’re in broke out. It was right there, at the Schleizer Dreieck.

The travel to Schleiz on Thursday afternoon would become an odyssee, with a huge traffic jam that would cost me roughly three hours. I’ve just managed to pitch my tent trackside before it went pitch black. On the other hand, the return home went almost smooth with just a 30 min traffic jam and a short 30 min refuel and coffee break. Sunday evening and subtracting everything out, the real road time was roughly 2 hours for the 330 km.

We’ve had scorching weather all weekend long. In the high 20°C, a few spits Saturday afternoon apart. Suncreme weather, really. There was a thunderstorm forecasted for Sunday afternoon but having been there in 2017 and 2019 the weather always been amazing. The doubters would doubt, but I was convinced that my series would hold on.
What can I say, a third time lucky.

It was great to meet all these people again. Frank, the sidecar crewman. Armin, along with his TT Shop. Daniel and Axel, another motorcyclists who like me enjoy to ride to the meetings. Susanne & Andi, another road racing supporters I got to know at Murrays motorcycle museum in the Isle of Man and with whom I did a walk around the circuit on Saturday. Sven, Frank and Maico, the sidecar supporters. Even if short, Daniela the local marshal who dreams of doing the TT one day.
It was really great to meet all of them again!
And you could hear one line all weekend long. „Finally, I’ve met some normal people again“.

The circuit, Germanies longest standing real road race since 1923 saw the 86th running of the International. These days, it is a fixed date in Germanies (inter-)national motorcycle championship, the IDM. The circuit itself is a lovely winding up & down road and features some of the fastest speeds here in Germany (up to ~320 km/h) on a tricky downhill section through a forest called the Seng.

We’ve had some great racing all weekend long but one really stood out for me. The highlight of the weekend.
2019 TT Newcomer David Datzer, normally an IRRC regular, raced in the Pro Stock Cup on a guest entry and would take the winner laurels in race one as well as claiming 3rd in the second race of the weekend. One line I’ve heard along these damn fine finishes will stuck with me though.
“If you have the balls to do the TT, you’ll be damn fine around here.”
And finally a huge thank you very much to David for signing me a few of my pics from the 2019 TT!

Sidecars, I really love watching them. But at Schleiz it is something else. Great, great fun!
In others news, I’ve upped my personal game a wee bit and I hope to show it in the next couple of days.

The race weekend blues really hits home here now. Not as bad as past the TT or the Manx but I’ve felt it creeping up yesterday evening and got the full blow today.
On the other hand, it gives me a hint on how fantastic last weekend really was.

In this regard, I hope you do enjoy the early selection of the weekend below !

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#3

Post by Andy »

German TT
Schleizer Dreieck
27.8.-29.8.2021


Wet feet and some racing


Four weeks earlier I had spent the weekend with the IDM here, and with not a lot of racing the past two years I had decided to pay this lovely place another visit. Weather reports for the German TT weekend were kind of depressing with lots of rain forecasted the entire week. Due to work commitments, I only could drive down to Schleiz the Friday afternoon and it was already lashing down when I set off. A feature which would accompany me the entire 3 hours trip.
The triangle is Germanies oldest real road racing venue, even if some short circuit style portions have been added in recent years.

On arrival, it seemed to lighten up a bit as in not so much downpour but I opted against pitching the tent as I still would have been soaked. Instead I walked off and bumped into a few mates at the beer tent in old paddock. A good decision as it would start to lash down again just minutes later.
Maybe I could pitch the tent Saturday morning but it also meant that I spent Friday night in my car.

Saturday morning it would be dry for a while but only to get to the showers, so I made the decision of not pitching the tent at all and spending the second night in car as well.
Actually, I had planned to do a walk around the full old 7.6 km long triangle circuit on Saturday but it was lashing down on and off which would delay my starting procedure. Meanwhile, I had met a mate in paddock who was just setting up his shop so a bit of banter delayed the start further.
At roughly 10am it would stop raining for some time and I finally set off from old paddock into the town of Schleiz, following the traces of the old hairpin section. But to get there, I had to take a path through a wheat field and some rather high grass areas. When I finally had arrived at the marshal post next to the exit into town, to allow me crossing the circuit towards old hairpin my boots were already soaked and my feet wet.

I’d continue to the old hairpin area where a petrol station resides today and a monument called ‘The Fastest’ tells the story of winners since 1923. As I needed some cash I’d walk into town but would be back at the monument roughly 30 minutes later to follow the traces of the old hairpin section towards todays exit of the so called ‘Kohlbach chicane’ which short cuts old hairpin. On arrival there it would start to lash down again and there ‘s not really a place to hide until you move on towards the so called Seng section, a bloody fast downhill bending road where after another grassy area a forest gives some shelter. When I reached the forest it was lunch break already and so I could cross the circuit on exit of the forest with my target for the break, the Seng pub right at the bottom of the section. From here you’ve got a great view of the action, reminding to the Crosby pub on the Isle of Man, in a way.

