2023 Club100 Senior Championships
Lightweight Sprint
Round 7
Llandow
Overview
Joining me is Daytona champion Luke Roberts. We go back early - Sandown Park, where he welcomed me to the fore from my very first entry. Only right to be return the gesture for his Club100 initiation!
This is also my first time in Wales. I planned a scenic road trip for us. After geeking out on the Elizabeth Line to Reading, we link up and head for the M4. A pause on the hard shoulder. Luke makes mechanics of us. Rite of passage complete. We continue via Prince of Wales Bridge to Barry Island, where we get some rest. A continental breakfast with the locals put us in good strides for our early start at Llandow.
Format
3x 7-minute heats, results from which qualify the grids for the 12-minute finals. The grids for the heats are random and released midweek, novices towards the back. I'm in Novice Class 3 (NC-3), starting this round of heats P15, P12 and P13. Whether you're an NC-3, intermediate C2 or experienced C1 racer, it's your average finishing position that determines whether you make the C final, B final, or fastest A final.
A road trip to Llandow via Barry Island.
Sprint 1 (Heat 1) P15 > P10 | P1, NC-3
For the heats, I set a simple objective: finish 1st in class. Starting with perhaps the best practice session I've had, I could feel the natural progression in pace much easier per lap than previous instances acclimatising to a new circuit. Empowered by this, I refrained from checking the timing sheets when the session was done, opting instead to channel my perception of relative performance into the sprints.
This mentality paid great dividends. I picked off three karts on the opening lap and gained another two positions by Lap 3. Conceding P10 on Lap 4, I'd stay within two tenths of the rival for the next couple of laps and wait for my moment. On Lap 7, I make the move back into P10 and see the chequered flag the next lap P1 in class. Shame I didn't have the GoPro ready - this was a great race.
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Sprint 2 (Heat 8) P12 > P8 | P1, NC-3
I'm straight into the class lead in this heat, up three positions again on the opening lap into P9 overall. Already in the mix with the Class 2s, at least three karts are in a brawl directly ahead. After a slightly off Lap 2, I start to gain on them. However, I must have jumped this guy at the start - the C2 in Kart 149 asserts their theoretical right to be ahead of me into Chandlers on Lap 3.
We lose a bit of ground to the fight ahead from that (admittedly good) move, so I'm a bit frustrated. Alas, we catch right back up to them within a lap. Kart 149 bumps another C2 off-line into The Hook on Lap 5. I capitalise back into P9, then overtake the offending kart into the next corner, Surtees, into P8. I'm regaining on the fight for P5 while still having to defend from behind and initially, holding station.
But they have a penalty. Therefore, I'm still net P8. Kart 149 picks off another C2 in the closing laps, the latter for whom I challenge on the final lap. But I'm unable to switch back on their defence into the last corner on this occasion. P8 at the flag, P1 in class. I maintained a healthy lead in class, put up a fight with more experienced Class 2 racers. Furthermore, guess who finished P9? Mr Luke! Bravo.
Sprint 3 (Heat 10) P13 > P7 | P1, NC-3
I start in P14, 6th in class, for the final sprint. The biggest challenge, should I meet my objective. Yet just like the two previous sprint races, I'm up three positions on the opening lap. Then I clear C2 racer Matt Ellis on Lap 2, but still have three C3s ahead - starting with Kart 143, Mortaza Hassan. We had two finals worth of hard-fought racing at Rye House back in Round 4. Today is a different mission, though.
Mortaza puts on a fortified defence along the Hangar Straight. I slipstream, dive right, further right. The path is too tight. I revert back to the racing line. Switchback, focus on your exit. I get alongside onto main straight, assert the inside line and complete the move into The Hook for P9. I'm now P2 in class.
Next is C2 Stephen Westwood in P8, who is attacking my main rival for P7 - that's current P1 in class, Kart 65, C3 Douglas Smith. In going for a move on Smith, Westwood bogs down on exit of Mac Whirters. I swoop on by to challenge for the class lead.
We're on Lap 5 now. I get a good run onto the Bomber Straight, out-brake no.65 into Surtees. And out-brake myself in the process. Douglas retakes position. On Lap 6, I get a good slipstream along Hangar Straight. I out-brake no.65 into Raymonds. And out-brake myself in the process again! Douglas retakes position. And by the time I've caught back up again, the chequered flag's out.
Fortunately, Kart 65 had a penalty from earlier in the race, so I didn't have to fight as hard as I did for track position. But I'm happy I did, because it's easy to sit back and embrace complacency. Plus I was too much in sync with this kart not to entertain a good race, anyway! Ultimately, I kept the pace consistent, fair and fast to ensure I finish P1 in class every heat. Objective complete! And a B Final start for sure.
B Final P9 > P9 | P4, NC-3
Starting P9 is my highest sprint qualifying position to date. So I'm frustrated to be tailing five C3s on the grid! A good showing from our class, sure ... but not helpful. And as we line up for the race, man did it start to rain!
Lights go green. I'm very cautious into the The Hook. Seeking the wide "wet racing line", I realise there's not actually a lot of grip out here. All that did was open the door for another kart. But about five karts ahead steer onto the grass on both sides of the Bomber Straight. I escape unscathed, but not before C3 James Britain, swoops by into P7.
I'm now exchanging positions with Ms Breacher from Mac Whirters. She dives ahead into Chandlers, but goes wide on exit. A better drive onto the Spitfire Straight means I come out from this duel ahead into The Dell chicane. At which point, I complete the opening lap up into P8.
The next few laps are not the cleanest. Searching for an optimal line around a wet lap at Llandow costs me three positions to three Class 3s. Two of them gain penalties, but I've dropped a bit too far back from the leaders in class, despite being so high up the overall order.
On Lap 8, I start to come into my own. Whereas most karts ahead are doing '1.04s, I'm now well into the '1.03s and only a few tenths off the pace of the leader. I'm still not the strongest in Sector 1, but I start to gain supreme levels of time in Sectors 2 and 3. At least keep to the average pace in the first sector. And in doing so, I become the only driver to break the '1.02-mark with the fastest lap of the race: a 1:02.988, on Lap 10.
I unlock such pace that I have to avoid running into the back of the kart directly ahead multiple times in the closing stages. There were two opportunities to overtake into The Hook. On first instance, C2 Matt Ellis opens the door mid-complex to line up a good run onto the straight - I did not react in time before the door closed again on exit. I'm actually too taken aback to respond to the fact they'd offer a second invite the following tour, so made reference for the next opportunity ... which did not come.
As such, I end up finishing where I started. P9, to match my best sprint result at Clay Pigeon two rounds ago. On this occasion, in the wet ... with the fastest lap of the race. Again, only good for P4 in class. Come on!
I'm on pace with a number of C2s now. This is good, but their experience displays superb race craft so I could not take it to them enough in the heats. This lowered my overall qualifying position for the B Final compared to other C3s and left me out of position for a result that befitted the fastest lap. If I can challenge these guys better in the last few races, I'm sure to secure a much better overall finish in class.
Otherwise, I'm happy with this round. P1 in class every heat and another good B Final result + fastest lap. After a poor sprint at Lydd dropped me to P5, I'm now up to P4 in the championship and strive for a return into the Top 3. Above everything, what a privilege to visit Wales for the Club100 weekend with my earliest racing buddy. We brought in good results and most importantly had a superb time. Barry, Llandow, Wales ... iwan diolch!