Kart Coach News

Whilton Mill (30/31 January)

Connor Gibbs (Junior Rotax):
Pole position in heat one in only your second race as a full plate is a pretty daunting prospect, but Connor rose to the occasion magnificently by leading the field through the first corner and up the hill! He drove a measured race, kept pushing, stayed out of trouble and was rewarded with a fine 15th place from a packed grid. Accidents in the other heats meant Connor would have to start the Final at the back of the grid. He made a fabulous start and tigered his way to an astonishing 12th before the race was red flagged! Handling issues during the restarted race resulted in the loss of several places so he was slightly disappointed to finish 18th; however he can’t wait to get back to the fray at Shenington in three weeks time.

The last word goes to Connors dad Stewart. ‘A really enjoyable weekend. Kart Coach is a perfect fit for Connor and I, and they will be supporting us at every round of the Whilton Mill and Shenington championships.’

 

Tom Wood (Comer Cadet):

Kart Coach supported Tom long before he was old enough to race. Tom’s mum and dad, Moira and Mike Wood recognised the benefits of professional coaching and wanted to ensure that Tom would be fully prepared and up to speed for his first race, shortly after his 8th birthday. Their foresight has been well rewarded! Tom is now not only the quickest novice at Shenington and Whilton Mill but is usually to be found dicing with the mid grid yellow plates.

Tom’s skill was amply rewarded on Sunday with a P19 starting position in the final after some fabulous drives in the heats, one of which resulted 13th from the back of the grid; not bad in only your fourth race! Unfortunately this fairy tale doesn’t have a happy ending, as after a promising start Tom was involved in an accident and found it impossible to continue with his front wheels pointing in opposite directions, though he did try!

Still, Dad was looking for something to do during the long winter evenings so it wasn’t a total disaster! Tom soon got over his disappointment and is already looking forward to his next race where his raw speed and determination should reward him with a better result. Tom’s story just illustrates that even on a modest budget a lot can be acheived. Expert tuition, a good second hand kart and engine and the correct approach will pay dividends.

 

Graham Roberts (Senior Rotax):

From time to time all karters experience a day from hell, and today was Graham’s turn! This was only his second race as a Senior and he has still to acclimatise to the extra engine power and grip levels in the senior class. This doubtless contributed to some of his misfortunes during the heats, which necessitated some hasty repairs to get him out in time for the Final. Graham’s dad Peter set a good example throughout by staying calm, supportive and positive. I suppose he’s used to it, being clerk of the course for the BTCC!

Graham put his previous disappointments to the back of his mind and drove a spirited race from the back of the grid, pulling off some good moves to finish an encouraging 14th, which certainly put the smile back on his face. Graham has great potential, which will soon be realised once he has mastered the twin disciplines of speed and consistency.

Graham and Peter felt that all in all it was a positive weekend and they plan to commit to the 2010 Whilton Mill championship with Kart Coach; however they may have to miss the odd round if Peters BTCC commitments clash.

 

Max Fitton (Comer Cadet):

This was the first time Max had visited the demanding Whilton Mill circuit and he spent Saturday getting to grips with its tricky layout. Come race day, he used his head in all the heats, good starts, clean overtaking and staying out of trouble rewarded him with a highly commendable 16th for the final. Unfortunately his engine was a little down on power and after an excellent start he lost a little ground, but still came home a very respectable 17th.

Max’s Dad Dave felt that all in all it was a very fruitful weekend. Allowing Kart Coach to concentrate on Max’s track performance while he focused on the set up, avoiding the usual father and son dust ups and brought the fun element back into Karting. Dave and Max are considering completing a season at Whilton Mill with Kart Coach.