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| June 24, 2011 |
| Formula Kart Stars Get a Welcome in the Hillside |
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 | Robbie Lightfoot
(Photo: Chris Walker - kartpix.net) |
Set in the stunning foothills of the Snowdonia National Park, Glan Y Gors is one of the toughest challenges in British Karting and one which 98 Formula Kart Stars competitors had to face in the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2011 Championship on June 18th and 19th.
Greeting the championship competitors on arrival was the newly finished Glan Y Gors clubhouse and viewing area but also some pretty uncertain Welsh weather, which left drivers and mechanics on tenterhooks all weekend. While Sunday stayed cool, windy but (thankfully) dry, Saturday was more of a lottery with intermittent light showers making tyre choice a headache for nearly every race.
MSA British Cadet Championship
Forty-six Cadets lined up for the weekend and quickly proved just how important teamwork was around the flowing circuit with the draft slipstream in full affect around GYG’s fast but undulating layout.
Ross Martin was fastest in qualifying and heat wins went to Luke Barker, Lando Norris, Ryan Anderton and Jamie Caroline.
The final boiled down to a dice between Anderton and his teammates Daniel Ticktum and Shanaka Clay. Ticktum led into final lap but as he and Anderton ran side by side through the downhill sweepers Clay calmly ducked around the outside of them at the penultimate corner to take his first FKS victory by two tenths of a second.
Sunday’s final was no less dramatic with five drivers, Anderton, Ticktum, Josh Smith, William Taylforth and Luke Barker fighting for victory. Anderton, Ticktum and Barker had all won in the heats as had qualifying pace setter Norris.
Once again Ticktum led into the final lap but on this occasion he was able to hold on to top spot despite Anderton’s best efforts.
 | Junior Rotax podium
(Photo: Chris Walker - kartpix.net) |
Formula Mini Max
Two tremendously close days of action resulted in a win on home territory for Ben Hingeley on Sunday and a maiden victory for independent runner Robbie Lightfoot.
Saturday was all about Lightfoot, who won both heats in tricky conditions and then dominated the final despite a brief shower during the closing stages of the 22-lap race. Fastest in qualifying, Welsh Champion Hingeley and Jack Mitchell completed the podium.
A mistake with seal numbers left Lightfoot starting 26th for Sunday’s final but he still charged through to sixth, behind a tremendous scrap for first place which eventually went Hingeley’s way by three tenths over Connor Mills, Mitchell, Brett Ward and Josh White.
Formula Junior Rotax
Welsh flags were flying high all weekend in the fastest Formula Kart Stars class with local aces James Singleton and Luke Hughes topping an all Welsh podium on Saturday and Singleton doubling up from 17th on the grid in Sunday’s race.
On a track where they have logged thousands of laps Singleton and Hughes navigated their way through the mixed conditions to take the top two positions in qualifying, both heats and the final. Fellow Welshman Steven Handford held off Luke Whitworth for third to take his first FKS podium in five years of trying.
On his 15th Birthday Nick Arthur started the final from pole but after a great dice with Hughes, Handford and Sam Marsh he, like everyone else was passed by Singleton, who started 17th after a heat one crash. Singleton took the win, his fourth in a row, by one second over Marsh and Arthur.
The seventh and eighth rounds of the 2011 Formula Kart Stars Championship takes place in Genk on August 13th/14th. |
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