Adam Unsworth (rider) and Bryce Rose (sidecar partner) in action at this year's Cemetery Circuit. Photo / CiA Cameras in Action
Adam Unsworth (rider) and Bryce Rose (sidecar partner) in action at this year's Cemetery Circuit. Photo / CiA Cameras in Action
The only sidecar of its kind came out on top at this year’s Cemetery Circuit, and it was driven by a Whanganui team.
With victory on Boxing Day, Adam Unsworth and his partner Bryce Rose wrapped up this season’s F1 Suzuki sidecar series for the Aprilia F1 team.
They wereusing a modified Swiss LCR sidecar chassis with an Aprilia V4 engine, a combination that took “a hell of a lot of work” to get right before it started to race at the end of 2019, Unsworth said.
A V4 is not the engine of choice, most teams preferring an inline four-cylinder.
“That’s because they [inlines] are plentiful and powerful, and they’re the easiest engine to mount.
“We decided we wanted an engineering challenge. We didn’t want to be the same as everyone else, and we wanted a different sound out there on the track.”
Because the V4 is a tall engine, the team had to design and fabricate its own dry-sump oiling system.
“There has been a lot of help from a lot of people, and Hugh Russell from Boss Engineering Services is our man,” Unsworth said.
“We’ve got a great team around us who have lots of areas of expertise. We are nothing without them.”
The immediate team is rounded out by Vince Steur, Wayne Dawson and Carl Costin.
Adam Unsworth's sidecar is the only one of its kind in the world. Photo / Supplied
Unsworth currently works in Auckland as a technical adviser for Triumph Motorcycles.
It was in his hometown where his love of racing began, though, and he and his older brother used to sneak into the Boxing Day races from the age of 5 or 6.
He won the New Zealand Superbike Championship and the New Zealand Grand Prix title in 2015.
“I’ve had many, many thirds and seconds over the years, so that [2015] was a pretty special year,” Unsworth said.
Disaster almost struck early into this year’s Cemetery Circuit after a “balls-up” at the start of race one.
“All the lights came on before everyone was finished getting onto position,” Unsworth said.
“We got hit from behind and it broke part of the chassis at the back. That could have been us done for the day.
“It was a pure miracle we managed to get it repaired. Luckily, Hugh had just got back to town from fishing so he came down and got his welder in there.”
Sidecar racing was something totally unique, Unsworth said.
“It’s hard to explain to someone who’s never done it before. Unlike a motorcycle or a car, a sidecar turns left and right totally differently.
“You’re really low to the ground as well so the sensation of speed is incredible. When you’re doing 230km/h down the straight on a race track it feels like 300km/h.”
Motorsport isn’t a cheap exercise, with a rear tyre on Unsworth’s bike costing $620 a pop. Those tyres usually last around two races.
“Without sponsors, we just couldn’t do it,” he said.
Next up on the calendar are New Zealand Superbike Championship rounds in Hampton Downs (Waikato) and Taupō in early March.
The first two rounds, usually held in the South Island, were put on hold as a cost-saving measure for competitors.
“There are pretty much four things you can win as a sidecar competitor - the Suzuki series, the superbike championship, and the TT title race and the NZ GP which are both one-off races,” Unsworth said.
“They are all quite hard to win, you’ve got to have a bit of luck and you’ve got to have good rubber.”
Unsworth said he and Rose were currently at the top of the points table in the superbike series, which was the “creme de la creme” of the New Zealand sidecar scene.
