7/8th April
The Superkart championships returned to Bishopscourt for the opening championship rounds of
2017.
After several free practice sessions, the drivers had a 20-minute qualifying session. The grey sky
became blue and the sun came out during the afternoon.
Qualifying
Jack Layton walked the track to learn it as this was his first visit. After testing a couple of
nosecones at Silverstone last month, he thanked the Parker Motorsport team for fitting a new one. The
balance of the kart was good and it gave him confidence as he rode the bump at the final turn. He set
pole with a time of 1m06.720s. The top three were close. Andy Bird was “quick out of the box” in a new
Anderson chassis despite feeling the kart was unstable in the first turn He was second with 1m06.831s.
Paul Platt was in a happier place with his PVP and a 2017 Gas Gas engine. He set a 1m06.944s lap and was
on a better run after an ignition change but the chequered flag was waved. He also bedded in two sets of
tyres. After his engine problems at Silverstone, Gavin Bennett was pleased with progress and was fourth
albeit suffering from understeer in the slower corners. He ended up changing the rear wing to the older
version for race one. Dan Clark was fifth and less handicapped by the power disadvantage of his Gas Gas
as at Silverstone and Ross Allen was sixth. James O’Reilly was in a new Anderson chassis but was seventh
as the kart was pulling to the right during the session. Gareth James was disappointed to be tenth after
such a good showing at Silverstone as he was struggling with the settings.
Race One (10 Laps)
1. Jack Layton - Anderson/DEA
2. Paul Platt - PVP/Gas Gas
3. Andy Bird - Anderson/Gas Gas
4. Daniel Clark - Anderson/Gas Gas
5. Gavin Bennet- Anderson/DEA
Fastest Lap - Jack Layton - 1:06.025(99.453 mph)
At the start Bird found himself in a DEA sandwich as they sprinted for the first turn. Tony Long had a
bolt shear on his brake and spun on the pit straight. Bennett was still struggling with understeer but
felt the balance was improved for this race. He said he lost 2.5 seconds after being baulked by
backmarkers. Layton’s head jerked to the right as Clark made a move for the lead on the pit straight but
held his line.
After losing several places at the start Platt made his way up to second. After the last lap board went
out Platt passed Layton but overcooked it at the bottom bend, letting Layton past. He thought he would
be able to slipstream down the bottom straight: “I was going to pass him and I then suffered a misfire,
aah!” Platt said. Layton crossed the line just 0.293 ahead. Bird was third after finding stability in
the first corner compared to qualifying and Clark was relishing being quick in the corners. Allen was
finding the Jade a “little frightening” and for the second race would increase the rear wing angle to
get more rear downforce.
Race Two (10 Laps)
1. Paul Platt - PVP/Gas Gas
2. Jack Layton - Anderson/DEA - (F250 National class winner)
3. Gavin Bennett - Anderson/DEA
4. Ross Allen - Jade/DEA- (F450 class winner)
5. Daniel Clark - Anderson/Gas Gas
Fastest Lap - Gavin Bennet - 1:06.512(98.725mph)
Platt and Layton shared the front for the second start. Platt was on the outside of Layton as they
sprinted for the first turn but he would be on the inside for the next sequence of corners. Further
round, Clark had to take to the gravel to avoid James O’Reilly and lost a lot of places, while Bird took
avoiding action too and stalled while on the grass.
At the front, there was a quartet of Platt, Layton, Bennett and Allen. “It was close,” Bennett said.
“The engines are evenly matched. I think we’re in for a good year.”
Having walked the track for the second time before race one, Layton was attempting to find a different
line out of the final turn. The bump was proving a problem, Layton having to lift off while Platt in the
Gas Gas could deliver more power. Layton’s seat felt weird too.
On the final lap, Layton saw an opportunity on the back straight via a backmarker. “It was Andrew
Johnson.” Platt found a gap, Layton didn’t. “That’s motor racing.” Platt crossed the line with both arms
pumping, his first MSA victory since Brands Hatch 2015. “It feels so good to be at front again.” Bennett
was third and Allen nearly intercepted him on the pit straight. “It was good,” Allen said. “I’ll keep it
the same settings for the third race.” His square steering fairing was helping him aerodynamically at
the end of the straight. Clark was fifth after fighting his way back through the field. Tom Hatfield was
sixth. Driving an HRK for the first time in a MSA championship race, Julian Davies was pleased to be
seventh. “During the first race, I was thinking ‘Oh God, which way is it going to point?’ I wanted to
try something different. People were saying it wouldn’t work without a rear wing, but the mechanical
grip’s great.” Having struggled with the balance in race one, Gareth James was eighth again for race
two, puzzled with setup problems.