Swimming with the Big Fish

Last weekend, the 11th to the 12th of May, I was at Shenington Kart circuit for the 3rd round of the Easykart 2013 season. Saturday as usual was the practice day and Sunday was the race day.
Saturday, Practice. Well as Shenington is reasonably close to where I live, just over an hour but how that is close I don't know, dad decided that we should stay at home and drive there and back every morning and afternoon. Understandable as we are having to watch how much we spend as sponsorship is being looked at by my PR team, Mum and Dad. Anyway back to the racing or driving however you look at it. We arrived at somewhere between 8:30 and 9:00 am I think. We were set up and getting the kart sorted opposite Jacob Wardle, a fellow deserter of Whilton Mill Juniors, when Sam turned up to complete our motley crew. As his trailer had broken last race we had looked after their awning so

Matas and his amazing Running In Plate

Good Weather

that was soon set up. Our 1st practice was at 10:15 I think, but don't quote me, and we had some new 'Upgrades' to test out. Mainly some set-up sheets my dad made, as well as a Mychron4 which he bought... We only had 83 jets as our 2 carbs have 83s and we have a spare 83 jet, but no other sizes. I went to buy an 85 jet from the Birel shop just before the practice but apparently as 85 jets come standard with new carbs they don't sell them, only 86s and 83s I think, it seems silly but that is the truth. started with an 83 jet and a wet plug and was setting some good lap times, for a new track. No incidents for me so all was good. The second session we decided to use the 86 jet which I bought to see if it made any difference. Well all I can say is it did and we have been missing out for so long. It appears my engine likes to have a larger amount of fuel injected than others. I was setting laps over a second quicker I think but it may have only been 1/2 a second, still a big difference. Session 3, just before lunch, was a wet session. Wet tyres, wet spark plug and wet setup all looked good, except I was dry... This may seem weird but don't worry! I was wearing a rain suit. Marvelous invention that, like a wet suit but dry. I was setting some good laps and overtaking people like Matas, who will, if asked, say he didn't like the track but I know he was just scared that I would overtake him. Lunch for me was a bacon butty and it was very nice, as usual. After lunch the track had dried up enough for it to be slicks and I set yet another quick lap, my fastest all day of a 46:7 I believe. I love the track and, although it feels strange at the start, is very fun to drive. Practice 5 was very wet and I did ok. Fun but not quick.

Sunday, Race day. Unfortunately as Sam had to go on a school trip on the Sunday he could not race (1 up for me!) but Jacob and I could. Warm up was good, I did 4 laps and then came in as it was only warm up, we were half a kilo over weight which was good.
Qualifying was good but we just hadn't got the best set up, I was starting from 21st out of 23 with a time 1 second off what I was doing on Saturday. If I got my best Practice time I would have been in 16th.

Me Chasing Zack

It was this wet in the final

The heat, I finished in 18th so up 3 places, nothing eventful except that I was doing some good overtaking, the hairpin especially and Dad, as well as Mum who had come to watch, were very pleased with my performance as I was taking different lines in order to overtake people.

Bad Weather...

The pre-final was, in 1 word, wet. Not wet enough to warrant the title monsoon but wet. To speed up changing tyres Dad had bought an extra pair of hubs so the rear wheels were and are very easy to change. I only managed one overtake and that was on Brandon Bishop on the final lap, I had been pressuring him and trying to find the quickest, grippiest line. I found it and managed an undercut on one of the fastest corners on the track which even in the wet can be taken flat-out. Lots of people span out so my finishing position was 16th. If that was the last race I think that would be my joint highest finish. However it wasn't the end.
The Final, the main event. As I have already said I started this race in 16th but instead of getting drier as we had hoped it just got worse. This was officially, I think, a monsoon for Britain. At the hairpin there was a huge spin which took out about a third of the field, but it was too far into the race to warrant a restart. so I just braked earlier, took a late apex and managed to keep away from all of the spinners. I was up into 13th although I didn't know it and coping very well. Soon I was passed by Callum Croxon who is a very good driver, I couldn't catch him so I didn't worry. I was then passed by Zack Nickson who, I feel, is one of the best drivers on the grid and to, my amazement, once he passed me he wasn't pulling away. I was gaining on him and soon I even managed to pass him. Once I did that I didn't care how the rest of the race went. I had actually just passed Zack, I was amazed and couldn't quite believe it happened. This may sound stupid but for me it was a big achievement. The rest of my race went well with people slowly having to stop mid race. I was gaining on Mitchell White and, had I held my nerve going into the chicane, would probably got passed him. He replied by almost constantly sticking his middle finger up at me. My race ended at the chequered flag in an astonishing 10th place. My 'Official Best Race' YET. Next race is Fulbeck.

N.B. Follow me on twitter for live updates as the weekend goes on. @EGoesKarting