Easingwold's sidecar star Steve Webster set a lap record in finishing second place in the at opening round of the 2001 FIM Sidecar World Cup in Valencia, Spain yesterday.

It was a great effort by a delighted Webster, who has done hardly any pre-season testing.

"Before the race I'd said I would be pleased with a rostrum place, so second is really excellent," he said.

Despite being restarted twice after collisions involving lower placed teams, the sidecars blew off the winter cobwebs and served up some traditional paint scraping battling on a hot day.

Webster, arch rival Klaus Klaffenbock, Rolf Steinhausen and Steve Abbott were all involved in a battle for the lead before back-markers broke it up and allowed Klaffenbock and Webster to make a break.

With the two outfits out on their own, Webster soon found Klaffenbock's close season preparation - rumoured to be over 1,000 miles of track time - pay off, as he was faster down the straights.

"We were with him until we got held up by some more backmarkers and then Klaffy got away from us. At that point I realised although I could catch him through the corners, we couldn't compete on the straights and I thought we'd play it safe and settle for second" explained Webster.

The reigning champion has had a torrid time in practice. After only four laps of the opening session on Friday, the engine blew a head gasket sidelining them for the rest of the day, meaning he missed the first timed qualifying session.

For Saturday's practice they had to fit team-mate Ian Guy's spare engine - however that was new and had to be run in at restrictive revs preventing Webster from giving it his all. Despite that handicap he was able to post third fastest time just over half a second down on leader Klaffenbock. Come Superpole, and Webster moved up to second on the grid.

Webster's passenger Paul Woodhead said: "Considering the total lack of time on the bike, it leaves us looking forward to getting it really dialled in. Klaffy has spent all winter testing and it shows, but we're not that far behind him and we know we've got a lot, lot more to come.

"To get a lap record when Klaffy was a good 10kph faster down the straights says it all and gives us a lot of confidence."

Webster's team-mates Ian Guy and passenger Andy Peach came in 11th after a slight engine problem slowed them towards the end of the race.

So while Klaffenbock returned to Austria with a win under his belt, Webster will be looking to overhaul him when battle resumes at Philip Island in Australia on April 22.

Updated: 13:36 Monday, March 12, 2001