Karting Corner

1 - Duckhams Oils Challenge Night

The Start

The first Duckhams Oils Challenge night at Slipstream Racing in Camberley was an absolute blast. A full entry of twelve teams from local Companies and Car Clubs, including three teams from Southern, had responded to the challenge from BP Oil and were in for a night of spectacular racing. Slipstream had done a fantastic job of preparing the karts prior to the event, all twelve started on new tyres and proved totally reliable, I didn't hear a single complaint about them all night. After a comprehensive driver briefing, practice was quickly under way with team one 'Basic Boys' making good use of their position at the front of the pack to set the early pole position time on lap 2. Team four, 'Southern 1' (Graham Davey, Adrian Grinsted, Tim Hines and Nick Jenkinson) soon had the measure of them though and on lap four pushed to the front, three hundredths of a second in front of team six 'Odd Socks' - we all have problems Gwyn - only to have pole snatched away by team eleven, 'BP Oil' on lap five. Half-way through the session, BP were hanging on to pole, closely followed by Southern 1 and Odd Socks. Next up were team four, Southern 3 (David Lloyd, Neil Cloughley, Nicholas Godfrey and Richard Phillipson) and team five, Southern Xenogamy (Colin Early, Colin Hutchings, Jeremy White and Robin James) split by only one hundredth of a second. As the session drew to a close, first team two, 'Hart B' and then Basic Boys squeezed past Southern 1 relegating them to the second row of the grid. A late effort by team eight 'Windsor Lot' split Southern 1 and Southern 3 on the second row. On the third row, by only one hundredth of a second was team twelve 'The GM's', two hundredth's ahead of team ten 'The Blockers' - where do they get those names - who were in turn only three hundredth's ahead of team nine 'Hart C'. The final row of the grid was made up of our friends with the footwear problem, Southern Xenogamy and team seven, the oddly named 'Team 'C'A'M'P'' bringing up the ah… rear. I do wonder why they were behind everyone else.

BP had been led to believe that there would be some very stiff opposition - Team 'C'A'M'P'? - and had been in strict training for several hours before the event. Mark (2) Wyatt had his cheek pouches emptied and reduced his food intake to only 20,000 Calories an hour for nearly three hours (but significantly he did find a seat right next to the Café) and Gavin Edmiston hadn't had a wine gum for over fifteen minutes before practice began - such dedication.

After the pace of qualifying, would BP with only a three man team be able to hold up to a task akin to arm wrestling a Gorilla around the twists and turns of Slipstream for two hours? Would Team 'C'A'M'P' be able to get themselves off the bottom? - time would tell.

With no refuelling after practice the race was led off almost immediately by Mark (2) for BP Oil, hotly pursued by Basic Boys and Hart B, the whole pack making it safely around the first lap and stringing out around the circuit. First Southern casualty of the race was the unfortunate Colin Hutchings of Xenogamy who was caught up in someone else's melee at the end of lap two and ended up at the back of the field - a distinct disadvantage on a track where overtaking is never easy.

Winners - BP Oil

BP Oil and Basic Boys spent the first ten minutes swapping the lead until BP made the first pit stop of the race. At the end of fifty laps, BP was 1.6 seconds ahead of Basic Boys, followed by Odd Socks, Southern 1 and The GM's with Southern 3 in sixth and Xenogamy in eighth. Qualifying times were already history as the teams battled on. By half distance, with over 150 laps (20+ miles) completed, BP Oil were still hanging on to the lead but Southern 1 had pulled up to second, Basic Boys having dropped to seventh during refuelling. The GM's were third, followed by Hart B, Odd Socks and The Blockers. There was still really nothing in it, one mistake was all it would take to lose several hard won places. Despite the hectic pace and close quarters, incidents, (and their attendant trips to the 'Dog House') were few. Xenogamy had pulled itself back to eleventh by this point and was gearing up for a late charge back up the field.

As the race entered it's final 30 minutes, the field was still led by a tiring BP Oil who had extended their lead over Southern 1 to four laps. In third place, were Basic Boys followed by Odd Socks, Hart B and The GM's. Southern Xenogamy were up to eighth ahead of Southern 3 in ninth.

It looked as though BP Oil had the whole thing sewn up but with only five minutes to go they were rammed hard from behind going into turn 3 and both karts ended up locked together. In his enthusiasm to get away, BP Oil's Mark (1) O'Mahoney pushed the other kart back - You Wassock - incurring a trip to the 'Dog House' for a 30 second penalty (hands out of the kart) and giving Southern 1 a chance to close the gap.

In the end, it wasn't quite enough and BP Oil emerged the winners by two laps over Southern 1 who were followed by Basic Boys. In the final minutes, Hart B squeezed into fourth past Odd Socks who held on to a 5 second advantage over The GM's in sixth. Southern Xenogamy managed to demote Windsor Lot to eighth and take seventh. The Blockers in ninth split Windsor Lot in eighth and Southern 3 in tenth with Hart C and Team 'C'A'M'P' filling the last two places.

Runners-Up - Southern 1

The prizes were awarded by Mr George Telfer, Motor Sport Manager of Duckhams Oils who were sponsoring the event with the winning team - see earlier - receiving Duckhams Lubricants, second placed Southern 1 - see above - Sweatshirts and the third placed Basic Boys, Golf Umbrellas and other goodies in addition to the circuit trophies - which were awarded down to sixth place, so lots of people took something home for their efforts. A special Duckhams award was also made to Tony Reynolds for his part in helping Basic Boys to Third place. Tony by the way drives a wheelchair full time so there is absolutely no excuse for the rest of you not to enter. These events really are for everyone, all you need to do is turn up, you don't need a competition licence and the circuit provides all the equipment you need so let's see you all out there next time.

Many thanks to Gary and the marshals at Slipstream for a really well run event, George Telfer and Duckhams Oils for supporting us, Tim Hines for the photographs, the competition secretaries and others who organised teams from their various clubs and companies and especially Colin Early who virtually rebuilt some of the Southern teams on Tuesday after some late withdrawals and of course to everyone who entered or took the time to come along and spectate on what turned out to be a great night's entertainment. I'm sure we'll all be back at Slipstream sometime soon.

2 - Sandown Park - Another Chance

Since the threat of 'really quick' competition from the clubs didn't materialise this time - presumably the fast guys, or girls, were at home washing their camshafts or something, BP Oil will give you all yet another chance to even the score - if you can - at the 850 metre outdoor circuit at Sandown Park, probably some time in June. As yet, no arrangements have been made but several ideas are under discussion which would need the support of all club members, their families, friends, etc. More next month.

One suggestion put forward was that all drivers should be the same weight for the next event since some people had an unfair advantage - well I have absolutely no problem with that chaps, the number for Weight Watchers is 01753 691409.

3 - Duckhams Oils