British Karting Championship 2008 Round 2- PF International
Karting ace Michael Simpson Dominated KF2
Domination was the order of the day at Round 2 of
the British Karting Champiopnships, with Michael Simpson in KF2
in a class of his own and Alex Albon taking two victories in KF3.
The KF1 class had more controversy however, with some intense rivalry
on show from front-runners Chris Rogers and Jordan Lennox-Lamb,
who also could have gone home with two victories if not for an engine
failure.
KF1 Final One
Mark Litchfield was on pole position, with Round 1 double victor
Richard Bradley along side him. Lee Bell started in 3rd, with Sam
Tordoff in 4th. Litchfield got a great start and led the race away.
Bell managed to jump past Bradley, but a determined Lennox-Lamb
managed to grab 4th.
Mark Litchfield now on Maranello karts
Bradley was soon attacking Bell for 2nd place and made his way
past into the 1st hairpin. However Lennox-Lamb was the driver that
looked most threatening. He made his way through Bell into the 1st
hairpin as did Bradley the previous lap, and an identical move a
lap later saw Lennox-Lamb pass Bradley for 2nd.
Meanwhile Litchfield had pulled out a small gap, but his new venture
on the Maranello didn't appear to be working as he didn't seem to
have the usual balance he is used to. Lennox-Lamb instantly took
advantage and caught Litchfield. He made his move into the 2nd hairpin
and took the lead.
Litchfield didn't seem to like it and a slight drop of concentration
allowed Bell's wright kart to pass him into the spoon corner. Lennox-Lamb
was looking good for the win until suddenly an engine failure saw
him pull off the circuit. Now Bell found himself leading with Chris
Rogers right behind after passing Litchfield.
It stayed this way for several laps as Litchfield regained his
composure. He found his way through Rogers at the 1st hairpin, and
only a lap later caught and passed Lee Bell. Litchfield kept his
cool to take victory!
1. Mark Litchfield Maranello/Vortex
2. Chris Rogers Octane/TM
3. Lee Bell Wright/IAME
KF1 Final Two
Litchfield led the KF1 final away, with Rogers slotting in right
behind. Rogers made an instant move into the second hairpin to take
the lead. He managed to pull a small gap on Litchfield but it wasn't
long before Litchfield was on Roger's case.
Lennox-Lamb was lightening fast in the
second final for KF1and unlucky not to take a double victory
Further down the pack Lennox-Lamb was making massive in roads as
he was already past several karts after having started last. With
the speed he showed in the first final he was a threat to the leaders.
A coming together by two drivers made life easier for Lamb as he
caught the leaders.
At the front Litchfield made his move for the lead despite the
handling gremlins that he had in final 1 re-appearing. The inside
wheel was jacking heavily as he struggled with understeer.
Unfortunately a seizure for Rogers meant he could fight back for
the win. Meanwhile Lennox-Lamb had made his way into 4th by passing
Bradley. Within laps he was past 2nd placed man Lee Bell, and he
was hunting down Litchfield. He found his way through Litchfield
at the second hairpin but Litchfeild pulled the classic cut back
and was through again.
A few laps later Lennox-Lamb pulled the same move, but this time
Litchfield couldn't respond and was swamped by a closer following
Bell and Bradley.
Lennox Lamb took an awesome victory from Bradley who nabbed second
from Bell!
1. Jordan Lennox Lamb TopKart/IAME
2. Richard Bradley Wright/IAME
3. Lee Bell Wright/IAME
KF2 Final One
Ex-Rotax star Michael Simpson led the KF2 field away.
By the end of the first lap Simpson led from Jack Harvey with Jake
Ball in 3rd. Ball was soon in second place as he passed Harvey into
the first hairpin. Harvey wasn't going to allow Ball to pull a gap
and was straight back through. The loss of momentum for Ball allowed
Lindsay Butcher to find a way through.
Meanwhile at the front Simpson had pulled a gap, and Harvey was
soon in the chase but an engine seize saw him retire from the race.
