The HONDA CADET heats were more eventful with Jamie Caroline spinning to the back in one, Daniel Ticktum being excluded and Peter Griffin being found underweight. Josh Cornwell took the pole spot whilst Caroline had still done enough for a front row by winning two heats, Ticktum and Luke Knott the others.
Caroline enjoyed a big break at the Horseshoe on the first lap when Cornwell, Knott and Billy Monger clashed. Liam Murray and Robert Forsythe had come off at Billys as well. That left Dave Wooder in 2nd with Jack Bartholomew vaulting Ticktum who had started on grid ten for 3rd. But Ticktum soon got into his stride, clearing this bunch and moving rapidly up to Caroline’s back bumper, helping to push him clear. Wooder came back at Bartholomew, who fell to 7th.
Billy Chaplin was next to the fore in the 3rd place battle, Wooder falling to 6th. In everchanging fortunes, Callum Ilott took 3rd, Chaplin dropping off the back with Aaron Drury now challenging with a successful last lap bid for 3rd at the hairpin.
Ticktum’s help had taken Caroline nearly 4s clear, but Ticktum never found an opening. “It wasn’t too hard after two of the top drivers got into a crash with Billy Monger at the start, then Daniel caught up” said Caroline. More drama ensued as Chaplin, Robbie Gallier and Simon Carr were excluded from the meeting after their engines were found ineligible. All of the top ten in the Final had their engines stripped, along with most of the signed-on spares too, and it is believed the eligibility issues were all in the valve gear. The drivers had finished 5th, 7th and 10th, with Gallier being a local guest driver. They will have to count the zero score as one of their points scoring rounds in the championship but, since Chaplin and Carr have appealed, the results are provisional until the EAP.
Karting Magazine – September 2009