Planet Lydd
Club100 Experience 2022, Round 5
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| Photograph | John Patterson @johnnyp5000 | Club100, in association with Rotax Karting |
Getting there
From St. Pancras, train to Ashford International. I was reasonably early, but even with time to spare, it was tough getting a seat. After boarding the train, walking back and forth through the carriages, exiting the train to scan its entirety again up and down the platform, I managed to grab a seat. Sunday morning, train pack up!
At least we were in Ashford in no time. But henceforth the task of getting from the station to the circuit. No easy feat. I was rejected by a few taxis - they were pre-booked. Luckily, a cab driver arrived at station forecourt who was available, so off we were on a tour down Dengemarsh Road before arriving at "Planet Lydd".
Format
Novice class was fully booked. I've enough prior karting experience to enter in intermediate class. So in my first ever race at Club100, I threw myself into the big leagues.
15-minute practice session which transitions into a 5-minute qualifying. There's a peculiar karting phenomenon whereby racers can't seem to relinquish the urge to race each other ... during a practice session. Theoretically, that is a racer's disposition. But when practice transitions into qualifying in the same session, it gets everyone's lap compromised. So even though I backed off, there wasn't much space to create despite the large track so I'm not sure qualifying was optimal.
Either way, I'm a novice in my first club entry racing intermediates, so I was feeling indifferent qualifying 17th out of 23 drivers.
However, in the pits, I could not get my kart started for Race 1. A few mechanics rushed over, got the kart up and running but I did not regain my position during the formation lap, so ended up starting last. After a few exchanges of position, I finished there, too. Didn't know how to feel about that. Just hoped the second race would be more fun.
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| Photograph | John Patterson @johnnyp5000 | Club100, in association with Rotax Karting |
Race 2
Starting right from the back is a different mentality. Plenty a Daytona race experience has informed me not to fight too hard at the start - just stay out of trouble. So that's what I did. All kinds of argy-bargy going on gained me about 5 positions. Settled into lap 2 and suddenly felt empowered by the kart beneath me.
I started picking off positions, one by one, methodically. Picking my moment. In control. There was a train of karts before me, all choosing different lines around each other. So I thought best to lift off before braking, especially on approach to the chicanes, so as to not misjudge them having to brake earlier because of how close they were running to the back of each other. Except on lap 3, I misjudged it. I had lifted off even earlier, but braked a bit too late, so did what JV advised novices not to do with these brakes - I stomped on them. Yes, I was avoiding a collision. But yes, JV, I spun. Back to last.
Start again.
I started picking off karts, one by one, methodically - again. Picking my moment. In control. The grid was more spaced out, now. I recover ground and after a few overtakes into 20th place, the grid was starting to get busy again. Yet I'm gradually climbing into the midfield, until I'm in around 17th position. I'm right on the back of three karts - the lead kart, in 14th, is all over the place! I sit right on the tail of them to watch how this unfolds, because this could get messy. One gifts me 16th in the process. Soon, 15th is forced out of position and I also collect their place to become the lead driver trying to get past 14th. I have about 5 other karts joining in right behind me, so I'm on 75% attack, 25% defence.
14th place gets all out of shape. I go for the gap, then back right out of it. I'm not involved. Neither do the guys behind want to be, really. Paradoxically, we all want this position.
The lead kart gets all out of shape again. I think twice and don't bother about making a move. I might have even got overtaken again, but quickly regained the position when the overtaker got their fair share of trying to get past this kart. So now I try again, patiently waiting for the opportunity. I realise they're faster in the high-speed sections, I'm faster out of the chicanes. So that's where I get them. 14th place.
I'm now free to catch up to the top 10. And I'm catching. Ever so slightly, but surely. This race is awesome! But we ran out of laps, so, after an early spin, 14th was the best I could achieve.
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| Photograph | John Patterson @johnnyp5000 | Club100, in association with Rotax Karting |
Started 23rd, finished 14th ... as a novice, starting off in intermediate class. My fastest lap was in the same tenth of a second as the guy who finished 8th. Plus there was only a second separating the pace from 1st to 17th, a showcase of the level-playing field promoted in this championship.
Shame about the spin, I wonder if top 10 was possible. Nevertheless, what a self-validating result from my first Club100 Experience. I really enjoyed Lydd, a fun track to race at and a stunning venue to spend a sunny, summer's afternoon with fellow racers.