A cool and dry circuit greeted the competitors for the fifth round of the BPKC summer championships at the parkland Chatham circuit and though the entries were down the racing excelled.

O’Sullian fastest in Bambinos.

Only three Bambino drivers were entered for this month’s event, with Oscar O’Sullivan heading the trio during the timed runs and final. Freddie Duncan wasn’t too far behind in second place from Sebastian Minns in third.

‘Mad Max’ benefits from last lap shuffle in the Clubman class, while CJ Morgan is dominant in IAME.

The joint Honda Clubman and IAME final followed the Bambinos onto the circuit, for their final and witnessed the continued three way season long scrap between Joseph Knight, Leon Frost and Jack Matthews. Each has had their wins this year in the class, with inevitably one or two contentious moments. The final began with an on form Jo Knight leading away, having dominated the morning’s heat and then securing the pole spot for the final by winning the Pre Final.

Both Matthews and Frost had slipped back into the pack on the opening lap, which gave Macie Hitter and Blake Ticehurst a spell at the front behind Knight. Maksymillian ‘Mad Max’ Solarski soon eclipsed Hitter and Ticehurst to provide the threat to the leader, that was until a recovering Matthews worked his way up into 2^nd place on lap 8. He didn’t take long to convert his speed into the lead of the race on lap 11 and looked to have the pace to pull away. This proved to be a false dawn however as Knight and Solarski stayed glued to his bumper. By lap 13 of 17 Frost had fought his way into 3^rd demoting Mad Max to 4^th; this left the Matthews, Knight, Frost trio once again fighting for the victory.

Going into the last lap the blue KPi kart of Matthews still held a slender lead but he held a defensive line into the 1^st hairpin, which gave the DNL kart of Knight the chance to have a run around the outside into hairpin 2, this didn’t pay off as both the leaders drifted wide, giving the Clarke kart of Frost a clear run on the exit of the hairpin. He led going down the hill, Matthews managed to just hold onto 2^nd with Solarski and the slightly delayed Knight close behind.

At the bottom of the hill Matthews saw an opening on the inside of Frost into Paddock bend, the two leaders then found themselves sharing the same piece of track, which gave an opportunist Solarski a chance to pass both of them ! Matthews unfortunately ended up spinning after the contact with Frost, who himself had slipped to third as they crossed the finish line. Mad Max in the 303 Squadron kart celebrated in style, taking an elusive 1st Buckmore win, Jo Knight finishing 2^nd, unfortunately for Frost a post-race penalty dropped him to the bottom of the results behind a bitterly frustrated Matthews.

Novice George Oxford (Ambition motorsport) inherited 3^rd, Jack Theobald 4^th, Ticehurst just pipped Hitter to 5^th after a close race long dice. Zack Byrne completed the Clubman runners in 7^th. Jack Matthews took the fastest lap before his demise. In the IAME class CJ Morgan picked a nose fairing penalty which dropped him to the tail of the three class entry in the Pre Final, but then drove impeccably to take the main final win over Jakub Jakoniuk and Jakob Baldry. Clerk of the Course Martin Bean later commended young CJ Morgan over his awareness when amongst the Clubman leaders, which is often difficult to achieve in a mixed class races.

Appleby stoic in his defence to take Junior Max win.

Oliver Appleby and James Wharrier ended up crossing the finish line as one after a tense 20 lap Junior Max final. The former Appleby looked to have his KPi kart in a safe lead until the Project One kart of Wharrier came alive over the closing laps, gradually hunting down the leader. Things came to a head on the penultimate lap at hairpin 2 when Wharrier found a gap on the inside of the blue KPi kart, the two of them exiting the corner side by side, Appleby however found some extra traction on the outside to hold Wharrier off along the next short straight, then converting his advantage into a win, although he was helped across the line by the red kart of Wharrier as he celebrated! Jack Steadman was just over a second back in third, comfortably ahead of Thomas Lawson and Josh Wellard. Declan Lee finished 6^th after a first corner spin dropped him down the order having started 3^rd. Harry Canham was 7^th, Sam Sanders 8^th and Oscar Lucas 9^th. Wharrier took the fastest lap in his chase of winner Appleby.

