SIDECAR racer Dave Wallis faces a race against time to repair his outfit for an appearance at the British MotoGP meeting.

The Alfreton driver crashed heavily at more than 100mph during practice for the Isle of Man TT races.

Now he is aiming to get his badly-damaged machine ready for the Donington Park showpiece on July 24-26.

Wallis escaped serious injury in the accident but spent a night in hospital.

His passenger, Sally Wilson, a TT specialist from Castleford, suffered ankle damage and had to undergo a number of operations but is expected to make a good recovery.

Injuries apart, the crash, at the famous course's 13th Milestone, dealt Wallis a double whammy.

For not only was his bike badly damaged but it meant any chance of much-needed prize money was wiped out.

He said: "I don't really know what happened. I was going into a right-hand bend and the back of the bike just broke away as if a tyre had punctured and we hit a wall.

"The bike is quite a mess and is going to take some time to sort out.

"I have been going to the TT for years and I had been hoping to finish in the top 10 this time.

"The crash happened on the Tuesday evening practice session and I came home on Friday – I was there to race and there was no point in staying on.

"I am very disappointed and frustrated at what happened."

The 49-year-old, a TT regular, has been racing since the early 1990s.

He had a six-year lay-off from the sport after breaking his back in a crash at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough, but returned, with the British Championship and the TT his main focus.

Wallis, who runs a dog-walking business, Petpals, added: "Not only have I got a big expense but I haven't made any prize money. So we have a quite a bit to do to get the bike ready for Donington."

If he is able to repair the machine in time, he will be accompanied by regular passenger Steve Wareham, from Leicester.