I’d watch the next session from here and with 5 minutes to go I’d set off again for the road crossing between sessions, right after the Sengs top end chicane and to take a couple of photos here as I have had before. Here, the almost unimaginable happened – It stopped raining and the sun came out to play!
With my wet feet and soaked legs of the trousers I continued my way towards new paddock, giving up on the idea of doing the full old circuit tour. To get there I had to walk through another knuckle high grassy area but as my feet were already wet it didn’t really matter. Before you reach new paddock, there are two ponds through which a narrow path leads. Now the right sided pond lays a bit higher and after all the downpour flooded over into the other. This was tricky as the path was really moody and with the overflowing water not easy to take. In fact, I very nearly slipped away there.

From here I went back to my car, turned it on and let both my feet and boots dry under the cars ventilation before the first races commenced. For them, I went back to my favourite corner, T2 or also called Buchhübel 1, a blind, left hand crest, to take some photos. Here I was asked by a group of lads to take photos of them and was invited to the evening proceedings at their site. In the penultimate race, an ugly looking incident happened right in front of me and I packed in the camera.
On my return back to car I’d stop by on the first grandstand on the hill and enjoyed the sun up there.
Later that evening, I’d follow the invitation of the lads but following two of their homegrown schnaps I only do remember trundling back to my car, into my cozy sleeping back.

Sunday morning, I’d wake up to the sound of the first sessions. It must have rained over night but was dry for the moment, still. A feature that would quickly revert to lashing down. My mate had decided to pack his shop in looking at the weather and I’d help him in the proceedings. From here, it would never stop lashing down until I’ve had finally and left Schleiz at about 3:30pm, again with wet feet.

It was a fun weekend, really and compared to the IDM meeting four weeks earlier, much more quiet.
The weather wouldn’t play game but then racing is an outdoor sport. If you want to watch it at the circuits, you’ve got to arrange with the conditions. But even if was really wet, it would make up for some good laughs around the paddock.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little weekend write up around my favourite German circuit and as this late Summer promises a few more meetings, fingers crossed, I might add one or the other write up.
Stay tuned!
Image
Memorial of the fastest. Outmost point of old Hairpin.
Image
Buchhübel 2 & 3
Image
Buchhübel 2 & 3
Image
Into Stadtkurve
Image
Exit of old hairpin section - into Seng
Image
Exit of old hairpin section - into Seng
Image
Kohlbach Chicane
Image
On the run down to the bottom of the Seng.
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#4

Post by Andy »

As it belongs to the regular Benelux Trophy as well as the Belgian Twin Trophy schedules similar to the IDM weekend at Schleiz ;)

53rd Int’l. Road Races
Varsselring, Hengelo
4.9. & 5.9.2021


Real Road Racing under special (corona-) conditions

After being moved forward from start of May to start September due to the still striking corona virus some special spectator regulations were released and enforced all weekend long.
To quote the hamove.nl website:

“The road race 2021 Varsselring 4 and 5 September CONTINUES!
However, with some limitations:

1. The paddock around the Hamove mill is only accessible to participants and helpers. No public allowed.
2. Max 750 people public on Saturday, location Boschbocht at 1.5 km from the paddock and only accessible via the village of Hengelo. Rest of the circuit not accessible to the public
3. Max 750 people public on Sunday, location Boschbocht at 1.5 km from the paddock and only accessible via the village of Hengelo. Rest of the circuit not accessible to the public
4. The following applies to EVERYONE: access is only possible when showing a Corona admission ticket (Vaccination certificate, recovery certificate or test certificate) in combination with proof of identity in accordance with the current guidelines of the RIVM.
You can purchase the Saturday and Sunday tickets at each € 25,- per person via www.hamove.nl from the 27th of August.
Board HAMOVE“

Since camping in paddock wasn’t allowed I decided on a hotel stay but only once I was sure to get the tickets a week prior to the event, as pre-sale only started then and were limited to 750 each day.
Eventually, I found a hotel & restaurant in Lichtenvoorde, called ‘t Zwaantje, roughly 25 minutes away from the circuit. In already scorching conditions, I set off Lichtenvoorde bound Friday late in the morning and following a three hour drive arrived at the hotel safe and sound.
However, on arrival I had the first surprise in the hotels restaurant being closed due to a newly formed partnership with another hotel & restaurant, called De Koppelpaarden, roughly ten walking minutes away in town. I would walk a bit around and visit the impressive church before I went to De Koppelpaarden for an early dinner and refreshments.
On my return to ‘t Zwaantje I’d find a pub open just around the corner from the hotel, which looked closed down for good, when I set off into town. The pub, De Schatberg, is just that a little darts pub but pretty stylish.
I had a few there until past sunset when it became too chilly to sit outside. It was still 18°C but a very moist air made it feeling colder.

