Walczak ends 37-year drought with East Midland Championship

Leamington sidecar racer Horst Walczak is celebrating his first-ever Championship success, 37 years after taking up the sport.
Horst WalczakHorst Walczak
Horst Walczak

Walczak, 67, and passenger Andrew Miller clinched the East Midland Racing Association Championship at Mallory Park, topping the standings after seven rounds on their Ireson Honda 600.

The duo have cut back their commitments as Miller devotes more time to his young family, but the championship’s proximity to Leamington means the two can comfortably compete the two races and be back home the same day.

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A reduction in numbers due to a lack of sponsorship meant a slightly weakened field for the 2016 championships but the win was still unexpected according to Walczak.

“We’d not been expecting it,” said Walczak. “We’ve been second twice and third once but I am getting a bit long in the tooth.

“We do it for fun now, but this year it all fell into place.”

Walczak added that the championship went some way to repaying all the people who had supported his sidecar career over the year, “including their wives” and Bertie Rieman who paid the duo’s fees for the 2016 campaign.

And fresh from his first title, thoughts of retirement are still a long way from his mind.

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