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Costello Racing

MARIA FIRST WOMAN INVITED TO RACE BOTH CLASSIC CAR & MOTORCYCLE AT PRESTIGIOUS GOODWOOD REVIVAL

Maria Costello MBE will race on both two and four wheels when she competes in the prestigious Goodwood Revival at the weekend (September 17-19).
The Northamptonshire racer was the first woman to be invited to race in the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy races in 2019 and has been racing classic motorcycles at the event ever since.


Maria with the MG YB she will race with owner Richard Colburn
Image credit: Mark Saunders


The Revival provides the perfect backdrop and racing track for a historic themed meeting that recreates the glorious days of glamorous motor sport.
Formula One legend Jenson Button and 23 times TT winner John McGuinness are among those taking part in a packed programme that will see Maria compete in both motorcycle races and the St Mary’s Trophy car race and become the first woman to race both classic two wheeled and four wheeled machinery.


Both races are a two-rider or driver affair. Maria will team up with Gordon Russell on a 1961 Norton Manx 30M owned by his wife Sally Russell (who is also the Deputy Clerk of the Course for the bike races). The race is run in two parts and starts on Saturday in Le Mans style with one rider running across the track to leap on the running bike held by their team-mate and concludes with the second half held on the Sunday.


Classic car racing is still something new for Maria who was given her first experiences on four wheels thanks to Julius Thurgood, who runs the HRDC. He introduced Maria to her Revival team mate Richard Colburn, who is running three cars alongside his two sons, James and Ben, and their team-mates. Maria and Richard will be sharing a 1953 MG YB in the St Mary’s Trophy two-part race that runs on Saturday and Sunday.


Maria said: “I always feel so privileged to be invited to compete at the Revival. It’s an absolute highlight of the motorsport calendar and I love every moment, from the dressing up in period costume to racing on this incredibly fast track onboard classic machinery. I adore the nostalgia and heritage that is brought to life. I didn’t think it could get any better but having the opportunity to race both two and four wheels has done that, I want to thank everyone who has made this possible and I can’t wait to savour the amazing experience and atmosphere!”

Maria gets to try out the Russell Manx Norton in a CRMC parade.
By Neil Kirby


The circuit is just one part of the period backdrop. The glamorous costumes of the era are worn by all who attend, including spectators, and the sights and sounds of the racing along with all the additional entertainment take you back to the halcyon days of motorsport, to find out more & buy your event tickets/hospitality head to the Goodwood Revival website.

A Record Breaking Return To Scotland For The British F2 Sidecar Championship

FSRA

Words – Tim Langham (F.S.R.A. Press Officer / Photos – Bryan Gough)

There was a memorable return for the first British F2 Sidecar Championship races to be held in Scotland for almost two decades. Knockhill served up some first-class racing, with new lap records achieved in both the Super F2 and Cup classes as the final placings were decided at the end of a fascinating season – which whilst disrupted by the “Covid-19” pandemic – was a credible six round series, featuring thirteen points scoring races.

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Costello Racing

MARIA SMASHES SIDECAR PBs WITH STAND-IN PASSENGER GARY

Maria Costello MBE continues to improve in sidecar racing despite a stand-in passenger at the BMCRC-MRO Championship at Donington Park last weekend.
Looking to build on the previous meeting’s positive race results at Croft with the FSRA British Championship, the pairing of Maria and passenger Vicky were keen to return to Donington Park with increased confidence as they felt they had unfinished business there after a lacklustre event earlier in the year.

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Molson British Sidecars

Birchalls prevail at Snetterton as they and Ellis smash lap record

All photos courtesy of Jenny Triker Wells – JTW Photography

Fresh from double victory in the German national championship in which they defeated main rivals Tim Reeves and Markus Schlosser, Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement had every reason to feel buoyant ahead of this home series round. In free practice, it became clear this would be a renewal of the battle between the Santander Salt pairing, and the Haith Honda of Ben and Tom Birchall. They had edged free practice by seven one-hundredths of a second.