It was now Simpson's to lose as he had a convincing gap back to
the chasing group.
However a battle between Butcher, and Craig Stirling (now in third)
allowed Simpson to cement his dominance. Stirling eventually came
out on top as Butcher fell back several places.
Michael Simpson took a dominant win.
1. Michael Simpson
2. Craig Stirling
3. Jordan Chamberlain
Michael Simspon made an instant impact at the start of the next
race. Before the first hairpin he had already had pulled a few kart
lengths. It appeared the rest of the field knew his pace was unbeatable
and they had a fight on for second.
Simpson took the 'Michael' out of the KF2
grid with a huge lead in Final 2
Craig Stirling was the man leading the chasing pack. With Lindsay
butcher in 3rd. Butcher made his way through at the first hairpin
but a lap later he disappeared from the track and looked out of
the race. Simpson in the meantime had once again built a demanding
lead. Tomy Joyner had now joined the battle for second and was soon
ahead of the pack. He tried his best to chase down Simpson with
some quick times but it was not enough.
Simpson took the win, from Joyner, with Rob Foster nabbing 3rd.
1. Michael Simpson
2. Tom Joyner
3. Rob Foster
KF3 Final One
Alex Albon was the pole man with Carl Stirling in 2nd place. Mackenzie
Taylor and Matthew Hogarth made up the second row. At the start
Albon fell into second as Stirling made a move for the front. Taylor
stayed in 3rd with Hogarth in 4th.
Albon and stirling in KF3
A lap later Albon made his way back into first place with an overtake
in hairpin 2. The positions stayed the same for 3 laps until Taylor
made his move for second at hairpin 1. He made it stick but Stirling
got straight back through at the second hairpin. Stirling knew he
couldn't allow himself to get caught up and give Albon an opportunity
to break.
Stirling got his head down and caught Albon. He found his way through
into first. Albon then tagged Stirling for several laps until the
last lap where he grabbed 1st at hairpin 1. Stirling tried every
different which way to find a way through but Albon defended well
and took the win!
1. Alex Albon
2. Carl Stirling
3. Mackenzie Taylor Alonso/TM
KF3 Final 2
A delayed start for the KF3's second final after a massive pile
up in the first start was led by Albon closely followed by Mackenzie
Taylor. Taylor was soon ahead, but it was Carl Stirling making an
impact as he took 2nd from Albon.
Stilring then made a massive lunge into the first hairpin taking
the lead, but Taylor instantly fought back taking his place back
at the second hairpin. Stirling repeated his move a lap later. This
time he defended into the second hairpin and kept his position.
Albon made his way past Taylor at the first hairpin, and defended
in the second. Taylor went wide trying for the cut back but this
allowed Ashley Sutton to nip through and hand Taylor out who was
then swamped and forced wide at the next chicane losing several
positions and his chance for the win.
Sutton was now in second, behind Stirling with a gap to 3rd placed
Alex Albon with only a few laps left contact saw them both retire
from the race. Albon gratefully took the win to make it a double!
1. Alex Albon
2. Sennan Fielding
3. Macaulay Walsh
Cadet
Brett Wykes was on pole for the Cadet final, with Haz Truelove
joining him on the front row. The first start was red flagged due
to an incident in the first hairpin where a driver unfortunately
flipped his kart. Thankfully it looked as if he wasn't too badly
injured and didn't have too serious injuries.
At the restart it was Haz Truelove who lept into the lead, with
David McNicoll following closely in second. As with any top flight
cadet kart race the racing is close, and this was no exception.
A train of 10 karts followed Truelove. It was manic!
The cadet final was typically dramatic
At the mid way point it was anyone's to win. Roy Johnson has joined
the party at the front of the pack and was trading positions with
Truleove. Behind it was all kicking off.
However it was Johnson who kept the lead and took a fantastic win
from Truelove in second, and Alex Gill in third.
