It was seventh heaven for Easingwold sidecar superstar Steve Webster and passenger David James at Hockenheim in Germany when they won the last round of the FIM Sidecar World Cup Championships series to retain the title for a third successive year.

The result gives him a unique pair of hat-tricks ten years apart. He won his first three titles in 1987, 1988, 1989 and has now won in 1997, 1998, 1999. The 1991 win makes it seven in total, equal to the great Rolf Biland.

Webster has now promised to go for an eighth title next year to surpass Biland's feat.

Going into yesterday's race with a mere two point lead, Webster knew that he had to beat closest points rivals Klaus Klaffenbock and Dolf Haenni to take the championship. And for the third Sunday in a row, Webster devastated the opposition.

Starting from pole for the ninth time in ten races this year, Webster almost fluffed the start.

"I was pretty nervous at the start and didn't want to overheat the tyre too much or spin off or anything stupid, but we soon got through to where we wanted to be" he said.

But he battled to the front in a titanic battle with Derbyshire driver Steve Abbott, who was almost on Webster's passenger platform as the champion fought through backmarker traffic.

He held Abbott at bay going into the final bend and onto the finish straight to take the race by 0.37secs from Abbott and the championship by 11 points from Klaffenbock.

Both Webster and Abbott posted their fastest race laps on the penultimate lap, both riders just less than six-hundredths behind Webster's pole time.

"Abbott gave us such a battle all the way, I just couldn't shake him off. I was so glad when we got the finish, it was such a hard race. I want a beer now!" beamed an elated Webster.

Passenger David James was equally ecstatic; "It hasn't sunk in yet. After breaking down at Brands Hatch we were in the position of having to win the last three races to get the title. It seemed such a big hurdle but now we've done it. As Steve says we're going to have a few beers with the team now. It was a very tough race for me - the speeds of this track man passengers get a real windblast and it's also very bumpy so you have to really concentrate."

Top speeds recorded down the long straights were edging towards 170 mph.

In ten races Webster has been on pole in nine of them, won six and been second twice. But for a broken drive chain at Donington and a burst fuel pipe at Brands Hatch causing retirement, it's obvious that the title would have been wrapped up a couple of races back.

It was also his 39th win and his 92nd rostrum place in 112 race finishes.

Webster, who lives at Alne, near Easingwold, is a true and worthy champion, who at the start of the season put his reputation and hopes on the line when he opted to sign for the Steinhausen team and ride a totally new and untested outfit.

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