Kimbolton - July
The July round at Hunts Kart race club saw 23 drivers entered in a challenging grid of club drivers. I looked forward to what the weekend held under the scorching sun at Kimbolton with my new, AIR Motorsport themed helmet.
PRACTICE
On Saturday, we were using worn tyres, which make a huge difference around Kimbolton in comparison to new tyres, and we managed to do a 42.66 which was not too bad, only a few tenths off the pace, which considering the state of our tyres was quite promising.
On Saturday, we were using worn tyres, which make a huge difference around Kimbolton in comparison to new tyres, and we managed to do a 42.66 which was not too bad, only a few tenths off the pace, which considering the state of our tyres was quite promising.
HEAT 1
In the first heat, we started 21st, so we were looking to get off to a good start and make up some positions. At the first corner, there was a big crash, meaning that several of us had to cut the first corner to avoid it. Unfortunately, my engine cut out as I was doing this, taking me a few seconds to get it going again. Eventually I got going again, probably in about the same position that I started, around 3 seconds off the next pack. Somehow, my pace combined with some great overtakes, I managed to get back to 10th, which was a great result, gaining 11 despite me being so far back on the first lap. Who knows where we could've got to if we didn't cut out, but that didn't matter because we still finished pretty well considering.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 1 RESULTS
FINISHED: 10TH /23 (+11) LAPTIME: 42.17 (7TH, +0.28) PERSONAL SCORE: 9/10
In the first heat, we started 21st, so we were looking to get off to a good start and make up some positions. At the first corner, there was a big crash, meaning that several of us had to cut the first corner to avoid it. Unfortunately, my engine cut out as I was doing this, taking me a few seconds to get it going again. Eventually I got going again, probably in about the same position that I started, around 3 seconds off the next pack. Somehow, my pace combined with some great overtakes, I managed to get back to 10th, which was a great result, gaining 11 despite me being so far back on the first lap. Who knows where we could've got to if we didn't cut out, but that didn't matter because we still finished pretty well considering.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 1 RESULTS
FINISHED: 10TH /23 (+11) LAPTIME: 42.17 (7TH, +0.28) PERSONAL SCORE: 9/10
HEAT 2
Heat 2 was a more mediocre race than the first, starting 14th, dropping back a few places after a below par start, making it back to 13th and making a mistake and finishing 14th. In the grand scheme of things, I didn't lose any positions, but after the first heat I was pumped to gain lots of places, not stay the same.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 2 RESULTS
FINISHED: 14TH /23 (=) LAPTIME: 42.35 (8TH, +0.39) PERSONAL SCORE: 6/10
Heat 2 was a more mediocre race than the first, starting 14th, dropping back a few places after a below par start, making it back to 13th and making a mistake and finishing 14th. In the grand scheme of things, I didn't lose any positions, but after the first heat I was pumped to gain lots of places, not stay the same.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 2 RESULTS
FINISHED: 14TH /23 (=) LAPTIME: 42.35 (8TH, +0.39) PERSONAL SCORE: 6/10
HEAT 3
Next up was the big one. I started 2nd, hoping to finish at the front for a solid final starting position. I dropped to 3rd at the start, which was fine because I made it through the first corner on the outside without any collisions. I carried on for two laps in 3rd, until on the last corner another driver made an outrageous move, completely getting it wrong, bouncing off the driver in front of me and leaving me no where to go but off the circuit. I did not finish because of this, which I was extremely angry about, because it cost me a top 3 in the heat, and now had ruined my opportunity for starting at the front for the final.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 3 RESULTS
FINISHED: 23RD /23 (DNF, -21) LAPTIME: 43.75 (23RD, +1.66) SCORE: 2/10
Next up was the big one. I started 2nd, hoping to finish at the front for a solid final starting position. I dropped to 3rd at the start, which was fine because I made it through the first corner on the outside without any collisions. I carried on for two laps in 3rd, until on the last corner another driver made an outrageous move, completely getting it wrong, bouncing off the driver in front of me and leaving me no where to go but off the circuit. I did not finish because of this, which I was extremely angry about, because it cost me a top 3 in the heat, and now had ruined my opportunity for starting at the front for the final.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 3 RESULTS
FINISHED: 23RD /23 (DNF, -21) LAPTIME: 43.75 (23RD, +1.66) SCORE: 2/10
FINAL
All of the above results meant that I started 17th for the final, which if I would've finished 3rd in the first heat, would have been 8th, and seen as what happened at the front in the final left people all over the place, I could've finished brilliantly. But I put that out of my mind as much as I could and drove from 17th to 10th, lacking off the corners a little, but I was unfortunately not close enough to involve myself in the almighty battle for the podium. The positives we can take is that bad luck denied us, and that on pace and race craft we were up there. Thanks to AIR Motorsport and all the family.
CLICK HERE FOR FINAL RESULTS
FINISHED: 10TH /23 (+7) LAPTIME: 42.63 (11TH, +0.49) PERSONAL SCORE: 8/10
All of the above results meant that I started 17th for the final, which if I would've finished 3rd in the first heat, would have been 8th, and seen as what happened at the front in the final left people all over the place, I could've finished brilliantly. But I put that out of my mind as much as I could and drove from 17th to 10th, lacking off the corners a little, but I was unfortunately not close enough to involve myself in the almighty battle for the podium. The positives we can take is that bad luck denied us, and that on pace and race craft we were up there. Thanks to AIR Motorsport and all the family.
CLICK HERE FOR FINAL RESULTS
FINISHED: 10TH /23 (+7) LAPTIME: 42.63 (11TH, +0.49) PERSONAL SCORE: 8/10
Up next:
WHILTON MILL ROUND 8: 22 JULY
WHILTON MILL ROUND 8: 22 JULY
