2023 Club100 Senior Championships
The Club100 Novice Experience
Round 2
Planet Lydd
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| Photography by @johnnyp5000 |
Format
The Club100 Experience comprises of a 15-minute practice which transitions into a 5-minute qualifying session. Qualifying determines the grid for Race 1. The fastest lap from Race 1 determines the grid for Race 2. Both races are 20 minutes long. The person with the most points across both races wins the event.
Overview
37 entries complete an even healthier grid for Round 2 at "Planet Lydd". A return to the south coast racetrack since my debut with Club100 almost a year ago. Blissful weather graces this stunning venue as per that first occasion, cooler but warm temperatures an even more pleasant backdrop for an event I approached with eagerness after a frustrating Round 1.
Practice/quali was very messy, yellow flags hindering many a progress. Therefore, noting the clock down main straight towards 5 minutes to go was crucial - getting a hot lap in straight away, even more so.
Squeezing in five or so laps, at least two of them were compromised by yellow flags, one by my own error. Fortunately, after a strong opening lap and one very clean lap in between yellows, I clock in a 44.635 to take pole position for Race 1.
2023 XP Champs R2 Results - Practice and Qualifying
Race 1
It's a short run to Turn 1 at Lydd. The Rotax karts take a moment to express their full power, so the key was to go late. And boy did it work! By the end of the first sector, I was already clear of the grid. Then I kept extending my lead. Building pace, lighting up the timing sheets. Clean, fresh air in the coastal sunshine.
Then came traffic. The great undoing from Round 1. Here we go, I thought. I need to navigate the back markers very cautiously - not assert my pace upon them in a manner that would invite risk to this lead. Add to the fact there are no blue flags in this format, some back markers go all in to defend position. And fair play to them; the speeds we go, they're not assessing who's behind them - we're merely another competitor. But for the privileged position I novelly find myself in, it's the make-or-break for the race win.
A sketchy moment with a back marker forces me deep into the final corners to complete an overtake. We go very wide but get the move done. After one more tour, the chequered flag concludes the 27-lap race. A dominant victory, over 10 seconds the gap to the next kart. And fastest lap of the day, with a 44.607.
2023 XP Champs R2 Results - Race 1
Race 2
On pole for Race 2. I get a decent start off the line, hooking the kart nicely off first chicane exit to clear the field as per Race 1. It didn't feel as satisfying this time, though, for the gap was not as comfortable. Then the green and yellow false-start flag is waved. There's been an incident on the opening lap; we have to reset formation. And spend five laps behind the pace/safety kart!
The pace kart finally heads to pit lane. I control the grid onto the main straight, wanting to go late again; bog down everyone else as the lights go green on the short run up to Turn 1. However, the kart behind has read my intentions - I'm being bump-drafted to get the funk on! Lights go green and I have to defend out of the Turn 1, Turn 2 chicane. We're good. But no dominance this time. I'm being made to hustle.
We had a few sketchy moments, though. Closing into one back marker too quickly into the second chicane, I move to the outside line to establish a better exit and get alongside them for the next corner. But this invites White to make a move to the inside and take the lead out of Turn 5. No fricking way.
Next lap, a backmarker spins right in front of us into the first chicane. We both take evasive action and escape unscathed, albeit a brief detour onto the high exit kerbs in the process. A couple laps behind two fighting back markers is slowly but surely backing us up to the field. But my only focus is ahead: regain the lead.
I'm down by a second, now. The biggest gap a leader has had the whole race. However, Sam gets backed up. I catch up. Sam defends out of Turn 5. I go for a dive in the downhill braking zone into Turn 6. And move back into the lead. I back out from a daring double move into 7 with one of the back markers and set one up into the final corners instead. Job done. I clear his rival on the penultimate lap - a late block-pass in the second chicane, to back them up into Sam White. But Sam's clever, somehow follows me through.
I'm taking every defensive line possible onto the last lap. But now I'm overdriving. Consequently, a big snap of oversteer through the sweeping left of Turn 7 invites Sam to get alongside out of 8. It's a drag race down the back straight towards the final corners - the double-right hander, Turns 9 and 10. Sam dives into the lead. But goes wide. I switch to the inside. The gap tightens. We touch, bogging each other's revs down onto the main straight. Now it's a side-by-side sprint to the finish line. I hear Sam's kart pick up revs before mine. I'm cussing. I know he's going to pip me to the line. Side by side, 0.096 seconds adrift of each other. P2. Damn it.
2023 XP Champs R2 Results - Race 2
After dominating quali and Race 1, I'm disappointed. But I've treated Race 2 as the final result. It's the aggregate points across both races that determines the final race standings.
Therefore, with 97 points from a total 100, your boy Eze Isi has just achieved a win at Planet Lydd!
2023 XP Champs R2 Results - Overall
An incredible place to secure my first victory with Club100, two incredible races to show for it, too. We need to next address negotiating lapped karts more efficiently. In other words, less like Race 2, more like as I did in Race 1. That's should I start to enjoy more results like these. Then we can talk championship standings!