When I got up Saturday morning high fog had set in which dipped the sky into grey colours. And it was pretty fresh as well. Since this weekend has been the first of my vacation I took it easy in regards to time and lost sight on watch for a while. Only on return from breakfast I would recognize that I was running late for the first couple of sessions at the Varsselring, so I would hurry up and managed to leave by 9am, when the first sessions at the circuit were already running.
My navi lead on to some real strange roads, I had dialled in Hengelo as target, and eventually I’d find one of these yellow circuit plates but to my surprise I ended up at a point I have been on my last visit back in 2018 and which was guarded by a steward.
The steward kindly informed me that this would be the way to the paddock and that it wouldn’t be allowed to drive on for spectators but he would also show me a way around. Apparently, my navi wanted to take the backside from final corner to Boschbocht as it would have been the shortest way.
Since I knew now where to drive to, it wouldn’t take too long to arrive at the specially designed spectator area where either a vaccination certificate, a covid test or a recovery certificate were mandatory to enter before even getting to show the entry ticket. It would become shortly past 10am when I finally had entered the area and prepared my camera with the big 150-600mm lens.
There and then I would realize that I had forgotten the big sd-card at home and only had the smaller backup cards with me.
I found a good spot on the barrier where an elderly lady was already taking pics. We would start chatting about taking photos as well as our cameras and lenses. We would have a coffee together and from there shared duty in watching our respective equipments when the other went for loo or a drink.
Past noon it would start to light up and finally the sun broke through.
I had found that my big lense was fine but most often just a touch too close so I would take my smaller 55 to 210mm lense. A good decision since it is way lighter in weight than the big one and due to the smaller range a bit better variable. The lady would tell me that she only was there on Saturday but I thoroughly enjoyed her company ! Qualifying day ended and I’d leave circuit back to Lichtenvoorde.

I already had a burger and fries dinner at the circuit so I wouldn’t need to head into town later. Somehow, I was quite knackered and decided on an early night. Headed to bed at 9.30pm but soon would wake up again as there seemed to be a bigger party in the pub around the corner. A feature that would last until 4.30am. Dreaming away and waking up again due to the party noises.
After the final nap until 6.45am, the longest stint of kip that night, I got up and ready. I also packed my bag to be ready for when getting back from breakfast and checking out in town. This day, the sun was out from minute one and didn’t shy away.

This time I could force the navi to take the right route straight, by adding two way points and would arrive at point 9am with the first session, the classic two stroke warm up. A funny feature I may add, since I usually miss warm up sessions on a Sunday morning.

A few races were run when the ONK sidecars started their first race and the first IRRC Superbike race would be next. I don’t know whether the marshals didn’t look past the sidecar race or if they just didn’t see it but there was oil and chaos with a couple crashes would ensue, which were solely down to too late oil flags. Lukas Maurer had been one of the unfortunate to slip away there. Race was red flagged quickly and after quite some scrubbing the race was restarted, now over five laps.
But again here at Boschbocht, poor Lukas would tangle up with Marek Cerveny on the restart which ended the race for both.

I saw it all through the lens but my finger never hit the button. I guess that my own TT and Manx GP marshaling somewhat sensitised me for such situations. In fact, my finger only came to play again when Andreas Böse sat on his bum next to his bike, perhaps a bit shaken but definitely not stirred.

Meanwhile, I had discovered that I not only forgot about the big memory card but also about sun creme and a light sunburn would commence. The races, following the oil incidents, would all be shortened from 9 to 7 laps.
I really enjoyed the classic races. Namingly, the Camathias Cup sidecars as well as the NK CLassic IHRO and Classic Two Stroke races while the Belgian Twin Trophy saw runaway victories.
I found, that the second backup card wouldn’t last throughout race day and that it quickly ran out of space but eventually had a spare 32 gig card still. Unfortunately, the 32 gigs wouldn’t allow raw files so I had to resort to just jpeg pics for the final couple of races.
Race day ended at about 5.30pm without further incidents and I got on the roughly three hour home trip to be home at 8.30pm.

