The colourful IAME cadet class started the afternoon’s finals under lovely spring sunshine. A full grid of 22 karts entertained over 12 laps over the freshly painted circuit, the new red off limits perimeter areas were inspired by circuit owner John Surtees and looked superb in the sunshine. Joshua Rattican had looked the inform driver during the qualifying races but slipped back to 5th after the 4th lap, his place at the front taken by Bray Kenneally up until lap10. It was at this point that circuit specialist
Harry Thompson made his push for the lead,he then held off Kenneally until the flag over the remaining 2 laps , it was very close though with Thompson receiving a helping shove over the line hile he was celebrating ! Rattican worked his way back up to third behind Kenneally, Zac O’Sullivan took 4th from Georgi Dimitrov (fastest lap) and Taylor Barnard in 6th.
In the Honda Clubman final a red flag due to an accident involving Mika Renzullo, meant thatthe race was restarted over 10 laps. For some reason both of the Honda Cadet classescontained plenty of incident during the day, with contact spoiling several drivers races.
After the pre-final Franklyn Taylor, Mitchell Gibbons and Joshua Wellard had looked perfectly placed to fight for the win but, come the end of the 10 laps Wellard was the highest placed of the trio, back in 6th place, Gibbons was 10th and Taylor 13th.
Rufus Hunt led two laps of the Mini Max final until normal service resumed as previously dominant Klaas Kooiker took the lead until the flag af ter 12 laps to win by 1.43 seconds, Guy Gunnington wasn’t far behind in 3rd from James Wharrier, Oakley Pryer, and Thomas Rotherham in 6th.
Ross Connelly won the 12 minute Junior Subaru final on the road comfortably, but was subsequently excluded due to an engine technicality post race, handing the win to Ambiton racing’ s Zac Spence. George Leeves kept Spence very honest the whole race and very nearly took the victory himself. Troy Beswick and Riley Stephenson fought tooth and nail over the final podium spot, with Beswick securing it from the 7th lap onwards. Behind Stephenson in 5th was Dillan Lewis ahead of Charlie Nash in 6th. Spence secured the fastest lap on lap 9 of 17.
A very narrow win went to Ryan Willis by a scant 0.060 second over Jamie Perilly, who had moved his KPi kart up 12 places during the race, Alfie Brooks was less than half a second behind in 3rd, Jack Matthews up 6 grid positions to 4th, with Corbin Newbury bringing his DNL kart home in 5th on his debut at the circuit. Wellard took the consolation of having the fastest lap.
With the Super One Honda Cadet circus visiting the Chatham circuit in June, entries were up in the class, with the top Honda drivers from all over the country present. Due to the number of entries, the heats and pre finals were split, with a B final deciding the last 4 slots on the A final grid, it was Alex Eades, Joshua McLean, Alexander Moody and Callum Tadman that transgressed into the main event.
Pre final A was won by Oliver Bearman, followed home by Oliver Greenall, Wesley Mason and Ben Fayers Pre final B featured Harry Thompson, Sam Heading and Oliver Marsh in a blanket finish at the line, with Ivan Lomliev and Archie Swinscoe in 4th and 5th.
As the 28 karts sorted themselves out through the first two hairpins, Thompson and Greenall found themselves back in 11th and 12th, no doubt tripping up somewhere, they would now need to fight back, it was Bearman that led Heading initially with Swinscoe somehow up into 3rd, Mason 4th and Marsh 5th. Over the next few laps things settled down with a quartet of Bearman, Mason, Marsh and Heading slightly gapping the rest. On laps 9 & 10 both Marsh and Mason took turns in the lead until Bearman pulled it back and then going down the hill on the last lap it was the #5 kart that led Marsh, Heading and Mason.
In the Junior X30 class Freddy Simpson-Stacey drove impeccably and took the fastest lap, to win from Bobby Grove – who had led until late in the race but was penalised for a starting procedure irregularity. Alfie Glenie thus inherited the 2nd place driving with damaged ligaments in his foot, which must have caused some discomfort! 3rd was Finley Cross from Kartik Sawhney in 4th, Grove was credited with 5th from Harry Fitzsimmonds. Spare a thought for poor Max Goodwin who had won the Pre final but had to retire from his pole position when his engine would not run cleanly.
In the Senior X30 class Archie Tillett took the win driving a Fullerton chassis from KPi driver pairing of Will Morris and Emily Rogers, who had a piston failure earlier in the day and was lucky to make the final. Chris Bridle tried all that he could to dispose of Rogers, just failing at the finish line, his twin brother Edward finished 5th, with fastest lap of the race going the way of Tillett.