Autopsy: Sidecar Racing | SPIKE

When it comes to driving motorcycles there are few that can match the skills of Jesse, so it would stand to reason that Sidecar racing would be a breeze. Well, that might be the case if there were only two wheels and one driver, but this kind of motorcycle racing ain’t very normal.

Sidecar racing is a combination of a motorcar racing and motorcycle racing with an element of team work that has to be precise, otherwise a crash will occur.

You know Jesse takes everything in stride. He has that confident attitude and that will to push the limit, but this time his number may be up, as he has to draw on skills he has not used. Ever. He is the master of the motorcycle, but Sidecar racing is a two-man game. He will have to draw on car driving skills, motorcycle skills, lightning quick reflexes, and match it up with his partner if expects to stay in the Sidecar. Crashes are frequent and due to the open cockpit, a road burn would be considered a gift by comparison to the danger they face.

The first Sidecar appeared around 1929 and became popular by the German army in World War II. Although the first formal racing began in 1949, it is likely that men were pairing up long before that to push the limits of speed. To date, the fastest Sidecar has run 187mph and designs, engines, and racing continues to evolve. Some 80 years after the first Sidecar was built, enter Jesse James and his quest to conquer the two-man three-wheeler. He will have to take a quick lesson to learn the ropes so that he can successfully pilot himself and teammate around a track against some of the best drivers in North America.

To ready Jesse for the race, he will take on two tasks to hone his skills. These aren’t ordinary tests; these are designed to help him drive like a Sidecar racer. He will learn the art of drifting a car as his three-wheeler will have to do that when burning around a turn in the race. He will also learn how to work with and use a second “driver” to avoid a crash, so to test that, he will attempt to drive a fire engine tiller truck!