December Offers!

Book an Iron Man Challenge, Grand Prix, Team endurance or Urban Combat Game and get a FREE PIZZA* for every two participants.

Offer available from 1st December 2011 until 31st December 2011 only! Minimum of 10 people are required*

Iron Man Challenge – 30/50/75 or the ultimate 100 lap race! 10 to 20 drivers will race for a 10 minute qualifying session to determine your grid position.  Then you will race for the length of the chosen event distance! No pit stops!! Trophies will be awarded to the top three drivers with a bottle of bubbly to spray on the podium. From £45pp

Team Endurance – 8—20 teams with 2—5 drivers in each team. You can race for 1 1/2,  2 or 3 hours all with a 15 minute timed qualifying session. Teams will have to work out their race strategy with driver changes and fuel stops to outwit the other teams.  The top three teams receive individual trophies and the winning team champagne. From £140.00 per team

Grand Prix – 10—20 drivers all on track at once (If numbers go over this then a series of heats and an A & B Final will be run). 5 minute practice, 3 x 10 lap heats and a 15 lap final. Trophies for the top three driver will be awarded with a bottle of bubble to spray on the podium. £67.00pp (Discounts are available for 21+ drivers)

Urban Laser Combat – 10 to 28 players, start from 8yrs+. The site has a theme similar to that of modern warfare games such as a post battle run down urban town.  Once here you and friends or colleagues can take part in multiple game scenarios. Perfect for corporate events. £20per child and £25per adult.

The Pizzas are Italian style based with four different delicious toppings.  All of our pizzas are oven baked to order.

Please contact us to book you event in and please quote ‘PIZZA EVENT’ when booking

27th November – Charity Team 2 hour endurance event!!

Charity Day – 27th November 2011 at 9:30am.  Wacky Racers event, 2 hour team endurance with 2 – 6 drivers in each team.  Up to 20 teams racing on track!!

£180.00 per team and during the race there will be a few suprises thrown in…true wacky racer style!!

Raising money for the Henry Surtees Foundation.

Points awarded for team fancy dress, trophies for the the top three wacky racers teams and booby prizes too!!

Call us to book your team in for the 27th November ASAP!!

Sam Fitzpatrick – 2011 Cadet League Champion

Ellough Park Race Circuit would like to congratulate Sam Fitzpatrick on winning the 2011 Cadet League Championship after a masterful display of wet-weather driving at the penultimate Round of the championship. In torrential rain Sam took his seventh win from seven meetings to claim his first title with a round to spare.

In only his first full season of racing Sam has shot up the ranks to become one of the most successful drivers in the championships history. He is the first driver to have won 7 consecutive races and has finished the last 11 meetings on the podium. Sam has also featured strongly in the EPKC Honda Cadet series and is looking good for a top 3 finish in the championship amongst some very experienced competition. For 2012 Sam plans to enter more MSA race meetings as well as having another shot at the EPKC title.

Ellough Parks Steve English commented on Sam by saying ‘Sam has had an unbelievable 2011 season with dominance that has never before been seen in any championship at the circuit. I’ve been involved in running the leagues for 10 years now and Sam is not only one of the most naturally talented drivers to compete but also the most down to earth drivers I have met. He’s a lad of few words but he certainly lets his driving do the talking! I would also like to thank Sam’s dad Mark for the help and guidance he has given to the new drivers in the League this year.’

Another driver to wrap up a title at the meeting was Harry Weaver who clinched the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title. Harry has been progressively improving including a couple of strong A-Final performances during the season. He has also been taking part in the EPKC Honda Cadet Series and has been steadily moving up the field.

The Final Round of the Cadet League takes place on Wednesday 23rd November with double points up for grabs. The runner-up spot in the series is still undecided with Oliver Grantham currently heading Mitchell Fenn and Callum Goldsmith, who took his maiden finish at the last meeting. For more information on the championship or for details for 2012 please phone 01502 717718.

Steady Seals Senior Win

With the end of the season fast approaching a full field of drivers took to the track for Round 10 of the Non-MSA Championships all hoping to keep themselves in contention for their respective titles.

The Libra cadet class was boosted by the return of championship leader Bradley Kent along with reigning champion Herbie Grout. In the Honda Cadet class most of the top drivers were in action with the exception of Michael Hughes who would miss his first race of the season due to other commitments. In the Minimax class championship leader Harry Holdbrook came into the meeting with a strong chance of clinching the title but would be pushed hard by his main rival Adam Hatfield. In Senior Rotax, Vince Mallett still held a healthy championship lead ahead of the titanic scrap for second headed up by Steven Knowles and James Canham.

The Libra Cadets began the days action with Heat 1 setting the tone for the day with a ferocious battle for the lead between Grout, Kent and Easykart driver Matt Round. The first heat would eventually go to Kent ahead of Grout and Round but in Heat 2 a lap 3 incident put Kent out of the running and earned Round a black flag leaving Grout clear to take the win ahead of novice driver Max Fenlon. Heat 3 saw Kent back on top earning him pole position for the Final. Kent took the early lead of the final but had Grout and Round right on his tail. On lap 4 contact from Grout sent Kent off at turn 1 demoting him down to third. At the flag it was Round who had got the better of Grout to take the win and with Grout receiving a one place penalty it was Kent in second ahead of Grout and Fenlon.

