WMKC18 ROUND 2
The second round was upon us, with 33 drivers entered in yet again a grid of unbelievable talent. My new suit, boots and gloves were finally on show alongside the new bodywork of the AIRkart.
PRACTICE
I struggled for pace on practice day, lacking grip and having a haul of unlucky issues. including the clutch braking. The day was much better in terms of weather than I had seen for a while, being dry all day. However, I could only get down to a 45.68, which was estimated was about 4 tenths off the quickest, and not good enough. Overall, it wasn't a great day and we were looking forward to a better race day on fresh tyres.
I struggled for pace on practice day, lacking grip and having a haul of unlucky issues. including the clutch braking. The day was much better in terms of weather than I had seen for a while, being dry all day. However, I could only get down to a 45.68, which was estimated was about 4 tenths off the quickest, and not good enough. Overall, it wasn't a great day and we were looking forward to a better race day on fresh tyres.
HEAT 1
In the first heat, I started 24th and with crashes in the first corner I had already gained 4 or 5 positions going up the hill. However, we went into the next corner with far too many karts a breast, and I got caught on the outside, clipping the driver to my right and going onto the grass, dropping to 32nd. This skirmish would prove to be more serious that originally thought later in the race though, as I fought back through the field to around 18th, when my rear axle snapped in half. I was lucky that it happened on a straight so I was able to come to a safe stop, as it could've been very dangerous if it had snapped in a corner. This meant that did not finish, being recorded as 30th place. I was also very slow as the axle must've been bending throughout the race, being kick-started by the collision on the first lap.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 1 RESULTS
FINISHED: 30TH / 33 (-6) LAPTIME: 45.47 (22ND, +0.70) PERSONAL SCORE: 4/10
In the first heat, I started 24th and with crashes in the first corner I had already gained 4 or 5 positions going up the hill. However, we went into the next corner with far too many karts a breast, and I got caught on the outside, clipping the driver to my right and going onto the grass, dropping to 32nd. This skirmish would prove to be more serious that originally thought later in the race though, as I fought back through the field to around 18th, when my rear axle snapped in half. I was lucky that it happened on a straight so I was able to come to a safe stop, as it could've been very dangerous if it had snapped in a corner. This meant that did not finish, being recorded as 30th place. I was also very slow as the axle must've been bending throughout the race, being kick-started by the collision on the first lap.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 1 RESULTS
FINISHED: 30TH / 33 (-6) LAPTIME: 45.47 (22ND, +0.70) PERSONAL SCORE: 4/10
HEAT 2
For the second heat, I started 7th, and with this being my closest heat to the front, I hoped for a repeat of my win from last month. However, this was quickly shattered as a driver was spun right in front of me at the first corner, causing me to take to the grass in avoidance. This dropped me to the middle of the pack, and I made up a few places from there after a crazy race, finishing 14th. We still lacked pace, so changes needed to be made.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 2 RESULTS
FINISHED: 14TH /33 (-7) LAPTIME: 45.39 (17TH, +0.51) PERSONAL SCORE: 5/10
For the second heat, I started 7th, and with this being my closest heat to the front, I hoped for a repeat of my win from last month. However, this was quickly shattered as a driver was spun right in front of me at the first corner, causing me to take to the grass in avoidance. This dropped me to the middle of the pack, and I made up a few places from there after a crazy race, finishing 14th. We still lacked pace, so changes needed to be made.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 2 RESULTS
FINISHED: 14TH /33 (-7) LAPTIME: 45.39 (17TH, +0.51) PERSONAL SCORE: 5/10
HEAT 3
For the final heat, I needed a better result as I had been off the pace for a while following a few issues, and we had tweaked a few things ready for our 20th position start. This was a much better race, as despite us being 3 tenths off the pace, theoretically our lap would've been a 45.11 with all the best sectors, and we still made progress in the race, overtaking a few drivers and finishing 13th with a much closer laptime in comparison to the rest of the field.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 3 RESULTS
FINISHED: 13TH /33 (+7) LAPTIME: 45.33 (16TH, +0.35) PERSONAL SCORE: 7/10
For the final heat, I needed a better result as I had been off the pace for a while following a few issues, and we had tweaked a few things ready for our 20th position start. This was a much better race, as despite us being 3 tenths off the pace, theoretically our lap would've been a 45.11 with all the best sectors, and we still made progress in the race, overtaking a few drivers and finishing 13th with a much closer laptime in comparison to the rest of the field.
CLICK HERE FOR HEAT 3 RESULTS
FINISHED: 13TH /33 (+7) LAPTIME: 45.33 (16TH, +0.35) PERSONAL SCORE: 7/10
FINAL
We started 19th for the final, and the race panned out to be incredibly average. We lost a few positions at the start, gained a few throughout the race, and just as the tyres were starting to come to life in the middle of the race, the session was red flagged due to one of my team mates being in an accident. This concluded the race after only 5 laps, which was a shame for me as I could have gone further forward and gone quicker, as we set the tyre pressures with the end of the race in mind (which never came in the end). These things have to be taken the correct way, and I have to move on to the next round. The main thing was that my team mate was ok.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FINAL RESULTS
FINISHED: 17TH / 33 (+2) LAPTIME: 45.51 (18TH, +0.55) PERSONAL SCORE: 6/10
We started 19th for the final, and the race panned out to be incredibly average. We lost a few positions at the start, gained a few throughout the race, and just as the tyres were starting to come to life in the middle of the race, the session was red flagged due to one of my team mates being in an accident. This concluded the race after only 5 laps, which was a shame for me as I could have gone further forward and gone quicker, as we set the tyre pressures with the end of the race in mind (which never came in the end). These things have to be taken the correct way, and I have to move on to the next round. The main thing was that my team mate was ok.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FINAL RESULTS
FINISHED: 17TH / 33 (+2) LAPTIME: 45.51 (18TH, +0.55) PERSONAL SCORE: 6/10
This weekend had dented my championship position, leaving me in 7th, but I was not phased because the first heat points loss and lack of pace over the weekend was no fault of my own, and I know that I will be able to drop the points for the first heat, with the future of the season in mind. We will bounce back. Thanks to Alex from AIR Motorsport, and my Dad for mechanicing me. On to a one off round at Kimbolton, serving as a practice for the East Anglian Trophy which I will be competing in later in the year. Stay tuned for Kimbolton and for Round 3 of the WMKC championship.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
ROUND 3: 25TH MARCH
CLICK HERE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
ROUND 3: 25TH MARCH
