EasyKart UK - Round 8 - Ellough Park

Thrilling conclusion to season sees titles decided in finals

For those with a jaundiced opinion of motorsport at the present time, watching the final round of the Easykart championship will have done much to restore their faith. Fast, clean and fair racing without any sense of cheating provided a fitting conclusion to a nail-biting day for many drivers, several of whom were aiming to clinch titles, whilst others were bidding to finish inside the top five and secure a berth for October’s World Finals at Siena, in Italy.

As an entertaining preamble to Sunday’s racing, a wives and girlfriends race was staged on Saturday evening. Last year’s winner, Francesca Pittingale retained her crown with a superb drive worthy of her brother, Barnaby. Georgie Jenman gave spirited chase, after passing Jack Sales’ mum, Marion - who held on for third despite a late charge from Carolyn Pritchard. Each of the 20 laps produced shouts of encouragement from the spectators, with some exultations fruitier than others. The elder of the Pittingale siblings was heard to yell, “Fire ‘er off!” as Francesca encountered back-markers, his tongue firmly in cheek.

Having already sewn up the Cadet title at the previous meeting, James DeHavillande was sportingly allowed to carry the number one on his kart as this would be his only opportunity to do so before he graduates to the Junior category. Pushed hard throughout the eighteen laps, he deservedly took the victory to seal what has been a truly dominant season. William Stowell gave it his all and had to contend with attacking DeHavillande and defending from Ronan Mackenzie, who completed the podium. Although a latecomer to the championship, Harri Newey again showed that he will be a title-contender in 2010 with another strong performance, this time to fourth place. Little Green Man series runner-up, Hannah Pym enjoyed her Easykart debut and impressed with a fine seventh place after a race-long tussle with Josh Grimston.

The Junior title hung in the balance, between Patrick Lay and Brad Fairhurst and it was the former who stepped up to the plate to deliver a champion’s performance. Fastest in qualifying and winning the Pre and Main finals, the colour of his kart and racewear was appropriate; he was a bolt in blue. Fairhurst battled hard but this was not to be his day and he could do no better than finish fifth in both races. However, his consistency secured him the runner-up spot in the championship and a place on the grid in Italy. Christopher Waldock and Jae Ould took the second and third places, with fourth-placed Jack Mitchell earning a special award for his gritty and entertaining drive.

Having mathematically done enough to retain his Light title, Terry Langley opted to race and again demonstrated his quality by winning both finals with ease. Jack Sales earned himself the Driver of the Day award with an electrifying performance. Carving his way from the tenth row, Sales crossed the line in third. Owen Jenman finished second on the road and in the title race. Linda Playfair’s long-awaited return to racing was rewarded with an excellent sixth place on her Easykart debut. The serially ill-starred Adrian Crockett will have been a nervous onlooker. After coasting out of the race, he was forced to watch Sales’ drive through the field and must have wondered if Jack would accrue sufficient points to nick his fifth place in the championship. As it was, he held on by five points and is now Siena-bound.

Described by Club 100’s John Vigor as “probably the biggest race of the day”, the Heavy final really had gone down to the wire. Tim Hill had beaten title-protagonists Kieran McCullough and Barnaby Pittingale into second and third in the Pre Final but found McCullough in no mood to end his season in anything other than first place. Kieran’s relentless pressure and superior pace carried him past a fired-up ‘Sir Tim’ who would claim his second podium of the weekend. Celebrating his 23rd birthday, Will Smith demoted Pittingale to fourth spot on the road, to the cheers of a large contingent of his family and friends. His grandmother’s vociferous cries of “Come on Will!” could be heard from quite some distance… EG: Beccles. As he was shown the last lap board, Barnaby curiously threw his head back, eliciting either frustration that he could do no more to finish higher up the order, or gratitude that his torment was over. Urged on by his wife’s desire for him to qualify for the World Finals, Mark Lawrence made her very happy as he crossed the line in fifth and book his place for Siena. From rumours of her shopping plans, it may well be the most expensive fifth place ever. Not something Mark, a true Scotsman, may relish.

In all, this was a superb advertisement for karting. Great camaraderie and sportsmanship is a feature of the series but was particularly evident at Ellough. The circuit itself was a great venue for the crucial last round and as ever, produced exciting and close racing. With new additions to the Easykart calendar, such as the E-Plate in November, Easykart UK is going from strength to strength.

RESULTS

Wives and Girlfriends: 1 Francesca Pittingale; 2 Georgie Jenman; Marion Sales

Cadet: Final: 1 James DeHavillande 18 laps in 14m40.06s (48.04mph); 2 William Stowell +0.19s; 3 Ronan McKenzie; 4 Harri Newey; 5 Jordan Sanders; 6 Josh Grimston. Fastest lap: William Stowell 48.55. Pole position: James DeHavillande. Starters: 12

Junior: Final: 1 Patrick Lay 20 laps in 14m52.08s (52.66mph); 2 Christopher Waldock +4.13s; 3 Jae Ould; 4 Jack Mitchell; 5 Brad Fairhurst; 6 Thomas Grainger. Fastest lap: Patrick Lay 44.20s. Pole position: Patrick Lay. Starters: 18

Light: 1 Terry Langley 25 laps in 17m58.38s (54.46mph); 2 Owen Jenman +5.41s; 3 Jack Sales; 4 Sam, Massey; 5 Ben King; 6 Linda Playfair. Fastest Lap: Terry Langley 42.80s. Pole position: Terry Langley. Starters: 26

Heavy: 1 Kieran McCullough 25 laps in 18m20.65s (53.35mph); 2 Tim Hill +0.96s; William Smith; 4 Barnaby Pittingale; 5 Mark Lawrence; 6 Lewis Shelley. Fastest lap: Kieran McCullough 46.64s. Pole position: Tim Hill. Starters: 28

Karting Magazine Driver of the Day: Jack Sales