It was a weird weekend, really. No enforced mask, no certificates of recovery or vaccination nor testing was mandatory anywhere else, but at the circuit. Now I don’t blame the organizers but it seems odd to have 750 spectators per day only, in an enclosed spectator area on the far end of the circuit at that, while anywhere else around such strict rules simply do not apply.
Corona restrictions apart, it wasn't that different from watching a race day on the Isle of Mans Mountain Course at say Lambfell or Keppel Gate but there you also would have to get your own supplies along.

All in all, it was good fun and great weather but I missed walking through paddock and saying hello.
However, I hope to be back in May with hopefully less restrictive rules and regulations.

I hope you’ve liked this little report.
There’s more to come, so stay tuned!


Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#5

Post by Andy »

58. Internationales Frohburger Dreieckrennen
18.09. / 19.09.2021

A return to where it all took off for me

Five years ago, a few weeks after I had finished the A-license a Canadian (online-) mate in Duncan Phillips would ask whether I’ve had heard about the Frohburg Road Races and if I’ve ever been.
I could answer the first part with yes but had to deny the second part.
Now, I’ve followed motorcycle racing since my early teens but mainly on the tv as it was a great time to watch the 250cc world championship particularly, with riders such as Max Biaggi, Ralf Waldmann, Tetsuya Harada and Jeremy McWilliams, but I’ve only ever attended an airport meeting about 30 minutes away from me, in the town of Hildesheim for a few years in a row. That said, I had spent roughly ten years prior to 2016 to get into real road racing, ignited by a book about the Southern 100, the start of the Northwest 200 online coverage and last but not least Manx Radios’ online coverages of the Southern 100, TT and Manx GP.

Back in 2016, I simply packed a tiny tent as well as a sleeping bag and rode off to Frohburg not knowing what to expect. Following a freezy night thanks to a much too thin sleeping bag I would wake up to what became a limestone cave with water dripping down into my face. Well, at least I had washing my face done by waking up. Around the corner there was a coffee wagon and I got me one of these cardboard mugs. Sleepy me stumbled back around the corner when a well known voice from various Manx Radio commentaries asked me whether I could be so kind to move a step aside so he could film his sons enclosure. As I said, a well known voice, so I turned around and would bump straight into Roy Moore of Ramsey Hairpin and Cross-Four-Ways fame.
This was the exact moment my cards were changing as during the one and a half days there, further ignited by the tooth to nail battle between Shaun Anderson and Niklas Pfeiffer, Roy, his son Peter, his nephew Brian and a bunch of their friends would convince me to make the trip to the Isle of Man TT in 2017, which I would mainly through Brian’s help. As I said, it all took off for me here as it would lead me to the Mountain Course for both the Manx as well as the TT, to Billown for the Pre- and Post TT, to Hengelo as well as the Schleizer Dreieck and some more short circuits.

I had to give the final pre-Corona meeting at Frohburg in 2019 a miss and since it was back on this year I simply had to go. This time though, camping in paddock wasn’t allowed for spectators and a camp site 15 foot-minutes away had been designed. This time I had to take my car as my tent had suffered somewhat the past two meetings at the Schleizer Dreieck.
I would arrive at the camp site shortly past noon and rebuild my cars interior into a sleeping cell before I went off to paddock to get a couple of my pics from the 2021 Hengelo Wegraces as well as the German TT, signed. Some of the paddock people I haven’t met since TT 2019, others even longer. Quite some time and owing to that you may imagine that the banter took quite some time, as well. It would become roughly 10pm until I left paddock for campsite.
At this point thank you very much to Yannick Jacops, Foti Pso, Felix Klinck, Andreas Böse, David Datzer, Sebastian Frotscher, Thomas Walther and Phillip Stich who kindly signed my photos.

Knackered as I was, I tried to sleep but other campers had a big party on which lead me to leave the campsite by 4am because I had seen someone who had pulled up next to entry gate, sleeping in his car. And there were still a lot of free spots. With a fuel station on the opposite side of the road there was also the opportunity for a coffee and the quick morning wash in the restroom. After the relocation I’d sleep another two hours before getting ready to go.

Being one of the first people at the gate, the entry started with a little surprise.
I had bought my weekend ticket online but it was obvious that the gatekeepers didn’t know how to handle them so it would take a while until I could by a program and make my way in.
As it wasn’t really cold, I had decided on a pair of shorts but still wore a fleece and a soft shell jacket. Probably owing to some sort of dizziness from the rather short night I would start to freeze and got me another layer at Armin’s TT Shop.

The morning became rather busy in terms of walking around and taking photos. Unfortunately, both the championship leader Lukas Maurer as well as team mate Vasilios Takos would crash out of the meeting during first superbike qualifying. In the same session, Andreas Böse would crash right in front of me for a second time in two weeks as he pulled a similar stunt right in front of me at Hengelo, probably giving his crew chief a headache or two and some work to be done.
Later I would joke, that it ain’t necessary for Andreas to always throwing himself to my feet.
All that made me missing a date and I can only apologize to the lady in question for not turning up.

