The Stig Laps Ballarat?!

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Will the STIG finally be revealed this weekend?

There has been a lot of speculation about who is the driver in the "Ballarat Hot Lap" that is on YouTube (onboard video, click HERE to have a look). Well, apparently it's The Stig, and he's answered some questions:

 

G'day STIG, nice to see you are still wearing the helmet, can you please tell us about your time at Ballarat? As a Midget, I raced at the Haddon Park International Kartway, as it was known in those days. Racing was amazing and many of the competitors have continued in Motor Sport since. I spent some time in Ballarat last year as I was testing for the Victorian Closed Titles and that is where we filmed the Hot Lap.

I hear that you have set the lap record at Ballarat in 7 different classes! Yes that's correct and I achieved all the lap records in my first year of Go Kart racing. The records were in Midgets, Rookies, then Junior Light, Junior Heavy and Junior Clubman. Finally Clubman Light and Clubman Super Heavy. I was aiming at the lap record for both Leopard Classes too, until I was called up by the Top Gear program.

What do you like most about the Haddon Park Raceway? My favourite thing would be the Iced Donuts and the Coffee. It is just such a friendly club, and they have made me feel most welcome. Then there are the names of the corners, The Woolshed corner, with No Woolshed in sight. Commentary Corner with the tricky apex point and of course the Legendary Top Corner, that has seen many a late braking move end in tears in the Infamous Ballarat Bark, curse those Wood Chips.

So tell us about the Hot Lap? From the moment that the Kart enters the track, you can sense the anticipation of the crowd. I warmed the tyres and then the Hot Lap begins. The track climbs along the Straight from the Commentary Corner until the Traffic Lights and this is where the gearing is really important. A quick Flick pass on Top Corner really sets up the Kart for the run past Commentary and into the tight Infield section. This is where the Kart Chassis Setup needs to work to perfection to give you the bounce out of these horse shoe corners. This track has a little bit of everything and it should bring out the best in any Kart driver. I can still hear the sounds of Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson cheering as I crossed the Finish Line.

So Stig, tell us who is inside that Helmet? NO.

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