Clay Pigeon, 7 July 2002

Toby, Luke, Paul and Graham try out the karts for the first time after the engine rebuilds - with mixed results.

The day started later than expected due to both Toby and Luke having the hangovers from hell, but once at the circuit we soon had the Tony Kart (24) up and running and Kart 27 wasn't far behind - Toby's diagnosis of a collapsed inner exhaust proving to be correct - the engine now revved cleanly way beyond the 7,000 rpm it was struggling to achieve before. Graham Brunton a friend from Paul's university motor club days… (yes they did have cars then !!) turned up to try his hand at Rotax's after previously competing in 100's. Being the cautious types we elected to run the karts in for 30mins each even though most people seem to reckon 15 mins is ample. "Running in" consisted of revving no higher than 9,000 rpm - don't try this is in your road car !

As we approached the end of free practice both karts seemed to going ok if not quite as quick as they used to be (engines still tight ?) so we had a dilemma - to race just 24 or both of them ?? Decisions, decisions - ultimately I think however that valour took the better part of discretion and we entered 27 as a late entry…. A decision that was to prove a tad fraught as just before driver's briefing the chain came off 27 because the axle had shifted sideways slightly… only ourselves to blame for not tightening up enough after fitting the new axle !! Toby and I rushed to briefing leaving Luke and Graham with instructions on how to line it all up as they would be racing 27…… on our return we were surprised to see Luke being interviewed by DK Cable TV and Graham wazzing round in Kart 24 - not 27…. Kart 27 was still sitting in the same state it had been when we left half an hour before - still sitting on practice slicks, no fuel and the chain not on yet….. I called Graham in from the track only for him to then spend 5 mins chatting to the camera crew leaving me and Toby to do the grease monkeying (these paying drivers have ideas above their station !!) a quick mad rush saw us get kart 24 & 27 ready in time for qualifying. However, qualifying was not a great success - I managed a 37.02 in kart 24 but could see some people in the low 36's, and although Toby went out to try get into the mid 36's as he had earlier posted a 36.6 in practice, the kart seemed underpowered and he failed to improve - the power valve was subjected to some immediate attention…. Luke posted a 37.60 in kart 27 which was pretty good as it still seemed not be handling as nicely as the Tony Kart.

Toby and I lined up 16th out of 26 and Luke and Graham started in 21st. Toby and Graham started the race. The race started without incident with Toby driving well and getting us up into the top 12. In fact it was a drama free race apart from when I seemed to be held a long time in the pits after our second stop which caused the engine oil up, splutter and die as I pulled out from the pits. We must have lost nearly a lap due to this as I struggled to get it to restart, so any chance of any decent points evaporated…. Toby and I had both been lapped by the leaders so we were definitely off the pace.… neither of us had seen any times in the 36's so had no chance of winning anything except for the wooden spoon… At the start Graham meanwhile was keeping his nose clean and getting to grips with his first race in a Max when he had more chain problems - the chain had stripped all the teeth from the sprocket and it would have been more use as a frisbee than actually propelling the kart forwards, Luckily we had a spare sprocket so this was put on and they rejoined with Luke driving, but some 20 minutes had been spent in the longest pit stop known to man…. (apart from at Le Mans and the race is a tad longer there)…. Luke at least got a few laps racing in, but didn't seem too happy with the kart and I passed him fairly easily in kart 24 (something that wouldn't normally happen) so I suspect we have further work to do on this kart (or we need to buy a new one !!)….. Final result is unknown as we did not hang around for the results knowing we came "nowhere" a top half result for 24 would be a real surprise and kart 27 - well at least it finished the race still running and with the chain on !!