WHEN Bathurst sidecar racer Sean Griffiths headed to Tamworth for the New South Wales Senior Track Titles he was simply hoping to qualify for the final.

In the end he not only did that, but very nearly found himself on the podium.

Griffiths and swinger Paul Cooper had never previously raced together before and were using a 750cc bike, while their main rivals ran 1000cc entries.

But they placed fourth in a close decider at Oakburn Park Speedway in an effort which delighted both men. The state title went to Mark and Wayne Omeley, with Greg Parsonage and Brandan Barrett second while Jeremy Penfold and Michael Gardner rounded out the podium

“Paul, my different swinger, having him paid off like I thought it would. He’s really experienced so I didn’t have to think about him, I just rode,” Griffiths said.

“I was pretty rapt with how we went in the final and so was Paul as that was the first time he had been in the titles.

“If the smallest little mistake had happened to any of the three guys in front of me, we were right there. I have got to buy new goggles because of the spray they got in the final was that bad – that’s how close I was.”

As racing got underway on Saturday Griffiths had some small problems to fix on his bike after practice and while conditions were testing through the three rounds, the Bathurst rider and Canberra native Cooper did well.

They placed fourth, second and third to earn a spot in the semi-final.

“The track was changing every single time we went out. We were struggling for traction so we changed the pressure in the tyres, but then they watered the track and it changed things up again,” Griffiths said.

“But we dealt with that and in the semi-final we ran a really fast second. Then in the final the two guys we beat were two of the favourites.”

Though having a successful day, there were some close calls for the pair.

One entry flipped in front of Griffiths during the qualifying rounds and in the semi-final the Bathurst rider very nearly crashed into the wall.

“I was coming into turn three on the fourth lap in fourth gear full noise and I started to drift across the gap, but I held onto it,” Griffiths said. 

“My right boot scrapped along the wall for 15-20 metres, I just had to trust that the bike would grip and it did.”

Griffiths will compete at Griffith this weekend, but his efforts at Tamworth mean he will in the main be working towards the Australian Track Titles in August.

“We had a chance to going to the Australian titles anyway because we had nominated to make up numbers, but for the guys on the weekend to say to us that we have to go was really good,” Griffiths said.

“I was thinking about not going, but now we’ve been invited I definitely will go now.”