PCI-Karting Championship 2010
4th round in Midlands Karting Edgeworthstown Co. Longford
This session had to be held on the Saturday because the owners of the venue wanted to keep Sunday’s for arrive and drive Cliental. As we are flexible we did not mind to move for the Saturday even we had advertised for the Sunday on the events calendar.
As I was leaving in the morning I was only hoping that the cloudy but breaking sunny conditions would hold up for the day but driving towards the Capital on my way the weather changed considerably from the sunny southeast to a downpour all the way to Edgeworthstown. Needless to say I am not a good racer in rain I could only look forward to as good a race as conditions I could cope with, so last place for me was definitely on the cards.
I was pleasantly surprised with the efforts that were made by the Participants to brave the rain and have fun on the track in conditions you wouldn’t go out usually. Having said that the rain stopped briefly, it improved a little as some of the rain did drain off the track but did not improve driving conditions by much.
Alex and his Son Stefan, Anthony, Ben with his Brother Eugene, Colm from Portlaise with friend Marcus and myself where having a wet endurance race indeed, battling with the grip on the track trying not to slide into one another.
I can only confirm even do I am not a wet racer it is a lot more fun than a dry race and you should all try it one day if you are into a bit of Karting.
From the start out of the blocks we were heading for turn 1 lefthander with the throttle on half as we were going through trying to take positions and battle to hold while we headed through the turn and sweeping to the right tightening nearly circular ever more up to hairpin turn 2 to the left foot on brakes, only touching gingerly not to spin the Kart and full throttle again up to chicane 1 little left then right and line up for turn 3 hairpin off the throttle and skidding through nearly touching barrier on the left and full on heading for chicane 2 cutting left and cutting right to take turn 4 hairpin with maximum grip and speed stretching over to the right realign to race line with sweeping right hander through turn 5 at full throttle under the balcony of the Karting home from the venue with a sweeping left turn 6 flat out lining up left for downhill hairpin and turn 7 through and out to pass the start finish line at full throttle.
Just a taste of the track and the fun we had in the wet as there was plenty of spins around and on the turns, as we all misjudged in the heat of the battle from time to time doing 360’s as cool as you like it with a big fat grin on the faces. Positions changed throughout the race with all of us trying our best to either hold on to places and / or improve only that for most of us and especially for me the rain decided most of the outcome pending on our skills.
The following positions after ca. 35 laps are:
1st Stefan Schmeider,2nd Alex Schmeider, 3rd Colm Fingleton, 4th Ben Duggan, 5th Eugene Duggan, 6th Anthony Saunders, 7th Marcus Breslin, and last after dozens of 360’s George.
This leaves the current PCI-Karting Championship 2010 Leader board with the following:
1st Anthony S 31 Points
2nd George N 21 Points
3rd Connie S 16 Points
3rd Colm F 16 Points
4th Pat B 11 Points
5th Rob C 10 Points
5th Alex S 10 Points
6th Ben D 9 Points
7th Padraic K 5 Points
8th John O’C 4 Points
9th Kieran G 3 Points
10th Kieran F 1 Point
With it being the first wet-race of this year’s PCI-Karting Championship it was even with the apparent conditions one of the best races of this season. I am already looking forward to Watergrass Hill on the 29th of August with some great racing to be expected on one of Ireland’s best Karting tracks.
I would like to thank everyone who made the at times horrendous Journey to the Venue and compete under atrocious conditions to make it an action packed and one of the most enjoyable races.
Hope to see you at the next race.
George Neurieder