Joyner Wins British Kart Championship

from Graham Smith, TSR Productions on behalf of the Super One Series

With a splendid lights to flag victory at PF International last weekend, Tom Joyner is the 2011 Ginetta MSA British Kart Champion.

This year the title was decided with a one-off race meeting in the CIK KF2 class, which attracted 17 entries in a resurgence of interest in the premier international senior class, and which it is hoped to continue through a new three round Winter Series and into 2012. 

Above: Tom Joyner on his way to British Championship victory aboard his LH Kart
pic - kartpix.net

Competitors were enticed by the thrill of being amongst the first to sample PF International’s newly extended 1382m circuit with its unique to the UK cross-over bridge and banked turn and the £8000 (€9400) value prize of a Fiat car for the winner.

Tom Joyner, who was the winner of the CIK-FIA KF2 European Northern qualifier event at the same venue in May, topped qualifying from Sam MacLeod and David Sutton, but MacLeod was relegated to the back of the grids after being found underweight.  Joyner was bundled back on the opening lap of the first heat whilst Sutton took up the running but he had to give way to Jordan Chamberlain, out ahead by 2s.  Joyner worked his way back to third, ahead of Paul Hardy whilst out-going champion Mark Litchfield could only manage seventh. 

In the second heat, Chamberlain speared off at the first corner and decided not to continue, as Litchfield muscled into the lead but then received the black flag for driving misdemeanours which he later denied.  In any case it became academic when his engine seized.  That left Joyner with the win over Shaun Slavin and a recovering MacLeod. 

The third heat was a frantic affair with the lead constantly swapping between Chamberlain and Joyner until the latter ran wide at the first hairpin leaving Chamberlain to win over Billy Albone, Shaun Slavin and Joyner.

Above: Paul Fletcher official opens the new extention at PFi prior to the final
pic - kartpix.net

After a ceremonial track opening with owner Paul Fletcher cutting the ribbon, the finals got underway.  But Chamberlain was denied his chance of the title when his engine refused to start, leaving Joyner with a clear run in an altogether tamer affair. This was further enhanced when Slavin, his nearest challenger, had his engine give up with suspected electrical problems. 

By then Litchfield had leapfrogged Albone and was a distant third, complaining of insufficient power to challenge further.  A fierce battle for fourth resolved in favour of Albone whilst Hardy speared off in the chicane. Sutton closed the gap down to the leader, but never looked in a strong enough position to challenge. 

“In the heats we set the kart to be quick at the end, but for the final we decided to get away at the start.  I saw David approaching and was watching the big timing board for the gap, then on the last lap I backed right off,” said the new champion, who was in only his fourth race this year.  Second place took a prize of £2000, and third £1000 whilst Joyner, who is a part-time postman, has to decide what to do with his new car.

Above: In addition to the trophy, Joyner won a new Fiat
pic - kartpix.net

Results
1 Tom Joyner (LH Kart)
2 David Sutton (Alonso)
3 Mark Litchfield (Birel)
4 Billy Albone (RK)
5 Sam MacLeod (Alonso)
6 Denis Gorman (Maranello)

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