Heat 1 (Grid: 13^th)

“We made a place up off the start before the first corner which is straight after the pole grid slot. Straight after the first corner, the Café Corner follows, where I kept it tight and managed to pass five karts all in one move. At the end of lap 1, we were up to 8th. The kart was handling well, especially through the first three corners, and at Grandstand Corner which leads onto the long Stratford Straight. Here I got a good run on 7th and out-braked him into Stratford Corner, moving up to 7th. Half-way through the race and we moved up another position due to a kart ahead retiring. Unfortunately at this stage of the race. the kart’s handling fell away slightly in the Café Corner, which meant we were vulnerable on Stratford Straight. With a couple of laps left, we were overtaken by two karts down the Stratford Straight and eventually finished in 8th position.

“Back in the paddock, we altered the kart slightly to address the handling issue half way through the race which we experienced. On the Saturday practice sessions, we couldn’t dial in the handling as we had a front sprocket failure in session 2 and then a misfire. We solved the misfire by session 5 but that left us only one session to set the kart up. It was better to have those issues on the Saturday practice instead of Sunday race day!â€�

Heat 2 (Grid: 9^th)

“On lap 2 I dived underneath 8th and later in the lap moved up to 7th. Unfortunately, the way we went with the set up to improve the handling issues we had in heat 1 was the wrong way and it was actually worse than heat 1. We were passed with two laps left finishing in 8th again.

“This time back in the paddock we went in the other direction with the setup hoping it would be better for heat 3.�

Heat 3 (Grid: 2^nd)

“Made a good start and maintained 2nd position until half way around the second lap. The kart’s handling was brilliant and the changes we made this time worked very well. On lap 4, I passed 2nd going into Stratford Corner. I was keeping up with last season’s champion which we hadn’t been able to do until now! Half way through I was over driving and made a mistake in Café Corner and lost 2nd down the Stratford Straight. I was running in third but on the last lap I caught a back-marker as we went into Grandstand Corner, which couldn’t have happened at a worst place. This meant I had to lift through it to stop from hitting him and meant I was slower onto the straight. I knew I was going to be vulnerable into Stratford Corner so I placed my kart on the inside forcing the other kart to go round the outside but as he didn’t have to lift for the back marker he was much quicker down the straight and passed me before the braking zone. We finished 4th which was a good result but also frustrating as it should have been third if it wasn’t for the back marker.â€�

Final

“With three positive heats, we lined up 6th and made up 1 position before Cafe Corner, we then lost out in Stratford Corner and were hung out and lost another position on exit. We were stuck behind a slow kart; in the braking zone for Stratford Corner he was weaving and blocking every move I was trying which isn’t allowed (only one move in the braking zone is permitted). As a result on the exit of Bruno I was overtaken and the competitor who had just passed me was in the same predicament. A lap later he was pushed off by the weaving kart and I retook the place leaving me behind him again and on next lap coming out of Stratford Corner he weaved to block me. A lap later I went to the inside on the exit and he weaved to block it after looking behind him, I then went to the left and he moved again so I went to the inside and he moved again this ended just before Bruno. On the last lap he swerved again putting me wide and lost a position we finished in 9th.

“It was frustrating final as we should have been ahead of the battle and finished in 7th but due to the poor driving of 7th weaving all race we didn’t. The driver who he pushed off and I gained the place back complained to the stewards but nothing was done.

“We are back at Fulbeck in Lincolnshire for the next round of the British Championship at the end of June.

Thanks to all my sponsors: Maxview, Silkolene, Charmed Interiors, NGK Spark Plugs, 91´«Ã½, HairStyles, Carter Haulage and Listers BMW.â€�

Heat 1 (Grid: 9^th)

“The weather was awful, with heavy rain all morning. As we lined up for heat 1, the rain was very heavy and the circuit had a few rivers running across it.

“I made a good start and was briefly up to 7^th heading down the straight off the grid but got hit in the side and this sent me off the circuit, bouncing across the grass but luckily parallel with the track.

