BEMSEE Round 5 – Cadwell Park

Thunderbike Ultra

Qualifying

Race 1 – P1

Race 2 – P2

Race 3 – P1

 

Clubman 1000

Qualifying

Race 1 – P1 (lap PB of 1:34.68)

Race 2 (cancelled due to weather)

Race 3 – P1

 

Saturday

“The Great British weather played a part in this weekend’s race format. Due to the expectant rain, the decision was taken on Friday evening that Saturday’s races would convert to one long race (12 laps) for each class, with points taken after 6 laps and again at the chequered flag. Sunday’s races would then run as two 6-lap races for each class.

 

“The first qualifying session of the day was for the Thunderbike Ultra. The track was wet, so I went out on full wet tyres. I managed to put a decent few laps in bringing the time down to a 1:50.44, putting me on pole. Next up was the Clubman 1000 qualifying. The track had begun to dry a little. I only had the choice of slicks or wets, so I went out for a single lap on wet tyres putting it on 7th. Any more laps would have destroyed the tyres.

“After qualifying, the game of how quickly you can swap between wheels began for the weekend.

“First up was the Thunderbike Ultra race. The race was quickly red-flagged. On the restart, I didn’t get a good start dropping back to 4th after the first lap. The next few laps were spent moving back through the field taking the lead on lap 6 in time for full points for the first half. The second half of the race saw some tight battles with Donovan until lap 11 when a challenge for the lead resulted in a coming together. Unfortunately, Donovan went down, I managed to stop on with a bit of moto crossing across the wet grass before re-entering the track still in the lead and finishing P1.

“The last race of Saturday was the Clubman 1000 race. With the track still wet, we went out on full wet tyres. This race didn’t last long, as after 3 laps, the track was contaminated with oil. Due to how long it would have taken the circuit crew to clean the track, plus the rain, racing finished for the day. This race was carried over to the Sunday as an 8-lap race (points after 4 and at the chequered flag).�

Heat 1 (grid: 10^th)

“Conditions were wet and from the start. I moved up to 7^th, passing a kart going off the circuit due to the wet conditions. Unfortunately, due to major understeer and traction issues during the race, I lost two positions. I managed to gain the position I lost two laps later, finishing in 8^th place. Back in the paddock, we made some major changes to the chassis setup to help with the issues we had in this hea³Ù.â€�

Heat 2 (grid: 2^nd)

“The weather was changeable and when on the dummy grid, the 16-strong field of karts were split between slicks and wets as their tyre of choice. The track was greasy but dry. I started 2^nd on wets and was right behind the leader from the off – the kart would now do what I wanted. I was all over the back of the leader and being blocked at every corner, but I could put the kart exactly where I wanted and knew I could pass whenever. I chose my moment on the second lap to make the pass for the lead going through Turn 5; a left-handed 90-degree corner. Once in front, I pulled out a large gap of 7.8 seconds, but with the large gap I controlled my pace on the wets as the circuit was drying and won the race by just over 2.6 seconds. It was great to be running in the lead again.�

Heat 3 (Grid: 14^th)

“We tried something different in this heat to see if it worked or not as we were near the tail-end of the grid. Heat 3 was dry and I started 14^th. In the first couple of laps, I made my way up to 9^th and that’s where we finished. The handling wasn’t quite what we wanted unfortunately but we tried it and learnt from i³Ù.â€�

Final

“I lined up in 5^th for the final and finished in 6^th place after the final was cut short by a few laps with the red flag being waved due to a crash. Luckily, no one involved was seriously injured.�

 

“It was a great weekend, claiming my first British Championship heat win. It was also a productive weekend understanding the new Le Count tyres that we are using this season and getting the kart working well in the changeable conditions. Next stop is Shenington in Oxfordshire – stay tuned to hear more!

“Thanks to all my sponsors: Maxview, Silkolene, Studio 11 Architecture, Charmed Interiors, NGK Spark Plugs, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, HairStyles, Carter Haulage and Lister BMW.â€�

Heat 1 (grid: 10^th)

“The rain was extremely heavy as we sat on the dummy grid ready to head out for Heat 1. We made a steady start going into the first corner because we weren’t sure how much grip we would have once we got there.

“Although the conditions were bad, they were still race able. After two laps, I moved up to 8^th position; the kart felt great in the rain and I pushed, catching and passing 7^th position.

