Baines Family Motorsport February Race Report
| press release | 27 February 2014 |
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February was the scheduled start of the 2014 Speedway Kart season campaign for the Baines Family Motorsport Team. The team will consist of 4 drivers racing across 5 different classes with the NSW Speedway Kart Club and the Central Coast Speedway Kart Club.
Jake Baines will be contesting the KT Light Championship with the CCSKC and will be defending his 2013 Clubman Light Championship with the NSWSKC. As the NSW and Australian Titles get closer, Jake will then decide which classes he will contest.
Wayne Baines, this year, will have a restricted schedule which will include the major races of the season. However, for the first time in 13 years, he will not be contesting championship races. The plan is for him to run some Clubman Light and Heavy races along with the defense in September of his Over 40’s Clubman Australian Title. The reason for this reduced season is that Wayne will be allowing his nephew, Nathan Hopping ( grandson of Sid Hopping) to race his kart in the KT Light Class at CCSKC and the Clubman Light Class at the NSWSKC meetings.
Tim Baker is again racing in the team and has stepped up to the elite 125 Sportsman class which he will contest with both clubs at the various venues throughout the season. After many successful years in Clubman and KT Modified, Tim continues his progression as he moves into the more powerful class for 2014.
The team is again sponsored in 2014 by Hopping’s Mowers Rydalmere, Ian Baker, Rams Race Engines, Sketchy Graphix, DTO Racewear , Stillshots and Krikke Motorsport.
The season was scheduled to start with the NSWSKC meeting scheduled for Sunday, 16 February, however mother nature decided that no racing was to take place at the Nepean Motorsport Complex with heavy rain on the Saturday and Sunday stopping the meeting from going ahead.
The following weekend saw the team head up the M1 to Gosford Showground for Round 1 of the 2014 CCSKC championship.
The whole team was excited as it was Jake’s first race meeting in KT Light, Tim’s first race meeting in the 125 and Nathan’s first race meeting.
Tim’s had a mixed day as Heats 1 and 2 saw him coming to terms with the engine and sorting out some gremlins which had him not finishing either race. After diagnosing the problem he lined up in Heat 3 and a strong run saw him finishing in 3rd position. The feature was a better result for him as he lead all 15 laps to record a convincing win. After this result Tim ended up 3rd place overall for the day, went home with a trophy, a lot of experience and is now counting the days to his next race.
Nathan had a very exciting entry to speedway karting and his racing career. Heat 1 went to plan - Nathan ran around the back of the field and looked very good as he stayed with the field. With this confidence, he went out in Heat 2 looking to continue his learning. Well he learnt alright, after recording the fastest lap time of the field he entered turn 1 on the 6th lap and was a little high on the track. Nathan made contact with the wall and, after a spectacular roll-over, landed between turns 1 and 2 on the outside of the track. After being cleared by the medical team and the kart repaired, Nathan, to his credit, got back in and completed all his remaining laps in Heat 3 and the feature. The experience has given him a new respect for the karts and he is looking forward to getting in again and learning more race craft.
This meeting was Jake’s first meeting in the competitive KT Modified Light Class. There were no expectations, however after his win in Heat 1 everyone knew he was there to race and not just to make up the numbers. Heat 2 saw Jake come from the back of the field and finish 2nd and then another win in Heat 3 saw him go into the feature as the highest point scorer. Being the last race of the day everyone thought he would struggle on the track against some great drivers. Jake had other thoughts - at the drop of the green flag he went to the outside groove ran three wide through turns 1 and 2 and all the way down the back straight into 3. He came out of turn 4 in 2nd and set about chasing down the leader. With a last lap last corner pass, Jake took the feature win to take the overall points win and 1st place trophy.
Above: Three wide down the back straight...
pic - Kiera Bramble
Above: ...and into turn 3
pic - Kiera Bramble
Above: The three-wide pass made by Jake in #14
pic - Kiera Bramble
For the team it was a mixed day, with some highs and lows, however all in all they are looking forward to the next meeting.
The team will be in action during March at the following dates and venues:
16th March Nepean Motorsport Complex with the NSWSKC
23rd March Gosford Showground with the CCSKC
The Baines Family Motorsport Team would like to acknowledge and thank all their corporate partners for their continued support throughout 2014.
Hopping’s Mowers
Rams Race Engines
Sketchy Graphix,
Ian Baker, Krikke Motorsport, Stillshots
