October 4th 2009 Round 8 FEKC Club Championship
With an 8 week break at Forest Edge since the last race, the competitors were in buoyant mood heading toward the penultimate round of the Championship with all classes still open.
First race final out was also biggest grid of the day, being the young chargers in Minimax. From the outset Sam Cassidy looked to be pulling away, Matt Duffett had other ideas and with the lead changing throughout the first half of the race this gave Piers Hickin time to catch both front two with Tyler Weedon in close proximity. Cassidy looked secure, yet with two laps to go Duffett timed a perfect move to slide inside Cassidy and was able to take his first win in Minimax by half a kart length. Just behind, Hickin had caught the front two, lap eight Weedon out braked Hickin going into Haynes Loop yet was found to have a technical exclusion with Hickin taking the final podium position in what was a close hard fought race. Leroy Brown took first novice home.
Senior TKM looked to be a hard fought close race between Dan Bushell, Matthew Cardwell and Jonny Goddard, with Goddard having a DNS this left Bushell and Cardwell to exchange blows throughout the race which looked to tough to call in terms of the winner! With two laps to go Bushell just edged gently away to take the win from Cardwell by a single kart length.
The mixed cadet libre grid saw the Jordan’s of Gilbertson and Richards on the front row, both Comer shod, the start saw Gilbertson grab a great start with David Wright’s WTP tucking in behind Gilbertson leaving Richards stranded on the outside of Haynes Loop, yet managed to squeeze back in and driving well in third. Alan Rees, with a good run out of Bus Stop got up inside Richards at Midgets, contact between both Comers allowed Wright through with Charlie Harris’ Honda also coming through; this pitched Richards into a spin leaving the youngster to make a recovery drive from near the back. Gilbertson drove away from the chasing pack who were swapping places at every opportunity, Harry Torpy and Harris were pushing each other with Wright and Rees swapping places twice every lap, Brandon Hague drove a faultless final making up 12 places to take sixth overall on track. George Thomson took second in Honda closely followed by James Chubb who was docked one place for missing a chicane, moving Harry Sturt up to third. Marcus Boyd secured second in WTP with Ben Hamlet third.
A good grid of Formula Blue had Martyn Smithers on pole take a lights to flag victory, yet behind, Kevin Ford, Chris Derrick and Russell O’Neill could not be separated by either lap times or track position and at the chequered flag it was Ford, Derrick and O’Neill with less than 2/10th between the trio.
A strong grid of Junior Max, both in quantity and quality had Championship leader Zak Price on pole with Jack Mayle’s DR alongside. Cody Tree starting from row two quickly came through to first place and edged away from the pack, Price and Jack Mayle were followed by Michael Cheek and that was how the race unfolded with everyone on similar pace unable to make a dent into each others lead, at the flag it was Tree, from Price, Mayle and Cheek.
In Rotax poleman Jonathan Drabble took fastest lap and the top podium spot with a great start that gave him the luxury of avoiding strong competition behind. Chris Gibbs came through from row four, a great last minute braking move into Haynes saw him move past Jamie Drabble into second place at three quarters distance, Barry Thomsit held off Scott Smart to secure fourth.
In Rotax 177 and combined Masters a first corner melee saw many karts off track leaving half the field having to recover, no such problem for the front two of Nick Maton and Kieron Woolgar who took full advantage to pull clear. Maton gained an early lead, with Woolgar pulling back in the closing stages to finish less than two kart lengths behind, Charlie Watson took second Masters and third on track having to start on row five and managing to navigate successfully the first corner shenanigans, a fine drive from Paul Griffiths allowed him to take second in 177 and fourth on track.
Last race of the day the Cadets Devil Take the Hindmost saw Alex Sedgewick, WTP shod have a terrible day which allowed him the luxury of starting up near the front, a faultless controlled drive allowed Alex a great win and unchallenged throughout.
Eight rounds gone, another great days racing and with one race weekend remaining for 2009, all Championships are still up for grabs and the last round promises to be hard fought.