Well, unfortunately for me some moist air pulled in from noon and it would start to drizzle on and off. I could feel my refurbished left shoulder starting to act up but hoped for the best. The on and off drizzle continued all afternoon, sometimes more sometimes less, which lead to few track action and mostly only these who still needed to qualify, or better who needed to post a couple of laps in order to be eligible to take part in the Sunday races would go out. Only for the one Saturday race, the Twin Cup, there wasn’t liquid sunshine but the tarmac still was wet. It was good fun to watch them twinners hurling around but my shoulder got worse.
Past the racing, I’d take part in a funny paddock golf session but there my shoulder finally would finish me. It’s a pain tough to describe but imagine an open tooth hits ice or sugar. This constantly.
Usually a drink or two and a bit of sleep help in such a case, so I trundled off two my car, turned on the engine for some warmth in the cabin and had said two drinks until the cabin was warm enough. But my shoulder got even worse until I had no other choice than taking a painkiller. Roughly half an hour later by 9.30pm, I slept away only to be woken by a street cleaning machine at 5am Sunday morning. At least the shoulder was better again so I could perform some exercises and moving over to fuel station for coffee and wash.
With my coffee I’d bump into a lad who stood there with his camper van and we’d chat about real road racing until almost 7am. On Sunday my shoulder would behave and I could take some more pics. Unfortunately, Sunday also saw the next championship contender in David Datzer crashing twice which would hand the title to Didier Grams after winning superbike race one.
Big thanks to Albrecht Wendritsch here as he organised me a race poster signed by the new IRRC Superbike champion.
The Sunday racing also saw some more delays due to incidents so that the closing Superbike race 2 finished by 5:30pm. After bidding my good byes I went onto the return home by 6pm and arrived there by 8:40pm somewhat knackered but truly happy.

It was great to meet all the lovely paddock people again, it really was, despite my rotten shoulder.
Just a bit bad that the season is almost over now.

Finally, a speedy but more importantly full recovery to all those who did crash and got hurt.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my scribblings. Stay tuned!

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#6

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

.... Hehehehe sounds like a fun weekend. Great photos as usual. Thanks.

I got caught out at phillip Island this year for the big Historic meeting there, over the same Covid related no campsites open thing.
Usually at the Island I just go to a Bed & Breakfast place I know, but dont book ahead in case my plans changed. It is not normally a problem. However because of no camping all the B&B places were booked by those normally camping, and it was a 'long weekend public holiday and regular tourists were there as well.... so I ended up also sleeping in my car, or the Hotel Audi as I referred to it when others asked where I stayed!
It was fine.... as I was fortunate enough to have a competitors pass I was able to have breakfast early at the track (with the marshalls) and use the drivers change rooms for a shower!

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#7

Post by Andy »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 2 years ago .... Hehehehe sounds like a fun weekend. Great photos as usual. Thanks.

I got caught out at phillip Island this year for the big Historic meeting there, over the same Covid related no campsites open thing.
Usually at the Island I just go to a Bed & Breakfast place I know, but dont book ahead in case my plans changed. It is not normally a problem. However because of no camping all the B&B places were booked by those normally camping, and it was a 'long weekend public holiday and regular tourists were there as well.... so I ended up also sleeping in my car, or the Hotel Audi as I referred to it when others asked where I stayed!
It was fine.... as I was fortunate enough to have a competitors pass I was able to have breakfast early at the track (with the marshalls) and use the drivers change rooms for a shower!
It was ;)
Much like you're really thirsty and finally get this sip of water :thumbsup:

Relating to your PI experience I will use the term 'hotel Golf' now, when I write about camping in my car :haha:
I remember sleeping in the car from my younger days as a pretty uncomfy experience as the breathing moisture would turn the cabin into a limestone cave sooner or later and this sucked the most. It is quite funny though, that it never happened both times I made use of hotel Golf even when night time temps dropped below dewpoint in both cases.

There's only one full meeting left for me this year (most likely in hotel Golf again), next weekend and another one day trip the week after perhaps. Whatever is going to be the final meeting, it will be the end to a short but highly intense season with either 4 meetings in 5 weeks (5 in 9 wk) or 5 in 6 weeks (6 in 10 wk). In brackets if you count the IDM round at Schleiz 4 weeks prior in. And all barring one (or 2) will have been on the real roads :mrgreen:
:bye:
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#8

Post by Andy »

Sidecar Festival 2021
Motorsport Arena Oschersleben
01.10. – 03.10.2021

Three Wheeling – The whole galore of

During the German TT at the Schleizer Dreieck it would become clear that the Sidecar Festival would run with public access and not restricted, unlike last year. With Oschersleben being on the doorstep kind of, being just an hour away, it was a no brainer to go and I’d get my weekend ticket right when online sales went live.
A truly promising schedule with races to the FIM Sidecar World Championship, as well as the season finals of both the IDM Sidecar and the Sidecar Trophy, a continental championship, watered the mouth further.

