British Super One Rotax Series - Rounds 7 & 8
from Graham Smith, TSR Productions & Super One Series
Super One Rotax Series Round 7 & 8: Buckmore Park 26 – 27 June 2010
On England’s hottest day of the year, the twisty 900m Kentish circuit was completely packed out to see a mixture of close fought battles interspersed with runaway leaders. Virgin Racing’s Commercial Director Peter Solomon handed out the trophies and some Virgin goodies at the end. Separate junior and senior driver briefings seemed to help improve driving standards, asserted Chief Clerk of the Course Alan Bryant. “There was some tremendous racing, especially amongst the top four in the Senior Max second final,” added Bryant.
Above: Juniors line up for their Final 2
pic - TSR Productions
The Motor Sports Association launched three Performance Master Classes. Aimed at introducing young drivers to elementary coaching principles, the classes are part of the MSA Academy scheme, as Co-ordinator Greg Symes explains: "In the Academy structure this sits underneath the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme. The Performance Master Classes have been developed in conjunction with the Youth Sport Trust and mirror similar programmes in other sports." The classes, which were presented by Symes and racing drivers Tom Gaymor and Bradley Ellis, are "What does it take?" – understanding the skills needed to be a top level driver; "Eating to Win" – principles of nutrition and healthy diets; and "Racing Parent" – a specific session for parents and guardians to explore their roles and how to find the right balance to support their children.
MiniMax
A multi-kart crash at the start forced a re-start and sidelined front-runners George Line and Harry Webb, whilst more karts were damaged or not allowed to restart for undertaking repairs under parc ferme conditions. Jack Mitchell led the depleted field but briefly as Joe Byrne recovered from a brush with the barriers to leapfrog Jack Aitken and speed away to win. Ashley England came through to split the pair, George Russell a handy fourth, but unable to challenge the leaders.
The second final also had missing karts when Adam Glear and Rob Holland failed to start, and Martin Poole only completed a lap, after all three suffered bent axles. Some of the karts seeded behind them on the grid had failed to stop and rammed the stationary karts on the start line photo parade. Byrne succumbed to England’s challenge at the first corner with Aitken, Ryan Norris and Russell in the train. Aitken and Norris traded third, then second when Byrne was hung out, dropping to fifth. Despite defending from Norris, England was reeled in and demoted to fourth in an exciting finale, Aitken winning from Norris and Russell.
Results
MiniMax Final One: 1 Joe Byrne (Tonykart); 2 Ashley England (Alonso); 3 Jack Aitken (Gillard); 4 George Russell (Tonykart); 5 Ryan Norris (Tonykart); 6 Oliver Myers (Tonykart). Fastest lap: Norris 40.73s
Final Two: 1 Aitken; 2 Norris; 3 Russell; 4 England; 5 Byrne; 6 Bobby Thompson (Tonykart).
Championship standings: George Russell 367; Sam Ward 349; Jack Aitken 340; Ryan Norris 316; Ashley England 315; Harry Webb 314.
Above: Joe Byrne
pic - TSR Productions
Above: Jack Aitken grabbed a 3rd and a win in MiniMAX
pic - TSR Productions
Junior Max
A dominant Matthew Parry sped away from Sean Babington and Lewis Plato in the first final, the race strung out behind. Andy King, the only driver to have beaten Parry in the heats, had been forced into the barriers at the start, and had to retire with a broken kart, the incident delaying Ash Hand, Nathan Harrison and Jack Marshall. Parry took charge of the second final as well, pressed by Plato until the latter found himself leapfrogged by Babington, and later Jack Barlow. Harry Crawley snatched fifth from Oliver Hodgson on the last lap.
Results
Junior Max Final One: 1 Matthew Parry (Kosmic); 2 Sean Babington (Alonso); 3 Lewis Plato (Tonykart); 4 Jack Barlow (Alonso); 5 Harry Crawley (Alonso); 6 Oliver Hodgson (Tonykart). Fastest lap: Jordan Houghton (Gillard) 39.40s
Final Two: 1 Parry; 2 Babington; 3 Barlow; 4 Plato; 5 Crawley; 6 Hodgson.
Championship standings: Matthew Parry 368; Harry Crawley 352; Sean Babington 344; Jack Marshall 337; Andy King 333; Oliver Hodgson 295.
Above: Junior Rotax winner Matthew Parry
pic - TSR Productions
Senior Max
Lewis Brown mounted a strong challenge on Dan Holland on the opening lap, but ran out onto the grass losing places, letting Holland and Michael Epps go clear. Shaun Slavin roared up to make it a threesome, dropping Brown to defend against Tom Fawcett and John Stewart. Further back Edward Brand and Matthew Mason collided, delaying both. Slavin grabbed second on the last lap, Holland by now nearly two seconds to the good. Defending champion Michael Simpson was missing, he had earlier withdrawn from the meeting when forced in for a defective rear bumper.
Holland had an altogether harder task in the second final, as his kart went off in the closing stages he was forced to retake the lead from Michael Epps three times, then defend strongly to the flag. Slavin wasn’t quite in a position to take advantage, as Danny Russell had vaulted through from his ninth place start to make a third place challenge. Shaun Carter, guesting in place of the injured Jack Dex, was a strong fifth. Championship leader Fawcett had his kart thrown up in the air on the opening lap, but he recovered to twelfth.
Results
Rotax Max Final One: 1 Dan Holland (Gillard); 2 Shaun Slavin (CRG); 3 Michael Epps (Tonykart); 4 Lewis Brown (Tonykart); 5 Tom Fawcett (Tonykart); 6 John Stewart (Tonykart). Fastest lap: Holland 39.51s
Rotax Max Final Two: 1 Holland; 2 Epps; 3 Slavin; 4 Danny Russell (Tonykart); 5 Sean Carter (Alonso); 6 Jack Saffery (Tonykart).
Championship standings: Tom Fawcett 359; Shaun Slavin 321; Dan Holland 320; Billy Albone304; Jake Ball 298; Edward Brand 293.
Above: Senior Rotax winner Dan Holland
pic - TSR Productions
Max 177
Racing in the series for the first time in a year, Florent Lambert qualified pole for the first final, kept his nerve and threw off a strong challenge from David Griffiths and Colin Davis. When the latter two started scrapping, Lambert found himself with a one second cushion at the chequer. Justin Edgar leapfrogged Lucas Orrock for fourth, Orrock dropping back to seventh. Griffiths was stronger in the second final, drafting past Lambert on the second lap to lead with Davis following. Edgar held off a train of karts for fourth, eventually escaping. Griffiths was forced to defend strongly from Davis round the last lap, Lambert just failing to keep in touch.
Results
Max 177 Final One: 1 Florent Lambert (Tonykart); 2 David Griffiths (X30); 3 Colin Davis (Redspeed); 4 Justin Edgar (Tonykart); 5 Milan Mach (Kosmic); 6 Luke Woodland (Gillard). Fastest lap: Griffiths 40.14s
Final Two: 1 Griffiths; 2 Davis; 3 Lambert; 4 Edgar; 5 Woodland; 6 Lucas Orrock (Kosmic).
Championship standings: Lucas Orrock 379; David Griffiths 370; Luke Woodland 346; Colin Davis 336; Tim Penton 331; Stephen Cobb 330.
Above: Dan Holland waits on the grid for the second Final
pic - TSR Productions
