Trevor and I started racing due to our father Les, so I feel it is right to start about the team with our mentor, friend and Father.
Les Steward
He first got the bug at the Rayleigh Rockets Speedway track in 1949 at the age of 13, and soon formed his own cycle speedway team the Vange Vikings. Due to lack of funds and 3 years in the army (Royal Corps of signals) he was kept from his love of motorcycle racing untill 1959, he started Scrambling and Grass Track Racing on the same machines a 200cc Tiger Cub, 250 cc Greeves and a 650cc Tribsa which was a mean machine and as he states terrifying to ride.
He started Speedway at the late Bill Mathison's Rye House training school on a 500 Jap in the late 60s, and rode 2nd halfs around the country, mainly Ipswitch,Crayford and Rayleigh while still riding the Jap on the Grass, he was no mean rider in the Solo class battling with the likes of Tucker Dow, Denny Barber and Terry Birkumshaw to name but a few.
when the new 500cc sidecar class was adopted he thought this looks fun, and with Trev, Bob Deighton, Paul Barker, Kevin Bundock and then myself in the chair took to the class like a Duck to water, he claimed an Eastern center championship to his credit in his first season and also 3 inter center team championships back to back, a big crash at Wimbourne then a massive heart attack at 49 unfortunately finished his racing career just when he was looking set to make an impact on the International scene, he then said to Trev about taking over with me in the chair which was the start of another chapter.
The final chapter in our fathers racing career came at the age of 63 when he could bare the temptation no more and bought a 350 Weslake to help and race along side his grandson and our nephew Darren Sargeant, the old skill was still evident as it took Darren two seasons before he managed to record his one and only win over the old fox, Dad still recorded some good results finishing in the top six in the Eastern Centre championship, he raced for two seasons on the Wessie and then decided it was time to hang up the old Leathers for the last time. His fondest memory was not only racing with two of his sons but also his grandson.
In his Scrambling days an allcommers race Dad competed in at Biggin Hill Kent where he rode a 250 Greeves had 63 starters on the line, even Grass Track meetings had 20 starters per race, when the old boy was thrashing around on a Sidecar we had 8 on the line.
We take our hat of to the man who put us on the road to participate in our great sport, giving us the oportunity to meet some fantastic people and has helped Trev and I through out Les Steward
Trevor Steward
Ron Steward
Ron started as passenger at the age of 17 in 1985, he started racing with Dad Les after many years as helper. In his first season with Les they were credited within top 3 placings in 61 races. when Les had a heart attack and was unable to race in 1986 Ron continued to race as passenger to brother Trevor they finished 3rd in their first meeting, it was at the British semi final that things started to look up with a 6th place ( their 5th meeting) thus qualified them for the British final this was to be their 7th meeting again their Roy Bell sponsored Godden motor helped to secure 2nd place which in turn gained them a place in the following years European semi final, a meeting which brings all the best riders in Europe together battling to make the final. So with the help of family friends mechanics and sponsors took their place, with three 2nd places in the heats they qualified for the final, starting from the outside gate the tapes rose they were in fourth place going into the first turn but on exiting the bend found themselves in 2nd and chasing the duo of Reiner Zumach/Karsten Friedrich who were one of the top two Germans teams competing that year. The brothers never gave up and kept the Alan belham tuned Godden motor wound up, on exiting the very last corner Zumach's engine blew and the brothers took the chequerd flag. with Zumach failing to score the Stewards took overall victory which to this day no other British team has equalled. Winning put them in the European final the highest championship for this type of sidecar racing, Sept 87 saw the team travel to valence d'agen France, engine troubles in 2 heats and a 2nd in another put the brothers in a semi final but due to lack of points messed up a possable final place they finished 8th overall. Trevor finished racing in mid season 1988. Ron had a call from 6xs British champion Cecil Taylor who asked him to complete the season due to a fall out with his current passenger to which Ron obliged, they competed in and won many meetings home and abroad the best being Bad Hersfeld where they won all their heats and were leading the final untill the ignition cut out fell out and allowed fellow competetors to pass. Once they got it back in they chased the pack but only pulled back a couple of places and lost the meeting by 1 point to Germany's Bernd Dilger/Lothar Hass (shame as 3 times they beat the then European champions Karl keil/Joachim Reeg) a meeting which Trevor and Ron had won the previous year. In 1989 Ron rode with Paul Miller they were using the ex Chris Barton (D A B) chassis, they also had some fantastic results home and abroad. They rode the biggest track Ron has competed on, Ludinghausen Germany then travelled down to Hof for the European semi final a very rough track on the side of a hill they only finished 8th. Ron then went on to partner Raz Palmer a very well respected racer from Dagenham they to had many wins including the British team championships a championship which Ron has also won twice with Trevor and once with father Les for the Eastern Centre and once with Cecil Taylor and the Southern Centre. Ron has ridden with many drivers over his racing career including Andovers Tony Cook. He has had the privilage to have raced with 4 drivers who have won various British championships, Cecil taylor 6x individual Raz Palmer 1x Paul Miller 3x and with Trevor he has won 3 British pairs titles and 1x East of England championship, Trev won 4 but had a stand in passenger when Ron was on Honeymoon. Ron would like to thank all the drivers that he has had the pleasure of passengering for over the years. Remember anyone wishing to have a go hold on tight, listen to others and most importantly enjoy your racing every mistake you make your driver makes 5 except for Trevor of course.
Darren (dyno) sargeant
Darren started by helping Trevor/Ron when they returned to racing in 1998.in 1999 not only was he helping but also decided to have ago at 350cc solo racing,another family member to take to the sport,he had a few accidents but still enjoyed himself grandad Les also got a 350 to help darren along which worked great darren finally beat his grandad in the following year,he packed up racing in 2001 due to an interest in kart racing where he worked and drove for lakeside karting.in 2006 while he was at a meeting 500 sidecar driver tony cook asked if he would jump on as his passenger had not turned up ,to which obliged in 2006 Trevor had mentioned he wished to have ago Ron too busy with work decided not to so Darren was asked to passenger for the 2007 season.Darren at the start of 2007 has also done a couple of meetings with former multi British Champion Nick Radley and a couple of sidecar speedway meetings with Scot Dunn.
