Stiddard Trackside at Whilton Mill Jun 12th 2005

The Race

There was an immense amount of hard work done in the hour between races. Special Racing Projects did extremely well to get everyone ready, including themselves!

The 3 hour GP Premier started at sprint pace with KKC and B&R Racing really working to break clear. ee Sport continued on in 3rd with Tim Eng subbing for the absent Tanser. RKC Racing 2 with Clive Hewitt driving was in 4th and looking strong.

Further back a number of big guns were struggling early on, Titan Motorsport had seat trouble and Robert Parfoot pitted in some discomfort. They decided to sort the kart out and it put paid to their race but they are obviously thinking longer term.

Kartsmart lost an engine and took a punt up the backside from the leader at the same time. It happened as Paul Granger was lining up to take the No.2 kart coming onto the front straight, just as Paul accelerated out of the corner the Kartsmart engine seized and Paul had no time to react. The impact loosened my fillings and I was 40 feet away. Both parties acknowledged it as a racing incident and KKC suffered no ill effects.

2old2B Racing were having a better second race until a tyre de-rimmed and Chris Page had a long push back to the pits. It was obvious from a very early stage that if you kept going there was points and good finishing places to be had here as this was going to be a very long and hard afternoon.

Red Stripe for example were playing a very clever strategy. They paced themselves early on and were passed by a number of teams but in the middle section of the race they started to move forward and looked very impressive. There are some good experienced endurance thinkers in the Red Stripe team and it is paying dividends.

Axles of Evil's lap times showed them to be on the pace in there new kart and the guys know how to finish a race so they were definitely on for a good finish today if they could keep it together.

As the stops came and went the race settled into a real Endurance event. It was so close at the front, any one of four teams could have took it. KKC were leading well but had a starter motor problem and lost time in the pits. RKC Racing 1 were pushing hard for the full 3 hours and looked very quick.

B&R Racing were the main challengers to KKC for outright pace and in fact had the fastest lap of the day but they lost an engine while in 2nd place and it blew their chances of a win. Small consolation but they managed to change an engine including swapping a mount in 8 minutes. It was great to watch, as was Steve Stapley and Mike Williams drive afterwards. Also worthy of note at this point was the fact that the engine B&R put on the kart was loaned to them by Auction My Igloo without any question this was a great gesture and in great spirit as the two teams are in direct competition in the championship. Well-played gentlemen.

Auction My Igloo was having a strong race in there own right with both Ian Norman and Danny Scott on good form. Zero Racing had a good Premier race even suffering a puncture didn't detract from a strong finish. Red Stripe Racing finished in 9th place and deserved yet another top ten finish. Axles of Evil took 12th place and drove well today. Once the guys get to grips with the new chassis they will be looking for consistent mid field finishes and should expect them too. Red MAX gave up competing for a finish early on and used to the time to look for set up data, as did Kartsmart and ee Sport.

So to the fight for the podium, Special Racing Projects nabbed 4th from Auction My Igloo by 4 seconds. Both teams suffered in Race 1 but worked the issues and drove fantastically well in the 3 hour. Top marks for tenacity. RKC Racing 1 again showed their class with a strong performance and a deserved 3rd place. So to the top step fight. After three hard fought hours Spec Savers took the win by 6 seconds. Sid Dunlop drove a fabulous last stint to try and close the gap but Rob Lofting brought it home in style. It was a great scrap that kept us guessing right up until the end. One all and honours even.

Post Race Analysis

This is the mid point of the season and at this point last year we were wondering who was going to come second in the championship. This year any one of five teams could take the title. It really is too close to call. Not only that but any team who takes a top 10 place this year will have earned it the hard way.

We have already mentioned the gentlemanly conduct of Auction My Igloo in lending B&R an engine and Sid Dunlop's passionate drive to close the gap on Spec Savers in the closing stages of the race. In deed, both Spec Savers drivers, Rob Lofting and Kevin Schofield drove very strongly all day. It would have been a very close call if KKC hadn't had starter motor issues at their final stop. Now that would have been a thriller!

Zero Racing and Auto 1 Racing had very good PM drives and what might have been had they not had problems in the morning? That however could be echoed right along the pit lane and is part and parcel of endurance racing, ask Kartsmart, Rapid Logic, Red MAX, JD Vipers and 2old2b Racing!

Red Stripe Racing had two very strong races and played a long game plan that worked well. Having said all that, who do I choose as the drive of the day?… Well for what its worth, I choose Sid Dunlop for the physical and mental determination he showed chasing Rob Lofting to the flag and not giving up for a second. Rob was well aware of what was going on but Sid kept Rob on his toes and me enthralled right up to the flag. Well-done Sid.

Ellough Park is next on the calendar and it's another physical circuit that is great to drive, so suck it in guys and girls and prepare to take it to Suffolk. There are points to be made as well as won. I can hardly contain myself!

Report by Neil Ashcroft from  Fastroc

All Photographs copyright Neil Ashcroft

Return to News