MARK PLAISTED / BEN PITT ARE AGAIN SA SIDECAR CHAMPS

By Mark Neale

Photos by: Judy Mackay

Reigning two times Australian champions Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt won the 2023 South Australian Sidecar Championship at Gillman Speedway Saturday February 25 in front of a good size crowd.

ahead of current runners-up were Queensland champions Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell(second),while semi final winners Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner filled third and former Australian Champion Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter took fourth.

It was Plaisted and Pitt’s fourth state title victory in five years and Plaisted’s fifth state title win. His first win was back in 2013 with Sam Gilbert.

The championship was decided a little differently this year with Motorcycling SA seeding eight local riders into the main draw and the remaining riders (which included a host of interstate competitors) were required to qualify via time trials, with each rider having two runs,with the fastest eight qualifying for the title. This format was due to the large volume of nominations, however, by race night, sadly a number of competitors had withdrawn.

After all the twenty action packed  heats,which saw a number of teams have mechanical break downs and a few spectacular crashes,. Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell combination were sidelined due to a dropped valve in the motor during practice. Another early exit were the Broken Hill team of Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien who had a spectacular crash in their opening heat and were forced out with a damaged bike.

Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell (second fastest qualifier from the time trials) and Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt(defending title holders) sat at the top of the score chart with 14 points from their five rides-made up of four wins and a second placing.

Former National Champ Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter, impressive first year team of Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner (the fastest qualifiers from the time trials) and Broken Hill youngsters Max Howse/Riley Commons all finished with 12 points apiece from two wins and three seconds. Mitchell/Carter duo were given the nod for the last spot directly through to the final on a count back after they had beaten the other two during the heats. All three teams dropped points to both Plaisted and Moon when they met

The remaining two spots in the semi were filled by local teams of Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris on 10 points (two wins,a second and two thirds) and four times SA title winners and pre-meeting co- favourites Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr with nine points (two wins,a second,third and fourth).

Yougsters Nate Headland /Jaxon Rayner won the semi final ahead of experienced team of Mick Headland/ Brenton Kerr,Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris( in third) and Broken Hill combination Max Howse/Riley Commons(fourth) to qualify for the final in their first year of senior racing.

The all important starting positions for the final were

RED         1 Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell

BLUE       2 Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt

WHITE    3 Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter

YELLOW 4 Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner

Moon/Lovell got the jump out of the tapes and led the final going into turn three of the opening lap and a close following Plaisted/Pitt dived in under the leaders and took the lead mid way through the turn. They went on to take the win. Headland and Rayner were an impressive third in their first South Australian Championship. Mitchell/Carter were fourth.

Riders from South Australia,Victoria,Queensland and New South Wales contested the event

POINTS AFTER THE 20 HEATS WERE

Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell          14.pts

Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt              14

Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter       12

Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner   12

Max Howse/Riley Commons     12

Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris       10

Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr     9

Brian Silvy/Dean Cottrell             6

Daniel Puddy/Byren Mordaunt  5

Adam Pascoe/Axel Brereton      4

Stephen Fowler/Megan Crane   4

Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low             4

Kane Golding/Isaac Golding       3

Chris Walker/Eric Melton           3

Josh Pascoe/Matt Crawford       1

Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien        0

RESERVES

Tim Bichard/Seth Pascoe             1