Yvonne Davidson
Sitting on the grid, waiting for the lights to change, is something everyone should experience. The thrill of adrenaline burning, waiting for the lights to turn green. Feeling the rumble of the frame with every gear change, the smell of oil in your face, it's like nothing I've ever experienced.
I'm the driver, and if your passenger is not in the right position you're chair wheel can lift up, causing you to leave the ground. It can be very scary. My family think I'm mad but they knew I would do it sooner or later. My uncle was sidecar world champion Jock Taylor, and I grew up in that scene, but my first time racing was just a few months ago.
On the weekends of the events we only get about 15 minutes' practice. We're winging it, relying on a mixture of natural abilities, stupidity and glib mindedness.
It can be expensive, £200-£250 just to enter the race plus travelling money and maintenance. The costs are worthwhile though, because it's amazing. Nothing on earth compares to sidecar racing.
Mary Grant
Being a passenger is like lying down on the floor of the waltzers at high speed. It's really physical. Lying behind the exhaust of the bike just inches from the ground, it's very loud, but you often don't notice it when you're out there focussed on moving from one side to the other to keep the chair wheel down. You become absolutely consumed by it and go on autopilot, thinking only about the next corner, the next lineage, when she is next going to break.
I don't ever remember a time when I was not around sidecars, but my first time racing was this year. My mum and dad both marshalled, and were race photographers.
During a race at Knockhill, we approached a dip, sharply turning left then right then left. Coming out of the turn I ended up hanging out the very back of the bike. Still holding on with my left arm, I could feel my right arm trailing on the ground. I didn't have time to think about it. The only thing I remember is looking at my hand and thinking 'should I let go?'.
Somehow or other, I ended up coming right over the back wheel arch, landing in the right position for the next line. Sheer luck. I didn't feel scared at the time, but once we stopped I realised how dangerous it was. I couldn't feel my hand at all. I am really lucky there's no lasting damage.
You definitely have to have complete trust in the driver, and what she is going to do next and we are both getting to know each other on the bike a lot more. You have to be able to communicate. It's a team effort, not just between Yvonne and I but with those helping us too. My partner Kenny had to help replace the engine weeks ago, and we have been out in the garage every night. Without him we wouldn’t be going anywhere.
This sport runs in the family. My mum was almost a grandmother when she started. I'm a grandmother and I'm doing it. So my daughter's ambition is probably to become a grandmother and get involved with sidecar racing too.
Team Double Trouble's next race is June 24/25 at East Fortune.
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