From a press release:

STEINHAUSEN HEADS EASTERN AIRWAYS GRID AT ASSEN

Rampant German Jorg Steinhausen and passenger Trevor Hopkinson rocketed to pole position for this weekend’s seventh round of the Eastern Airways Sidecar Championship at Assen in Holland.

Steinhausen topped both qualifying sessions on Friday afternoon, clipping 0.8s off his previous best Assen lap.

“We had a problem in the first session and when we changed motors for the second session I felt like we had 200cc and two gears more than earlier in the day ­ the difference was incredible,” said Steinhausen.

He added: “The races on Saturday and Sunday will be no formality ­ I know a definite challenge will come from Derek Brindley.”

Brindley and Neil Miller qualified their Readymix Suzuki in second place with Greg Lambert and James Sirrell third on their Dalepak Suzuki.

Brindley said: “I’ve been trying out new-style handlebars and it halted my progress a bit today but I’ll be right with Jorg in tomorrow’s race.”

The Eastern Airways Championship will enjoy a 13-lap race on Saturday, repeated on Sunday, around the 3.7-mile circuit near Groningen in the north of Holland.

Final qualifying times: 1 Jorg Steinhausen, Q8 Suzuki 2m 10.738s, 2 Derek Brindley, Readymix Suzuki 2m 12.784s, 3 Greg Lambert, Dalepak Suzuki 2m 14.323s, 4 Bill Philp, 155 Media Yamaha 2m 15.075s, 5 Ben Birchall, Richards Yamaha 2m 15.602s, 6 Paul Steenbergen, Yamaha 2m 15.957s, 7 Chris Founds, Yamaha 2m 16.245s, 8 Andy Peach, Readymix Suzuki 2m 17.150s, 9 Steve Norbury, Lockside Yamaha 2m 17.168s, 10 Stuart Muldoon, Ringway Suzuki 2m 17.496s.



Assen news in brief

SMILING Steve Norbury was ninth quickest in Friday’s opening qualifying session. After his Assen debut run he climbed from his Lockside Yamaha to reveal: “What a fantastic circuit ­ even if I didn’t do two laps on the same lines!”

CONCERNED Jorg Steinhausen switched engines between the two qualifying sessions on Friday afternoon after the German Q8 Suzuki ace struggled to get within three seconds of his 2003 time at the Dutch track.

SUZUKI rider Mike Ibbotson was celebrating a new sponsor at Assen after picking up backing from Hull haulage firm A.R. Lunn.

PASSENGER Kevin Burt celebrated his 37th birthday at Assen on Friday by riding with Mike Salmon as the pair celebrated their debut in the Eastern Airways Championship.

155 MEDIA Yamaha pairing, Bill Philp and Rick Long blasted into third place after Friday’s opening qualifying session with Philp beating his 2003 Assen qualifying time.

GEARBOX trouble struck Gary Horspole and Jason Miller on their second lap at Assen on Friday after the gear linkage shaft snapped on their Suzuki.

RICHARDS Yamaha pair Ben and Tom Birchall used Friday’s opening qualifying session at Assen to test a new exhaust silencer with Ben reporting improved power from the cone-shaped part.

A NEW spec engine was used by the Readymix Suzuki team of Derek Brindley and Neil Miller. Brindley’s last visit to Assen was in 1997 when he finished fourth in the Dutch GP.

PAIN from the left knee he burnt badly during the Brands Hatch last round restricted Greg Lambert’s charge in Friday’s opening qualifying session on his Dalepak Suzuki.

ENGINE improvements since last year forced a stunned Andy Peach into making a gearing change to his Readymix Suzuki between Friday afternoon’s qualifying sessions at Assen.

BEAMING Mike Ibbotson was impressed with his debut on the Assen circuit, his first ever foreign event, he quipped: “I’ve done the Isle of Man TT before, that’s as far as I’ve ever been!”

CHEEKY scouser Chris Founds was using a new Maxton gas suspension unit at Assen on Friday, offering additional settings to his previous model.

SPECTACULAR Ben Birchall tipped his Richards Yamaha upside down in Friday afternoon’s final qualifying session at Assen, launching his diminutive brother Tom 15 feet in the air. Both escaped injury and will start Saturday’s race.

MOVING his sidecar wheel forward, on its choice of four adjustments, helped Mike Ibbotson clip more than five seconds off his previous best lap time at Assen as he qualified in 11th place.

EAGER Bill Philp ended his final qualifying session early after spinning out and into an Assen gravel trap. Philp and passenger Rick Long escaped injury.

TROUBLED Steve Norbury will make changes to his kneeler tray before Saturday’s race at Assen after suffering with a numb leg in Friday’s qualifying action.

DETERMINED Greg Lambert is aiming to improve on his previous best finish of 10th place at Assen, in the 2001 World Championship race.

A TROUBLED Stuart Muldoon is looking to cure a misfire before Saturday’s Assen race; “It’s like riding a three-and-a-half cylinder slug at the moment,” he reported.