For Friday, October 1st, a free testing session had been announced from 3pm to 6 pm, so the plan was driving off some time between noon and 1pm in order to set up ‘hotel golf’ at the circuit and finding a good spot for some photos of the free testing. ‘Hotel Golf’ ain’t some radio code here, but the stay for the weekend, since I made first use of my Golf MK 4 in this regard at the German TT, a few weeks ago.

The drive itself was smooth but contained a light chuckle when I reached the two concrete posts along Autobahn A2 at Marienborn, where the former inner German border, the Iron Curtain, began some 30 years ago. The two posts are housed in the centre between the two third lanes and to the right there’s the old border watchtower.
Usually, the watchtower is empty, a ghost of the past. But this Friday there were people up there and for a moment I wondered whether the Iron Curtain had been pulled up again.
Just for a moment though, because I remembered October, 3rd being German reunification day as well as the fact that the watchtower is part of the border museum these days.
Remembering the old days when my family crossed over there to West-Berlin on a regular basis, I’d let out a light sigh of relief followed by some chuckle.

Having done my research on the Arena website, it stated that it’d be possible to use the camping ground for a fair fee. Knowing where the camping ground resides, I drove there straight but to my big surprise all gates where locked!
There was no other option than driving to main gate, seeking info’s there.
Here, my jaw dropped as I was informed that the camping ground is out of operation since the end of 2019 and that if I wanted to camp my car, Hotel Golf, would be regarded as a camper van, costing 50 bucks in the area of the backside esses, next to the camping ground.
A quick calculation and I knew that I would pay more than the 50 bucks if I operated the weekend from home, despite just being one hour away, as well as giving up on some paddock fun in the evenings. Grinding my teeth, I paid the fee and rolled in.
Now, it is no problem to me to pay a fee for camping to me but since it never was announced prior, I felt somewhat fooled.
And I wasn’t the only one, how I could hear in the queue behind me when I paid.

I’d park Hotel Golf between the two corners, which make the esses right past what used to be Volkswagen bridge, the entry into the infield. After preparing my stay I’d run into the next surprise because the gate into infield, and thus the short way into paddock, still was locked. There was no other option than taking the long way around the backside in order to reach paddock. On the way around, I’d see a circuit worker rolling around in a van and waved him to stop, so I could ask if the gate would be unlocked at all.
The worker looked somewhat surprised and minutes later I’d see the van rolling through the infield, right to said gate.

The haul around the backside made me thirsty, so I’d have a pint or two at the Arena Diner before continuing my stroll through paddock, saying hello to those I know.
Meanwhile, the free testing had begun, so I went up into the spectator infield for some shots. I had planned a full circuit walk, with pics from different spots but never really got out of the infield area.

It must have been like 9.30pm, when I finished another stroll through paddock and went to my car. Put the gearbox into neutral, pulled the handbrake and turned the engine on for some warmth in the cabin. The cars radio played along, so I’d have two or three bottles of beer and decided on stretching out in hotel golf to study Saturday’s schedule.
A big mistake, as I fell asleep with the car still running. Some time later, I’d wake up and quickly pulled the key, shocked as I was. Turned around and fell asleep again, only to wake to a full bladder a few hours later again. On waking up, I wondered why it was still lit in the cabin and quickly realized that I had forgot about pulling the charging bar with the camera accu and the mobile. Pulled it quickly and went for the much needed wee, but crossed fingers that the cars battery wouldn’t be sucked out.

Right after waking up Saturday morning, I’d remove the curtains and turned the engine on in order to recharge the battery. During my nightly run for a porta potty I found that they’d be somewhat far from where I was staying and since I had the car on anyway, I’d relocate Hotel Golf to a spot much closer to the porta potty and let it run in neutral for another 45 minutes there. Due to the mornings shenanigans I was tight on time for the first sessions and wouldn’t install the curtains for now. A big mistake, as the warm and sunny day would cook the three beer bottles in the cabin.

First task had been getting a coffee or two, so I had to cross over the infield once more. After roughly 15 minutes of walking I’d bump into Armin who was already busy in getting his TT Shop up. Following the hellos, I’d continue to the Arena Diner.
While I was waiting for my coffee, my left camper van ‘neighbour’ turned up and would inform me that the neighbour to the right had been quite pissed with me, because he couldn’t sleep with my car’s engine running. For laughing out loud, really, as the lad could have knocked on my window easily, asking for turning the engine off.