“During the race, the rain felt even harder and the circuit was getting large rivers running through it. Down the straight, I was aquaplaning at 80mph. During this time, I had to back the braking off into the brake zones as the tyres were struggling to grip due to the aquaplaning. I still was confident and catching the karts in front. Into the first corner, the 6^th position driver went off and I had another position.

“Everything looked good but halfway through that lap, the red flags came out stopping the race. I was disappointed as I was moving up the field and I knew on the lap into the pits that the position I had just made up was irrelevant as on a red flag as the results go back one lap, meaning the guy who went off kept that position meaning I finished 7^th.

“Back in the paddock, the decision was made that we wouldn’t be racing. Fortunately, when the circuit said they were, the drivers that were going to lose out in the championship all of a sudden wanted to race! We stopped packing up and got ready for Heat 2. Due to a two-hour break for the weather, there was only going to be a further two heats and the points from the three heats would give you your final starting grid. This would also be the final results as daylight was diminishing.�

 

Heat 2 (grid: 3^rd)

“It was still wet with slight showers. In Heat 2, we were running in 2^nd,  pushing the leader in the corners and down the straight, but just couldn’t get by him. In the first corner, I went wide and went down to 4^th. I was then battling with the 3^rd position driver but just missed out on taking the position by less than a tenth of a second. We finished six seconds ahead of 5^th.�

 

Heat 3 (grid: 10^th)

“The rain had stopped and the track was beginning to get a dry line on it.  On Lap 1, I got a great run on the kart in front onto the straight but his kart failed (ignition coil stopping the engine) and I hit him up the back and went underneath him, spinning him and myself around. I managed to keep the kart running but, in the crash, my steering column broke so I had no steering and had to retire from the race. This was frustrating as the kart was going very well and a podium finish was on the cards.�

 

Final

“After the three heats, we would have lined up 7^th on the grid which was also our finishing position in the final due to losing the dayligh³Ù.â€�

 

“If we didn’t race as was agreed after Heat 1, we would have finished in 5^th overall in the season standings, but eventually finished 8^th. We will be pushing hard in the off-season to improve the kart ready for the 2023 season.Ìý

“Thanks to all my sponsors: Maxview, Silkolene, Studio 11 Architecture, Listers BMW, Foras, Charmed Interiors, NGK Spark Plugs, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, HairStyles, Carter Haulage for your continued support and here’s to a successful 2023.â€�

“Another weekend of racing. This time, we found ourselves at Blyton Park for round 5 of the BTRDA Rallycross Championship.

“Away we went with practice. Unfortunately, due to no paramedic on site due to an accident, we had a little wait until we could go practice. Practice was going well but unfortunately a boost pipe came loose and we lost a fair bit of power. Luckily, it was an easy fix, and we were ready for heat 1.

“Heat 1 started well; everyone was very close to each other at the start of the race. Coming up to the hairpin on the first lap, I had a little contact with another driver, meaning I ended up pointing the wrong way with my nose in the corner marker. I quickly got back on track and started catching them up again. With no further spins, I was catching up but was still struggling with the hairpin. With the time that was lost (due to no paramedic) in the morning the organisers decided to make the heats three laps long instead of four.

“Heat 2 again started great. Everyone was close together. It was good, close racing. I was getting better at the hairpin but was still struggling compared the other drivers. Times between the two heats were getting better. My time was a full six seconds ahead.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the other classes were having some trouble on track, a fair few cars had issues or had an accident and had to be towed off track. With this, a lot of time was used re-running races, and heat 3 got cancelled.

“For the final race, I was in sixth position on the grid so quite close to the back. I got a good start and got close to the front. We all seemed to reach the dirt hairpin at the same time and unfortunately some drivers got there before me. Going over the dirt hump at the other side of the track it had started to get really dusty and really hard to see. It was a guessing game as to where the track was. Really close racing happened throughout.

“In lap 5, it was another hard one to see on the dirt hump except this time I completely lost my bearing of where the track went and ended up going backwards of the side of the hump. I thought I might as well try and get out of the field and I did, easy peasy. Now it was a catch-up game. I was catching them up and with being able to see made that little bit easier. With not enough laps to go, unfortunately I was last.

“Overall, I came third in class. Throughout the day, my times got better and being able to keep bringing ‘Rachy’ the Porsche in with no damage was the best part of the day.

“The ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Bluestuff brake pads are really showing their true colours – the braking we have from the very start is brill and couldn’t ask for better.

“Looking forward to the next round, just have a bit of a wait now.�

Thanks to for the images.