Ripley recovers from start confusion to win in Cadets.

The Honda Cadet final began with total confusion amongst the drivers and those watching! Anticipating the lights had been causing problems amongst the Cadet drives before the final and so it proved again for several competitors including pole man Sonny Smith, who was swamped as he hesitated away the grid. Another to suffer greatly was Louis Horsely, as he rounded the first corner waiting to see the false start flag appear. Unfortunately for him it never did and those that were delayed knuckled down to fight their way back up the order. After the first lap Zach Walters headed his teammate Sebastian Bloch, Declan Russell and Zack Ripley, down from2nd on the grid, he had Ronnie Mansfield close behind, pole man Smith was down in 7^th.

Over the early laps it was clear to see that the two Ambition Motorsport karts of Walters and Bloch didn’t have the pace to stay at the front, as Ripley and Mansfield surged forward, hitting the front as early as lap 2. Initially Bloch held onto 3^rd until Smith moved passed and chased down the pair in front. Over the remaining laps Ripley and Mansfield worked as one, managing to hold a gap over the charging Smith, with two karts working better than one on its own. Although Mansfield matched Ripley’s every move he didn’t quite have enough to make a move on the leader, finishing 0.20 seconds down on the consistent Ripley.

Smith was only 0.59 back in 3^rd, setting the fastest lap as he fought to recover from his poor start. Declan Russell drove a stellar race finishing 4^th, a confidence booster for him, similarly receiving a well-deserved boost was Mitchell Gibbons, who made up 8 places to finish a fine 5^th, this after being somewhat harshly penalised in the Pre Final for gaining an unfair advantage. Sebastian Bloch looked dismayed as he crossed the line in an eventual 6^th, after launching away so well at the start. Positions 7 – 10 were filled by Oscar Tueten, Ryan Willis a recovering Louis Horsley and Josh Hoy.

Haines starts his Birthday week with a win in the Senior classes.

Ryan Haines took the wins in the morning heats and then went onto beat his nearest adversary Mike Ashby in the final by just over a second. Ashby had managed to close the gap to his Haines during the heats but despite holding on during the early laps, ultimately fell just shy after 15 laps in the Final. Steve Boret enjoyed tussling with the pair in the first couple of heats until problems prevented him from starting the final. Novice Christopher Kalvashoti  was the remaining Rotax runner in 3^rd. The only X30 class entrant Michael Hafford had enjoyed racing with the Rotax runners, until handling gremlins held him back in the final. Haines secured the fastest lap on lap 13.

Simpson-Stacey pounces late to snatch JX30 win.

Daniel Gale set off like a rocket in the JX30 class to lead from pole, while Alfie Prince put in a challenge for 2^nd place from third on the grid. The latter was thwarted by contact somewhere early on which had dislodged his rear bumper, forcing him to pit. This left Freddy Simpson-Stacey with a clear track ahead, which he used to full effect to close in on Gale’s Roalf racing prepared kart. Simpson-Stacey’s Evolution run kart took the lead on lap 13 only for Gale to take it straight back. The pair couldn’t be separated over the remainder of the race, putting on a great show aboard the high revving IAME powered karts. Going into the last lap Gale still led with his shadow waiting for to find a chink in his armour, it came down the bottom of the circuit, as Simpson-Stacey caught Gale by surprise who was unable to retaliate. It was an exciting end to an exhilarating battle between the two teenagers. With Prince back circulating but heavily delayed, Rupert Flynn took 3^rd place. Scott Sumpton was 4^th with Prince classified 5^th. Kristian Brookes was the only Mini X30 class driver competing, he unfortunately retired just after crossing the finish line on his 7^th lap. Simpson-Stacey also took the fastest lap.