“I rejoined in 16^th. After two laps, I had made up two positions, it was difficult to pass as the visibility was very poor and at some parts of the circuit the kart was aquaplaning.

“On lap three, a kart ahead went off and we were up another position. Going onto the start straight, I bumped the kart in front as he was slower than expected, I noticed he was struggling with coming out of the corners, so later in the lap, I squared turn four off and got better traction out of the corner, making the pass up to 12^th.

“The next lap I did the same manoeuvre, taking me to 11^th place. We were now starting lap 5 and by the end of lap 6 was up to 9^th, with one kart ahead retiring and I managed to pass another kart coming out of the first corner. The kart felt ok but after 8 laps the balanced change and I was now struggling with some understeer. Later in the race I was overtaken and we finished in 10th place.”

Heat 2 (Grid: 17^th)

“Back in the paddock, we altered the kart to help with the understeer later in the race. The conditions were slightly better for heat 2 the visibility was better and the rivers across the circuit had drained. Throughout the race we made up 5 positions and finished in 12^th.�

Heat 3 (Grid: 1^st)

“The rain had finally stopped and the circuit was drying out very quickly; with other classes racing this helped to dry the circuit. I inspected the track and it was dryish all the way around, except for a small river just before the last corner – this was the only wet part of the circuit.

“I thought it may take a few laps for the heat to come in for the slick tyres then they would be better than being on wets. I thought all I need to do is take care just before the last corner and onto the straight and it would be ok. I made the decision to put the slick tyres on and we changed the kart for dry set up. I was on pole also for this heat and thought this is either going to be an excellent decision or we were in trouble.

“As we were on the dummy grid, I looked to see if anyone else had made the slick tyre decision and all 16 were on wet tyres. As I went out on the two formation laps, I thought it was a great choice as it was dry apart from the last corner section. I warmed the tyres up the best I could on the formation laps and keeping the pack close as I didn’t want to sit on the grid longer than needed. I did many burnouts onto the grid to keep the heat in the rear tyre.

“I made a good start – myself and second on the grid were neck and neck, but as we got to the first corner he had more grip and so did everyone else. I was struggling for traction on the slippery circuit, but I knew this I just needed to get the heat into the tyres and this should work.Ìý

“Unfortunately, as I went across the small river on the last corner, I lost all grip and struggled to turn the kart. I didn’t go off but was close. As I ran across the water, the tyres cooled and all the heat I’d built up was lost. I was down to 15^th and on lap two, two people went off ahead of me putting me 13^th. Another kart went off a lap later so we were up to 12^th and a lap later another kart went off so I’m now up to 11^th – the only one on slicks.

“Half-way through the race and I was now lapping the same as everyone on wets. I was making good progress in the lap but as soon as I hit the water in the last corner all that I had gained in the lap I lost in that one part. Going into that section on the last lap I was overtaken putting me to 12^th.

Final

“By the time the final started, the entire circuit was dry so everyone was on slick tyres. We started in 12^th place. After a few laps, I made a move on 11^th into the first corner as the pack were getting away from me.

“The top 5 had made a gap on 6^th, and from 6^th to 12^th was only separated by 2 seconds. For 6 laps there was nothing in it from 6^th to 12^th. Then, just before the last corner, 8^th and 9^th came together and went off the track. I managed to miss the spinning karts, moving up two places.

“With three laps left, 6^th place who was the one holding us all up retired and I was now in 8^th. A lap later with two laps left in the race, 6^th, 7^th and me were battling to gain positions. Coming out of turn four we all were trying different lines to pass and 6^th engine cut out and he slowed quickly and 7^th hit him up the back and I just managed to miss them both moving me up two places into 6^th which is where I finished – 20 seconds ahead of 7^th.Ìý

“It was unfortunate that my gamble didn’t work in heat 3, but if it had have worked, we would have won easily! I was impressed that in heat 3 a few people span off the circuit and they were on wets and I didn’t spin off and was on slicks. Hopefully we get better weather for the next round!â€