(See also www.karting.co.uk/Results/ for Super 1 Results)
MSA ROUND 2 9/10.05.09 AT SHENINGTON
Race Report
Round two of the MSA British Kart Championships came to England’s Oxfordshire for a sunny weekend complete with excellent racing over the one kilometre Shenington track. It was notable that several top Renault and Formula Three team owners were seen talent-spotting the F1 hopefuls, who are all eager to follow in Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps. Guests at the meeting included the Motor Sports Association's Chief Executive Colin Hilton on Sunday, and on Saturday Rob Jones, Cheryl Lynch, John Ryan and George Robinson. George was busy seeking opinions for his future strategy paper.
 |
 |
Renault MSA Formula KF1 British Kart Championship
Ben Cooper hit top form in two
thrilling finals. In the first, class rookie Luke Wright saw all his hard
work in the heats to earn a front row position vanish when he was bumped by
Lee Bell, as poleman Elliot Burton took the lead. Bell succumbed to Jordon
Lennox-Lamb and Ben Cooper at the first hairpin, and then to the upwardly
mobile Jonathan Walker. Cooper nosed ahead of Burton with a light kiss, the
latter falling several places in his endeavours to stay on terms. Last
round double winner Jordon Lennox-Lamb, finding insufficient pace to stay
with the new leader, was gobbled up by the pack, falling to seventh. Walker
sliced into first with Cooper fighting back as they traded the lead several
times, the pace so hot they put three seconds on the rest. Cooper managed to
get back in front to defend to the flag, with
Walker observing: “It’s hard
when I am on antibiotics for a chest infection.” The battle re-commenced in
the second final, Walker again managing to find a gap in Cooper’s defence to
snatch the lead, but briefly. Cooper was put down to third behind Rob
Foster-Jones, with defending British champion Mark Litchfield finding form
for the first time this season, accelerating into the lead with a neat move
over Foster-Jones in the chicane. Foster-Jones re-took the lead, but
Litchfield was forced up the bank by an over-eager Richard Bradley trying to
follow, the latter later excluded from the race. That just left the two
final twists, as Cooper squeezed through into the lead, with Foster-Jones
losing speed trying to hold him off. He fell into the clutches of Luke
Wright and Lee Bell for fourth. And finally Bell dived into the chicane to
take the runner-up spot. Cooper, who is the reigning Rotax class world
champion, said: “It was so close, Rob tried to defend too soon, but when you
get to the front it’s very hard to stay there.”
Renault MSA Formula KF3 British Junior Kart Championship
Racing Steps Foundation backed Jake
Dennis starred at his local track with two wonderful wins. In the first
final, Sennan Fielding out-witted poleman Alexander Albon to lead the first
corners, the pair then trading first place as Dennis sat in third. Dennis
upped the pace, slicing past both for the lead but unable to sustain it for
long. Sam Blake and Alex Walker pulled the next group into touch, so now a
ten kart express train was hurtling round the track, all nose to tail.
Dennis had just hit the front once more when Fielding and Walker tangled in
the chicane, gifting a big cushion and the win to Dennis, Blake, Jake Dalton
and the Red Bull backed Albon following. “I heard a noise behind me and had
a quick look to see I had a gap,” said Dennis who added that he had been
struggling for power. Walker
had two points added to the four he received
earlier for an exclusion, which was sufficient for his licence to be
withdrawn by the MSA Steward. After two red flags to attend to crashed
karts, the second final eventually got underway with Fielding having to pit
to attend to a mashed sidepod. Again a long train contested the lead, with
Sam Blake leading from Dennis, Albon, Dalton and Callum Bowyer. Dennis
stepped up to the lead, with Dalton following, then Dalton took over as they
pulled away from Albon. Dalton put up a strong resistance to all the Dennis
moves, until eventually Dennis executed a neat switch-back out of the
chicane to snatch his second win. He said: “It was very close, the rest
were all battling behind then I thought I should go for the win.” Dalton
ruefully exclaimed: “I defended too much on the way into the chicane.”
Renault ABkC National KF2 Kart Championships
Team-mates Jordan Chamberlain and
Shaun Carter had the legs on the rest of the large KF2 pack, the pair
drawing clear of Jake Ball in the early stages of the first final. Ball
failed to sustain his place when the rest caught up, and he fell to sixth in
favour of Mackenzie Taylor, Alex Lynn and James Godbehere.
Chamberlain
never looked in serious danger, although Carter observed: “In the middle of
the race I had the legs on Jordan, but for the last five laps I was
struggling to stay in touch.” Chamberlain had found even more speed for the
second final, pulling clear of Carter who was coming under pressure from
Lynn towards the end. Taylor had to settle for fourth this time, with
Charles Bonsey and Laura Tillett not far behind. A delighted Chamberlain
exclaimed: “I’m over the moon now, I put this down as my best and biggest
win by far!”
ABkC Dunlop Cadet National Championship
A large slip streaming battle for the lead in the first final seemed to resolve itself into a two way fight when George Russell and Harry Woodhead broke clear. Lando Norris had been the initial leader, but he fell as far as seventh, before managing an eventual fourth. Then TJ Nelson towed the next group up to the leaders to join the party and when Russell pulled out to try for a pass they all nipped through, putting him down to fifth, although he managed to recover to third by the flag. Woodhead hung on for the win over Nelson. In the second final, the battle re-commenced with Woodhead content to sit behind Nelson, pulling them clear of the rest. Russell struggled with an engine problem and fell to mid-pack, leaving Max Vaughan to head up the third place fight. On the last lap, Nelson left the door open in the chicane, gratefully accepted by Woodhead for his second win.
 |
 |
Titbits
Both Kabir Gillani and Joe Porter had heavy crashes during the weekend, but both were bravely able to continue racing with new karts. Alex Walker had his racing licence suspended between the first and second KF3 finals, on the points totting up principle, and was therefore unable to continue. Roy Johnson was excluded from the meeting after KF3 timed qualifying when his clutch was found to be ineligible. Most competitors in the KF classes were carrying the Unilogger, to check on clutch eligibility and slippage during racing, thanks to the large investment made by the Super One Series promoters. Shaun Carter was busy practising his tyre changing skills, aiming for that £500 toolbox prize at the Autosport finals, and his best unofficial time is now 32.6 seconds to take off and re-fit four tyres. US website www.coldtrackdays.com sent a photographer to record all the action.
Two laps of Shenington with Ricky Collard, courtesy of racedata.org and Fusion
Next round
Round 3 of the championship will be held at Rowrah, Cumbria on 6/7 June
KF1:Timed Qualifying, Heat 1, Heat 2, Final 1, Final 2
KF2: Timed Qualifying, Heat 1, Heat 2, Final 1, Final 2
KF3: Timed Qual 1, Timed Qual 2, Heat 1, Heat 2, Heat 3, Repechage, Final 1, Final 2
Cadet: Timed Qualifying, Heat 1, Heat 2, Final 1, Final 2
Points Tables for KF1 (Provisional on Round 1)
Points KF2
Points KF3.
Points Table for Cadet
Go here for the MSA Championship's newsletter
Picture Gallery images courtesy of www.kartpix.net