Karting Corner

Here is a set of e-mails which have been flying round the Internet over the last few weeks. Bring yourself up to date with the story so far, then contact Gavin or Colin to join in ...

1 - First Contact
For the benefit of those who don't know me I am Gavin Edmiston, a Scot and member of Dunfermline Car Club currently living in Sandhurst, Englandshire. I draw appearance money from BP Oil at their Research Centre in Sunbury but I really like to play with (rally) cars which my financial advisor (wife) tells me I can't afford.

However, in 1996 I was introduced to the go-kart through Challenge 96, an inter-company endurance racing championship. Unfortunately, for me chucking it in sideways and applying a large bootful of horsepower doesn't work with karts - no horsepower, but being of a persistent nature I have decided to continue for the time being until either I get better, richer, or have destroyed every hire kart available so no-one can go quicker then me.

Recently, Colin and I organised 2 teams to enter an open 2 hour kart endurance race at Slipstream Racing in Camberley (see report below). Those who attended seemed well pleased with things and this has led to the suggestion that some karting be organised within Southern Car Club which would count towards the club championship. However, it wouldn't be difficult to extend that along the lines of the Challenge series between local car clubs. There appear to be several members in Southern interested and your clubs had what looks like a well attended event last year.

The obvious benefit of this type of event is that you don't need your own equipment, it is fairly social - no knuckle-dusters, switchblades, etc. allowed and so it works out as a pretty cheap introduction to motorsport. The entry at Slipstream was £100 per team (usually £120). Using 4 drivers that works out at £25 a head for 37½ mins each in the car, including practice - not a lot for a night out. They have also set one up at short notice where the entry is only £80, if we can get 8-12 teams per event I believe we could maintain the cost at not more than £100 per team. There must be other local circuits we could use to put together a 6/8/... race series without the cost being too high.

I believe there are several members who are interested in this kind of event and Colin and I are quite happy to act as co-ordinators to research suitable indoor and outdoor venues and put together a club series. We have also contacted Hart MC and Windsor CC to see if they would like to make up an inter-club series - hopefully we will have more news next month.

There are any number of meeting formats, the most popular seem to be the Grand Prix, where individual drivers compete in a series of qualifying heats with the fastest going on to a grand final and endurance races where teams of 4 or more drivers race from 2-24 hours. I have never been to a Grand Prix meeting but it looks to be much more expensive than the endurance races for the time spent in the kart. However, it's your club and if the interest is in individual racing then that's what you'll get.

This is not an expensive form of motor sport, all of the equipment you require is provided by the circuit so it's an ideal way of getting started. Those of you who think that it is just kids' stuff should speak to the Southern members who went last time - they are still recovering. Anyone who competes, in any discipline, at any level can benefit from driving these machines, they require smooth, consistent and accurate driving to produce a good result. Have the power merchants got what it takes ?

2 - Report on Challenge Karting, Jan 15th 1997
This all started when Southern Car Club was challenged to put up a team or teams against BP Oil for an open 2 hour endurance kart race at Slipstream Racing in Camberley.

On the day twelve teams took part including one each from BP Oil and Southern Car Club. The Southern team comprised Neil Cloughley, Graham Davey - last year's karting champion, Colin Early and Nick Jenkinson.

After a drivers briefing, the fun started with a 30 minute practice/qualifying session. This quickly showed that BP Oil had considerably more experience of karts than Southern even though only one of the team had ever been to the track before. BP eventually qualified on pole, with Southern slightly further back in - was it 11th or 12th guys I can't quite remember.

The race got off to a clean start with BP hanging on to the lead and Southern's anchor man (Colin) apparently dragging bottom at the rear of the field. As the race progressed, Southern improved their position (they called Colin in) and by the finish they held a strong sixth some two laps up on their nearest rivals. BP on the other hand lost their way a bit after the fuel stop and ended up third by about six seconds with the winners being a lap up on the second place team.

Both teams were pleased with their respective performances, Southern for improving enough to manage a good finish from a very unpromising start and BP for beating Shell Gas and taking home a pot. The Southern team were also surprised at what hard work driving a kart for any length of time can be.

3 - Future Plans
BP Oil have offered Southern a rematch and invited Hart MC and Windsor CC to an open 2 hour endurance event at Slipstream on 26th March, the entry fee is £100/team of 4 drivers, including practice that should give you about 37½ minutes in the kart for your £25. These open events soon attract the full 12 entries so act now or it may be too late, alternatively, if we get 8-12 teams for an endurance event or 24 entries for individual racing we can set up our own evening - it could even double as a social event.