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Molson British Sidecars

Snetterton Preview – Ellis and Clement versus Birchall brothers in round six Snetterton September 3-5th

TIMETABLE, LIVE TIMING FOR THE WEEKEND AND ENTRY LIST ON THIS LINK
(GOES TO STEVEENGLISH.COM/BSB)

Well into the second half of the season, Ben and Tom Birchall have taken the lion’s share of victories, having been defeated just twice. The only crew running them close on a regular basis is the Lewis Blackstock/Paddy Rosney duo on the DHR/Express Tyre Service Yamaha. Last time out at Cadwell Park, inclement weather conditions played a part, with Blackstock/Rosney just one second behind at the flag. They sit second in the table by a comfortable margin.
It was in similar weather conditions one month ago, also at Cadwell, that World Championship runners Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement took the Santander Salt Yamaha to twin victories ahead of the Birchalls and will be looking to do the same at Snetterton.

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More success for Schlosser/Fries in Rijeka as Ellis Clement consolidate championship position


The 2021 FIM World Championship is well and truly alive and kicking. Even with a grid depleted by COVID and travel restrictions, all the main players were on duty in Rijeka, welcomed with open arms by an enthusiastic crowd at the Automotodrom Grobnik. Eleven teams made the long journey, with three trekking from the UK. Former eight-times World Champion Tim Reeves with his French passenger Kevin Rousseau set the standard in free practice, from series leaders Markus Schlosser/Marcel Fries (Gustoil Yamaha). Third and fourth came Todd Ellis/Emmanuelle Clement (Santander Salt Yamaha) followed by reigning British Champions Steve Kershaw/Ryan Charlwood.

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Molson British Sidecars

Damp Cadwell Park sees Birchall brothers increase lead

Despite adverse weather, the second visit to Lincolnshire in two weeks delivered great racing in front of by far the biggest crown in almost two years.
A clash with the FIM World Championship in Croatia kept numbers low, but every single team on the grid meant business in efforts to catch the unstoppable Ben and Tom Birchall. Scott Lawrie had completely rebuilt his outfit following his big crash two weeks ago.

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Costello Racing

SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND ON BOTH TWO & THREE WHEELS AT BATTLE OF BRITAIN

Maria Costello MBE enjoyed a weekend of racing both her sidecar and the Mark Coverdale Paton at the North East Motorcycle Racing Club’s Battle of Britain meeting that featured a round of the FSRA F2 British Championship at Croft.
Racing at the North Yorkshire track for the first time, Maria took the Mark Coverdale Paton as well as her sidecar to Dalton-on-Tees to help with learning the track she had never seen before.

Maria & Vicky qualifying for the FSRA race in the wet.
Image Credit: Brian Blackett
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An Elated Team A.R.C Land The 2021 British F2 Sidecar Championship In Style

Words – Tim Langham / Photographs – Dirk Wharton & Ste McNorton

Croft (Dirk Wharton)

Team A.R.C.’s Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie scooped the A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Sidecar Championship with a performance masterclass last weekend at Croft. They took pole position, a dominant double win and shattered their own lap record to land the prestigious title at the penultimate round of the series.

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Winning Trebles For Fisher & Stokoe, and Horton & Forrest At Croft

FSRA

Words – Dave Tibbles / Photographs – Dirk Wharton

There was a hat-trick of wins for both the F2 and F1 F.S.R.A. / Wintec Racing Pre-Injection Championship leaders at Croft over the weekend of the 21st and 22nd August. Rob Fisher / Sarah Stokoe (600 Baker Yamaha) won all three F2 races with ease, and were the first Pre-Injection outfit home each time overall. Simon Horton / Jordan Forrest (1200 Wintec Suzuki) took the three F1 race wins, bouncing back from their disappointing Sunday last time out at Cadwell Park.

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British F2 Championship Success For Crawford & Hardie, Whilst Payne & Wilkes Lift The F2 Cup

Words – Tim Langham (F.S.R.A. Press Officer) / Photographs – Dirk Wharton

FSRA

Another faultless display saw Lee Crawford / Scott Hardie (LCR Suzuki) take pole position, a double race win and a lap record, on a weekend which finally landed them the A.C.U. / F.S.R.A. British F2 Championship – a prize the team has been chasing for seven seasons. While Harry Payne / Mark Wilkes (GP Yamaha) had a slightly more problematic weekend, second place in the opening race and other results going in their favour saw them accrue enough points to secure the F2 Cup in their debut year in the series.

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