Chris Etheridge is a retired British sidecarcross rider. In the Sidecarcross World Championship his greatest success has been three top-ten finishes in a career stretching over sixteen seasons from 1986 to 2001, while domestically he has won ten national British Sidecarcross Championships, a record at the time but since broken.[1][2]
Chris Etheridge entered the national British Sidecarcross Championship for the first time in 1985 and would compete at this level for the next eighteen years, racing mostly with Shane Skeats as his passenger in the early seasons. The pair finished eighth overall in 1985 but soon became much more competitive, finishing runners-up in the following five seasons from 1986 to 1990.[3] In this era however Paul and Mark Millard proved to strong for Etheridge on each occasion, the Millards taking out five consecutive national titles. The closest Etheridge came to finishing above the pair was in 1987 when he finished only thirteen points behind.[4]
With a new passenger, Nick Brace, a new engine make, a Zabel, and the retirement of Paul Millard Etheridge started to dominate the national championship from 1991 onwards, winning six consecutive titles until 1997. The first three seasons were won with a comfortable margin, in 1994 however Etheridge took the title out by only four points. Etheridge had almost missed out because of a broken shoulder the week before the final round but rode despite the injury and against the doctors advice.[5] From 1994 he switched to Garry Withers as his permanent passenger, having utilised him before sporadically.[1][4]
His run of national titles was stopped in 1998 when Peter Clark and John Chambers took out the title and Etheridge came only third. Etheridge, now with Chambers as his passenger, won three more national titles from 1998 onwards. The 1998 one meant he surpassed the previous record of seven national titles held by Terry Good. After his tenth and last championship in 2001 Etheridge retired from the sport domestically and internationally.[1]
Etheridge made a brief return to the competition when he raced in place of his son injured Jack for one event in Wooley Grange in July 2012.[6]
His record of ten national titles was surpassed by Stuart Brown in 2013 when the latter won his eleventh title.[2][7]
World Championship
Chris Etheridge made his debut in the Sidecarcross World Championship at the opening race of the 1986 season, the British Grand Prix, finishing third in his first-ever race and eighteenth overall in the competition. The first seven seasons Etheridge experienced moderate success in the competition, racing sporadically, with a twelfth place overall and two podium finishes in races in 1991 as his best result. A more successful era followed from 1993 to 1995 when, racing with Garry Withers as his passenger he finished in the top-ten each season. The 1993 season became his best-ever in the World Championship, finishing seventh overall and taking out three race wins, one in Germany and two at the British Grand Prix in Langrish, thereby winning the later event, the only GP victory in his career.[8][9]
The 1994 and 1995 seasons were not quite as successful, finishing tenth and ninth overall and winning only one more race, the first race in the first of two French Grand Prix in 1994. From 1996 onwards his results and number of race participations declined again, Etheridge not finishing in the top-ten again in his final six seasons in the competition. He managed to win two more races, in the Czech Republic in 1996 and in Switzerland in 2000 without achieving any other podium finishes in this time. In his final season, 2001, he finished twenty first, one place and point behind fellow British rider Stuart Brown who would succeed Etheridge as the most outstanding British rider of his period domestically and internationally from then on.[8][9]
Private life
Etheridge hails from Staplehurst, near Maidstone in Kent. His son Jack is also a sidecarcross rider and active in both the British and World Championship.[6][10]
Season by season
The season by season results in the World Championship for Chris Etheridge:[8][9]
^ abcBritish Sidecarcross championship results 1990–present 6 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine The Sidecar Motocross Association of Great Britain website, accessed: 9 November 2014
^ abSTUART BROWN AND JOSH CHAMBERLAIN CLAIM BRITISH SIDECAR CROSS TITLE AT WAKES Auto Cycle Union website, published: 30 September 2013, accessed: 6 November 2014
^Chris Etheridge British Championship results The John Davey Pages, accessed: 9 November 2014
^ abBritish championship winners The John Davey pages, accessed: 9 November 2014
^Motocross: Etheridge rides straight through the pain barrier The Independent, published: 3 October 1994, accessed: 9 November 2014
^ abMAXXIS BRITISH SIDECARCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS HEADS TO WOOLEY GRANGE ACU website, published: 27 June 2012, accessed: 9 November 2014
^Canada Heights all set for motocross thriller 9 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine published: 1 October 2013, accessed: 10 November 2014
^ abcOfficial World Championship classification 2000–present 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine FIM website, accessed: 9 November 2014
^ abcChris Etheridge GP results The John Davey pages, accessed: 9 November 2014
^Sidecar champ bows out on winning note Kentonline.co.uk, published: 21 September 2001, accessed: 10 November 2014
External links
The John Davey Pages Sidecarcross results and statistics
