
	OPEN ENDURANCE KART CHAMPIONSHIP

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	summer chanpionship ROUND 6

	RACE REPORT
	Round 6 of the 2006 Open Endurance Championship was held at Whilton Mill. With 14 karts entered, the Senior Max class had 8 entries, the Open Class 4 entries (2 Bilands and 2 Pro Extremes) and 2 ThunderKarts. Saxon Motorsport entered the 2 Bilands, and several prospective championship entries picked up new karts from them on race day, with other prospective teams showing interest. The weather forecast was, as with most of this summer, good and the temperature stayed above 26 days for the whole day. Qualifying promised to be interesting, with most teams unsure of the performance of the Bilands. The half an hour practice passed quickly, with several teams suffering with minor gremlins. As qualifying started, both Red Max Racing and TT Sport were in the paddock. TT Sport were destined to put in 4 laps, but Red Max did not leave their paddock space. TT Sport, however, used their laps to full advantage, and managed to set a 39.82 second lap, which was good enough for pole position. Just 0.18 seconds behind them were Saxon 2, with Saxon 1 just 0.11 seconds behind them. Red Stripe Racing were 4th and Kartsmart 5th. Red Mist Racing held the ThunderKart pole with a 42.61 second lap, with Cannonball Racing 0.48 seconds behind. After a short break, all of the karts made the grid, and set off on the first of 2 rolling laps. Red Max Racing, however, had to dive in to the end of the pits as in their rush, they had joined the grid with no lead. Luckily, the full fuel tank meant they came in over weight, and made their way back out just after the karts had taken the green flag. The karts made a perfect start, and TT Sport made the most of their pole position immediately pulling away by about a quarter of a second per lap. Apart from Kartsmart, who stole 4th place from Red Stripe Racing, the positions remained as per the starting grid. The first team to suffer with issues were Saxon 2. A cam belt failure caused them to stop at the furthest point of the circuit. An engine change cost them time, but they remained upbeat, viewing this as one of those things that occasionally happens. At the one and a half hour mark, and with the handicaps added, Ace of Aces held the lead, with Cannonball Racing 2 laps behind. APH Racing, TT Sport and Red Mist were chasing, and Red Max Racing had made up for their problems at the start and were in 6th place. Saxon 1 were still gauging the endurance capability of the Biland, and had been short stinting. Also, a carburettor had cost them 7 laps. Taking this into account, they were happy with their performance, which without the problem would have had them in second place. APC Racing suffered a failure in the balance shaft gears, which caused them to stop for an engine change, whilst their sister team Kartsmart then suffered an unusual failure, when a wheel rim failed without contact. LE Maverick were running in 8th place, but brake problems saw them dropping 2 seconds a lap in the middle stint & TT Sport after such a promising start again suffered as their engine gave up, surely their luck will change soon. With 3 hours of the race complete, Ace of Aces still held the lead, with Cannonball, APH, Saxon 1and Red Mist all close behind. The Senior Max teams were in the middle of the fuel window at this point, so their order was a little confused. Red Max Racing were showing 8th, but had fuelled, and they were on a charge As the race entered the final hour Ace of Aces still held the lead, but Red Max Racing were charging. With a 2 lap differential, and a difference of just over a second a lap it looked as though it was going to be a close finish. With 20 minutes of the race remaining, Red Max Racing took the lead from Ace of Aces with Box Tech moving through the field to third, just one lap adrift. Disaster then struck Box Tech with just 12 minutes remaining, the kart coasting into the pits with no drive, a virtually smooth rear sprocket ending their race early & letting their closest Championship rivals CannonBall Racing take valueable points from them. Red Max after several promising races this year, it looked as if their hard work would finally pay off. However, a chain failure with less than 4 minutes remaining proved disastrous for them. With the Clerk of the Course looking for Red Max Racing, chequered flag in hand, they were seen on rise up the hill on the far side of the circuit. A jubilant Ace of Aces took the chequered flag first, but they were so unsure of their first championship victory they completed one further lap. Red Mist Racing were 2nd overall, and Cannonball Racing 3rd. Ace of Aces also took 1st place in the Open Class, with APH Racing 2nd in class, and Saxon 1 3rd. Red Mist Racing were 1st in the ThunderKart class, and Cannonball Racing 2nd. The Max Class provided some consolation for Red Max Racing, with them taking 1st in class, Red Stripe 2nd, and Box Tech 3rd. Driver of the Day must go to Chris Bristow, who completed over 2 ½ hours in the Biland. The next round of the Championship is at Whilton Mill on September 3rd, and I look forward to seeing you there.
	TYRE PRIZE Went to Ace of Aces for a fantastic win

Regulations