I also fell the decision of cancelling the full track walk for taking pics from the front side, the infield from a racers view, which only is accessible from the outside. On previous visits, I had already taking pics from spectators’ infield as well as pics from the opposite side there, so it was time for different perspectives anyway. But this also meant, that I’d have to cross back over to my car again. As the first free practice had started already, I’d take a few more pics from infield. During all my visits at circuits I’ve seen the Sidecar Trophy only once prior to this meeting, at Frohburg in 2016, which was the effective end to sidecar racing there, following a huge accident. 2nd session on schedule and it only ran for a few minutes until an accident stopped play. My black series with this championship seemingly went on but thankfully would be the only bigger accident this weekend.

There were demo runs of classic sidecars scheduled but I never took pictures Saturday morning as I used these runs for relocating between different spots around the front side until I finished the morning sessions at another locked gate next to the circuit’s hotel. Chatting to the marshals there for a quick way back to paddock they advised to simply going over the fence. S-wire on top of a 2m high fence to the left and rather high, sharp spikes on the lightly higher steely gate to the right. I’d take this way, for both the first and the last time, because I’d had to take care of my rucksack and the camera as well. It all resulted in a cut in right hand as well as some long itchy scratches along right lower arm.

I already had decided to return there for the afternoon races, so I had to take the long haul back again as I wouldn’t be going over the fence again. I do acknowledge that there’s probably just a few staff but even at such a minor meeting spectator wise, it should be possible to man this gate for spectators to walk around.

It was quite warm when the two races had finished and since Hotel Golf would be roughly midway on the return to paddock I would stop by for dropping the camera off and doing the cabin curtains. My feet were really sweaty so I took the camping chair, pulled the socks off and let the feet breath for a while. Thankfully, I had stored the crate in my cars boot so that the two cooked beer bottles in the cabin didn’t matter. My new neighbours would turn up and following the events of the other night I’d kindly asked them to simply knock on the window if they should feel disturbed by a running engine late at night. But they rest assured me that it wouldn’t bother them. A longer chat with the elderly camper van neighbour right to me would take until 8pm, which was too late for getting food at the Arena Diner but there was a sausage grill open in infield, as there’d be a gig by a cover band.

I went for a sausage and roll before I went back into paddock to see Armin and his Co’s. You have to know one thing here. The first crossing from paddock to infield is relatively steep. For a healthy person no problem at all, but for someone with a walking disability it can be tough.
I’d find Armin and his mates packing in, to have a final drink with them before they left for their hotel. As there was a gig and the band just had played UFO’s Doctor, Doctor, I went back up to see the gig.
The band The Blacksmith would perform cover songs from rock to metal and I’d have a few drinks dancing until I had to get my empty plastic mug into a trash can.
I just had dropped the mug into the bin when a lad fell right in front of me. He was accompanied by a mate who turned out to be his carer this evening. Of course, I helped the carer to get the lad back up, but he’d have a tough time to walk so I offered my help to get him to the loo first. When we had him at the loo, his carer informed me that the lad had an accident with brain haemorrhage and that his walking disability was a straight result of it. Apparently, the carer and the lad were good mates and the carer had decided to take the lad to something he enjoyed prior to his accident. If I ever get into such a situation, I can really only hope for someone to take me to a circuit to have a bit of enjoyment.
It was a no brainer to further assist when the carer found the lad that exhausted that he couldn’t walk anymore. Together we managed the first bit down to the bridge but there my back went on strike so I asked the carer to try and get the lad over the bridge alone while I would try to either find someone to drive the lad to the gate or something else such as a wheelchair or similar.

If you’ve ever been to a paddock Saturday night you probably know that there ain’t a lot of people still being sober and those who are either can’t drive or do sleep already. For twenty minutes I’d try my luck but then gave up and went to the gate guard, seeking for help there.
Although the guard couldn’t leave his post he kindly offered his office chair as an aid.
I’d find the two lads just having managed the bridge, which had the poor lad exhausted that much that he couldn’t stand at all anymore. The carer and I managed to sit him on the chair, with the carer holding the lad up there and I the lads’ feet up. Carefully, we managed to get the steep ramp down without tripping. On even ground it was much easier to get along but an office chair being just that, its rolls would get stuck if you were not careful enough.

Around next corner, the absolute moot point of the weekend should come instantly. In one of the tents there was some bigger party going on and an obviously drunken lad not only watched us but started to jerk around. Name of the team escapes me, probably for the better of it. I turned around and yelled at the lad that he could help instead of jerking about a helpless person. In the end, whether fully drunk or fully exhausted due to disability, the person was just that. Helpless, end of.

