Did not Start in A Final
Ticktum’s 2nd on Saturday helped him stretch his points lead over Caroline to 22 points going into the final, and most important, day of the season.
Caroline again took pole from a buoyant MacDonald with Taylforth and Ticktum completing the top four, and things started well for Caroline in Heat 1 as he led away from the start with Ticktum in tow. However, coming out of the first corner on lap 7 Caroline hooked a wheel on the kerb and dropped to 17th, handing the lead to Norris and Macdonald. The pint-sized Scot took the lead on lap 8 and led the rest of the way with Norris 2nd,Ticktum a close 3rd and Caroline only 13th. That result meant a top four finish in Heat 2 for Ticktum would seal the crown. However that looked unlikely on the opening lap when he was eased wide in Turn 2, narrowly avoiding hitting the tyres and resuming in 15th.
Caroline grabbed the lead from early pacesetter Enaam Ahmed and took advantage of a scrap between Ahmed and Taylforth for 2nd to win. Behind him Ticktum was in the midst of the championship-calibre fightback, which netted him 4th place and, after some frantic calculations, the 2011 British title with one race to spare.
Neither Ticktum nor Caroline was in Heat 3, won by Macdonald by 0.7s over Anderton and Taylforth, and when the karts lined up for the Final there was a gap on row 3 where Ticktum was supposed to start. Ticktum’s team took the decision not to risk a potentially disastrous penalty and the new champion watched the final race of the year from the spectator area.
Karting Magazine November 2011