1st
A virtual photo finish separated Daniel Ticktum and Dan Zelos on the finish line, such was the slender victory for Ticktum.
Jamie Caroline looked to be the man on form by topping Qualifying from Lando Norris and Ed Hack, then going on to win both heats. But he then had a big scare when he was excluded from the meeting for physical assault, but his appeal was successful on the grounds of self
defence.
However Daniel Ticktum was going to be a big threat, taking fastest laps in both heats, although it was Josh Smith, Alex Stott and Billy Monger who lined up behind Caroline for the Prefinal.
Hack was a long way behind at the start, where Ticktum and Stott soon put Caroline down to 3rd and drew away. Jordan Collard had a spin and Enaam Ahmed, who had DNF’d a heat, went flying. Caroline came off in the complex and would finish only 16th. Stott nipped into the lead at the first hairpin, they swapped again twice but Ticktum had the verdict by 0.01s on the line with Connor Hall leading Monger and Alfie Brown in the next group.
All Caroline’s hopes of glory vanished on the formation lap when his engine stopped, leaving Ticktum to pull away Stott and Dan Zelos, who had rapidly come up from grid 9. Hall and Norris had spun at the first hairpin, the latter pulling off. Zelos went for the lead but Stott fell back into the next group, whilst Daniel McAuley was given the black flag. The club was operating on the system of one warning, the next automatically a black flag.
Ticktum sold Zelos a dummy at the second hairpin but they jostled and traded all the way round the last lap, again Ticktum getting the verdict by 0.01s although some said it was closer. “At the hairpin he was on the inside defending and he saw me so I just went wham down the inside and closed the door and defended,†said the happy winner.
Karting Magazine October 2011