We got the lad to the gate where the guard and I would keep the lad on the chair while the carer was going to get the car into which the guard would lift the lad in one go.
I went back the same way, we had used moving the lad on the chair around. The drunken wanker was still there and got a very ironic “Thanks for your help, by the way!” to which he mumbled some stuff in reply. I simply walked on and shouted “WANKER” back very loud, not looking back. An ugly face of society had turned up that evening and left me both sick and angry.

I went back to see the remainder of the gig and had another beer but for some reason it didn’t taste anymore. I tried to dance but this also didn’t help against the mix of feelings. The only thing I been still able to, has been admiring the bands lady drummers’ work with the sticks. A few more songs and the gig finished as well, so I went into Hotel Golf and slept away.

Sunday Warm Up would start at 9am and I was up early following an uneasy sleep after the nights’ happenings. I’d walk down to the Arena Diner once more, for coffee and an English breakfast. Well it missed the bacon but everything else was on the dish.
I’d skip the Warm Up sessions as well as some of the classic demo runs but take some photo’s later at the chicane, in front of one of the two grandstands there. The final demo runs as well as the final IDM Sidecar race, I’d then do from my car.

After packing I’d go on the way home, which passed relatively quick. Commiseration to Team Helms though, who I’d find parking on the motorway with burning brake discs on their trailer.

It was a good weekend despite the Saturday night affair. The only other negative point I have would be the lack of a race program. Surely, you can find entry lists as well as timings of the Championships on the internet but it would have been nice to have had entry lists of the untimed classic demo runs. These entry lists also only have been hung out at the race tower once they were requested. This wasn’t really spectator friendly but probably no one really calculated with spectators at all so that promotional efforts have been kept on lowest possible flame. Spectator unfriendly, to put the whole weekends experience nice.

This was the end to my racing season, most likely. I have had good fun by going to Schleiz twice, to Hengelo as well as Frohburg and got to see the sidecars at Oschersleben with three championships. And all meetings barring the first one, IDM at Schleiz, have been inside the past six weeks. A short but intense season.

I hope you have enjoyed my scribblings and ramblings as my season has finished.
If you like what you read, stay tuned for more in 2022!

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48988
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#9

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Sounds like you packed a lot into the weekend Andy. Thanks for sharing your story and photos.

We have Sandown Historics on next month here, but no access for those not double jab vaccinated. We have to show a proof of double jab to gain access. I got my official government vax confirmation document online and stored it on my mobile today in readiness. Feels like for ever since I have been to a meeting. Cant wait.

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#10

Post by Andy »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 2 years ago Sounds like you packed a lot into the weekend Andy. Thanks for sharing your story and photos.

We have Sandown Historics on next month here, but no access for those not double jab vaccinated. We have to show a proof of double jab to gain access. I got my official government vax confirmation document online and stored it on my mobile today in readiness. Feels like for ever since I have been to a meeting. Cant wait.
On my end, my stone age old mobile wouldn't let me use any corona app without crashing or even installing these apps. But since I went to Hengelo and was to show proof of vax I had to get the papers with the digital code.
I still have my vaccination pass from serving days long gone by though and it is up to date with both corona jabs, the usual ones as well as hep a+b but I can't use it anymore as it ain't digitally readable ! Not in the digital third world country of Germany anyway :haha:

On the other hand, barring Hengelo, no one ever demanded to even have a look. And it didn't matter to which country of the federal republic I have been to either. Everyone seems to be tired of all the burocratic bullcrap coming along with the jab passes.
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#11

Post by Andy »

From crashing out of the 2018 Hengelo Wegraces in IRRC Supersport to become IRRC Supersport Champion at Frohburg in 2021.
And the Newcomers Manx GP victory in between (2019).
Pierre Yves BIAN of France.

Image

Image
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
User avatar
Andy
Supreme Member
Supreme Member
Posts: 4664
Joined: 16 years ago
Real Name: André
Favourite Motorsport: 2 & 3 Wheeling
Favourite Racing Car: Bike ;) - Yamaha YZR 500
Favourite Driver: Justin 'Weeman' Collins
Favourite Circuit: Isle of Man - Mountain Course
Car(s) Currently Owned: M'cycle ;) - Yamaha FZS 600
Location: Under a rock somewhere in Germany

#12

Post by Andy »

This was a fantastic final BSB showdown at the Brands Hatch GP circuit, which saw Tarran McKenzie becoming the new BSB champion.
Somehow, I'm feeling old now as I saw his dad racing already, even if on telly only. :omg: :haha:
"Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing" - David Jefferies
Post Reply