chris, etheridge, confused, with, chris, ethridge, retired, british, sidecarcross, rider, sidecarcross, world, championship, greatest, success, been, three, finishes, career, stretching, over, sixteen, seasons, from, 1986, 2001, while, domestically, national, . Not to be confused with Chris Ethridge Chris Etheridge is a retired British sidecarcross rider In the Sidecarcross World Championship his greatest success has been three top ten finishes in a career stretching over sixteen seasons from 1986 to 2001 while domestically he has won ten national British Sidecarcross Championships a record at the time but since broken 1 2 Chris EtheridgeNationalityBritishMotorcycle racing career statisticsSidecarcross World ChampionshipActive years1986 2001Championshipsnone2001 championship position21stStarts Wins Podiums Poles F laps Points123 6 13 934 Contents 1 Racing career 1 1 British Championship 1 2 World Championship 2 Private life 3 Season by season 3 1 Key 4 Honours 5 References 6 External linksRacing career EditBritish Championship Edit Chris Etheridge entered the national British Sidecarcross Championship for the first time in 1985 and would compete at this level for the next eighteen years racing mostly with Shane Skeats as his passenger in the early seasons The pair finished eighth overall in 1985 but soon became much more competitive finishing runners up in the following five seasons from 1986 to 1990 3 In this era however Paul and Mark Millard proved to strong for Etheridge on each occasion the Millards taking out five consecutive national titles The closest Etheridge came to finishing above the pair was in 1987 when he finished only thirteen points behind 4 With a new passenger Nick Brace a new engine make a Zabel and the retirement of Paul Millard Etheridge started to dominate the national championship from 1991 onwards winning six consecutive titles until 1997 The first three seasons were won with a comfortable margin in 1994 however Etheridge took the title out by only four points Etheridge had almost missed out because of a broken shoulder the week before the final round but rode despite the injury and against the doctors advice 5 From 1994 he switched to Garry Withers as his permanent passenger having utilised him before sporadically 1 4 His run of national titles was stopped in 1998 when Peter Clark and John Chambers took out the title and Etheridge came only third Etheridge now with Chambers as his passenger won three more national titles from 1998 onwards The 1998 one meant he surpassed the previous record of seven national titles held by Terry Good After his tenth and last championship in 2001 Etheridge retired from the sport domestically and internationally 1 Etheridge made a brief return to the competition when he raced in place of his son injured Jack for one event in Wooley Grange in July 2012 6 His record of ten national titles was surpassed by Stuart Brown in 2013 when the latter won his eleventh title 2 7 World Championship Edit Chris Etheridge made his debut in the Sidecarcross World Championship at the opening race of the 1986 season the British Grand Prix finishing third in his first ever race and eighteenth overall in the competition The first seven seasons Etheridge experienced moderate success in the competition racing sporadically with a twelfth place overall and two podium finishes in races in 1991 as his best result A more successful era followed from 1993 to 1995 when racing with Garry Withers as his passenger he finished in the top ten each season The 1993 season became his best ever in the World Championship finishing seventh overall and taking out three race wins one in Germany and two at the British Grand Prix in Langrish thereby winning the later event the only GP victory in his career 8 9 The 1994 and 1995 seasons were not quite as successful finishing tenth and ninth overall and winning only one more race the first race in the first of two French Grand Prix in 1994 From 1996 onwards his results and number of race participations declined again Etheridge not finishing in the top ten again in his final six seasons in the competition He managed to win two more races in the Czech Republic in 1996 and in Switzerland in 2000 without achieving any other podium finishes in this time In his final season 2001 he finished twenty first one place and point behind fellow British rider Stuart Brown who would succeed Etheridge as the most outstanding British rider of his period domestically and internationally from then on 8 9 Private life EditEtheridge hails from Staplehurst near Maidstone in Kent His son Jack is also a sidecarcross rider and active in both the British and World Championship 6 10 Season by season EditThe season by season results in the World Championship for Chris Etheridge 8 9 Season Passenger Equipment Position Points Races Wins Second Third1986 Shane Skeats Maico EML 18 47 5 11987 Shane Skeats Maico EML 28 14 3 1988 Shane Skeats Kawasaki WASP 24 31 5 1989 Ray Eltham Kawasaki WASP 55 1 1 1990 Nick Brace Kawasaki WASP 26 21 3 1991 Nick Brace Zabel EML 12 58 5 1 11992 Garry Withers Shane Skeats Nick Brace Zabel VMC 18 82 12 1993 Nick Brace Garry Withers Zabel EML 7 239 22 3 1 21994 Garry Withers Zabel VMC 10 108 15 1 1995 Garry Withers KTM BSU 9 106 13 1 1996 Mike Turner Garry Withers KTM BSU 16 52 9 1 1997 Paul Henderson KTM BSU 18 42 8 1998 Garry Withers Zabel BSU 37 7 3 1999 Jason Peters John Chambers Zabel EML 19 51 9 2000 John Chambers MTH BSU 23 33 5 1 2001 John Chambers MTH VMC 21 42 5 Overall 1986 2001 934 123 6 3 4Key Edit 1 World Champions2 Runners up3 Third placed4 10 Driver finished fourth to tenthHonours EditBritish National Sidecarcross Championship Winners 10 1991 1997 1999 2001 Runners up 5 1986 1991References Edit a b c British Sidecarcross championship results 1990 present Archived 6 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine The Sidecar Motocross Association of Great Britain website accessed 9 November 2014 a b STUART BROWN AND JOSH CHAMBERLAIN CLAIM BRITISH SIDECAR CROSS TITLE AT WAKES Auto Cycle Union website published 30 September 2013 accessed 6 November 2014 Chris Etheridge British Championship results The John Davey Pages accessed 9 November 2014 a b British championship winners The John Davey pages accessed 9 November 2014 Motocross Etheridge rides straight through the pain barrier The Independent published 3 October 1994 accessed 9 November 2014 a b MAXXIS BRITISH SIDECARCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS HEADS TO WOOLEY GRANGE ACU website published 27 June 2012 accessed 9 November 2014 Canada Heights all set for motocross thriller Archived 9 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine published 1 October 2013 accessed 10 November 2014 a b c Official World Championship classification 2000 present Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine FIM website accessed 9 November 2014 a b c Chris Etheridge GP results The John Davey pages accessed 9 November 2014 Sidecar champ bows out on winning note Kentonline co uk published 21 September 2001 accessed 10 November 2014External links EditThe John Davey Pages Sidecarcross results and statisticsSporting positionsPreceded byPaul Millard British national sidecarcross champion1991 1997 Succeeded byPeter ClarkPreceded byPeter Clark British national sidecarcross champion1999 2001 Succeeded byStuart Brown Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chris Etheridge amp oldid 1019366520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
