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Season Opener of PCI - Karting Championship 2009

Kylemore Karting on Sunday 15th of Feb, Dublin

As a result of our very enjoyable karting outings during last year’s season, we decided to expand this year into a fully fledged karting championship. Our aim is not only to promote fierce and fair competition on the track, but also to ensure that all sessions are a fun enjoyable day out for all.

For the start of this season, the Kylemore track was picked because it is an indoor venue and more suited to the recent inclement weather. As it happened it didn’t matter because the weather was good after all.

Dave Gorman was coming back from Shopping in Birmingham overnight, but readily agreed to take Photo’s for the club.

It was great to see new faces as well as the usual suspects, as everyone seems to have weathered well over the winter and was looking forward to the karting session.

With the briefing in the automatic briefing room we listened and acquainted ourselves with the rules before registering and paying our fees. Suits and Helmets where furnished as we were off !

The Session was divided up into Qualification Laps of 20 Laps for every racer and Points where scored to determine the line ups for the Quarterfinals. These Finals determined the next rounds line up.

All 12 Drivers then competed for the available 6 places in the final, through two Semi-finals with 6 Racers on the track.

The Final Line-up was as follows:

Anthony Saunders / Damien Stembridge / Dave Whelan / Ted Gaffney /

Neil Lane / Karen Gaffney

The Race

All the races where run with 4 Karts initially on the grid at 5 laps and the competition in each race was as intense as it could be on aslippery track. Competitors quickly fought for every bit of race line, with the right foot “flat to the mat”, slip sliding away.

I don’t know what everybody thought about indoor track conditions, but from the first corner I was slipping and completely failed to register what the pedal on my left foot was, for trying to keep up with the lads up front.

I will have to admit that inadvertently I was sliding into some of the lads by not using my left foot and trying to either hold a line or get into a line first, while I was cracking up laughing from lap to lap.

I have seen some of the lads like Anthony hitting the Tyre wall through my negligence, so I’m sorry for that Anthony, but also others getting buried at different corners. Happily I would blast past them knowing I just gained a position and only wanting to catch up with another, while my visor of the Crash-helmet probably looked like one big smiley Face. I can not help but think that everybody had the same or similar experience, when they came back into the pit with excited or laughing expressions.

It dawned on me that the Afternoons racing turned into a great, great occasion and no matter who won or lost didn’t go away without great memories.

The Final

The Final was fought hard and fair between the finalists as from the start Anthony fought with Damien for P1 while Ted and Dave had a straight battle for P2 and Karen gave Neil a good run for P5. After the first five rounds things where getting a bit clearer as Anthony was able to keep P1 and getting a little bit of distance, while Dave gave way to Ted and Neil in P5 was after getting the better of Karen, while still hard on his heels. During the middle of the race it was clear that Anthony was not being challenged for P1 and the real race was getting hot between Ted, Dave, Neil and Karen. It was also quit clear that Karen wasn’t settling for last but Neil was able to get past Dave and Ted into P3 during the later part of the Race. For a while there, Ted was getting left behind as I couldn’t see him in P4 anymore, but he recovered and in the end placed himself back into P4, while Karen battled a brave fifth position in front of Dave who I think maybe was carrying a little too much weight (sorry Dave).

It should be mentioned that Gerald Monks had the fastest lap of all, with a time of 25.22s.

The first three winners where awarded with a certificate of their Wins and Anthony received a small trophy. All in all I thought it was a great afternoon and I hope everybody had the same experience.

Some of the Members spent some time for socialising in a local venue with a nice cup of coffee and sandwich’s, while ending a very pleasant afternoon.

Point scoring after the first Race of this Years Karting Championship for Porsche Club-members is as follows,

 

Anthony Saunders 10 Points

Damien Stembridge 8 Points

Neil Lane 6 Points

Ted Gaffney 5 Points

Karen Gaffney 4 Points

David Whelan 3 Points

George Neurieder 2 Points

Gerald Monks 1 Point

I would like to use and thank everybody for coming and making this a great first round of the Championship, also a special thanks to Ted for booking the event and for the above mentioned help in getting me there. I would like to wish you all well until we see you again at the next round on the 15th of March in Kiltorcan Raceway in Co.Kilkenny.

Many Thanks George

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


15/02/2009