The Junior classes got underway a little too quickly for Holdbrook in Heat 1 as a jump start saw him demoted from first to third leaving Hatfield as the winner ahead of Lee Edwards. Heat 2 this time saw Holdbrook judge the start perfectly as he shot into the lead which he held to the flag ahead of Hatfield and Tye Mason. Heat 3 again saw Holdbrook take the win ahead of Hatfield and Mason placing him on pole for the Final. The final saw Holdbrook initially take a commanding lead but Hatfield closed the gap to within a second before dropping back towards the end. Holdbrooks win clinched the Minimax title, a great achievement in his first full season of racing. In the Junior Rotax class Benjamin Bee took all three Heat wins and the Final win to extend his championship lead while in the Junior TKM class Oliver Graham also picked up a maximum points haul in the absence of championship leader Mark Phelps with Tom Rushforth following home in second.

The Honda Cadet class saw 18 drivers gunning for victory and the first heat of the day went the way of the in-form Jean Sammut take a hard fought win by just 0.13 from series leader Archie Albone. Sam Fitzpatrick came home half a second away from the leaders with Oliver Grantham ever improving in fourth place. Heat 2 had to be stopped on the opening lap following a four kart pile up which Ben Kasperczak took the brunt of ruling him out of the restart. Also missing the restart was Perry Cooke after sustaining damage in the incident. The restart saw a repeat of Heat 1 with Sammut again leading home Albone by just 0.19 with Grantham this time in third place. Kal Miller was also looking strong in fourth but further back disaster struck for Fitzpatrick after a crash left him on the sidelines. Heat 3 saw Fitzpatrick strike back in the best possible way with a win after a stunning last lap pass on Sammut. Grantham continued to impress in third with Albone fourth after a spin just after half distance. Kasperczak also had a strong drive to fight through to fifth. With tensions running high and with his first pole position in his pocket Sammut got away quickly at the start leaving the pursuing pack trailing into turn 1. However Albone and Fitzpatrick were soon back on his tail and three swapped places countless times leaving the enthralled spectators wondering who would take the win. Behind the leaders Kasperczak again had driven through the field from thirteenth on the grid to fifth. At the flag it was Sammut who captured victory but had been deemed to have jumped the start earning a five place penalty. This took nothing away from the stunning drive he had put in as he had fought back from third to take the win. The penalty handed the win to Albone who also thoroughly deserved the applauds ahead of Fitzpatrick with Kal Miller an outstanding third, his best result to date by far. Kals drive was also noticed by the marshals who awarded him with the coveted ‘Driver of the Day’ trophy.

The Senior Rotax class saw a bumper field of 24 drivers take to the circuit and in Heat 1 they were led home by Harry Smith, who was last seen in action at Ellough Park in a Minimax. Following Smith home was the returning Simon Steady ahead of Jake Baker, his best finish since his return to racing. Championship leader Mallett had a torrid start to the day, throwing a chain while running fifth. Heat 2 saw the winner of the last two meetings Craig Pollard back on top, taking a new lap record along the way. He was followed home by Steady with Teddie Harvey third ahead of Canham and Smith. Mallett was again out of luck after crash damage again left him on the sidelines. After two second places Steady picked up the Heat 3 win ahead of Smith and Pollard, who again broke the lap record. Henry Riley came across the line fourth ahead of Harvey while Malletts day went from bad to worse with mechanical failure robbing him of a finish and ruling him out of the final. The Final got underway with Steady heading the pack but further back Jason Baker was tagged into a spin and was collected first by Stewart Hunting and then much more heavily by Aland Hunting. With Hunting injured at the side of the circuit the race was red flagged but after initial concern Huntings injuries were only slight. At the restart it was Steady who again shot into the lead ahead of Pollard. Behind the leaders Ben Kidd was putting in a great performance in third holding of Smith. Also impressing was novice driver Jak Warner who from the back of the grid had sliced through the field into ninth. At the flag it was Steady who just held off the charging Pollard, who had broking his own lap record again, with Smith just pipping Kidd for third and Riley crossing the line in fifth. Jake Baker continued his strong day with a seasons best sixth.

The penultimate Round of the championship takes place on Saturday 19^th November with practice running from 9am-11am with racing beginning at 12pm. To book a place you can either email the circuit or phone 01502 717718. Details for the 2012 championship are also now available from the circuit.

Sammut Snatches Honda Victory

Round 9 of the Ellough Park Non-MSA Championships took place under initially threatening skies but to everyone’s relief the weather stayed dry throughout the days proceedings.

Once again a bumper grid of Honda Cadets were set to do battle with championship hopeful Archie Albone returning after two meetings away. Also back in action was reigning champion Ben Kasperzcak who missed last months meeting while competing at the London Cup. In the Comer class the cicuit greeted drivers from the Formula Kart Stars national series who were taking in vital track time ahead of their final round in a fortnights time. The Junior classes were also boosted with FKS drivers as the RL Racing Dept. competed on home soil for the first time in Non-MSA this season. The Seniors again had a strong grid but unfortunately John Vincent was forced to withdraw after practice to due aggravating a non-karting related injury.

The Comer Heats saw an epic three-way battle between Ross Martin, Daniel McAuley and Lewis Taylor with the three drivers never separated by more than half a second throughout the three races. In heat one a well timed last lap pass gave Martin the win, a feat he repeated in Heat 2. Heat 3 almost went his way as well but this time it was McAuley who snatched the win by a mere bumper width. Behind them novice driver Max Fenlon was gaining experience and his lap times tumbled substantially during the day on his first visit to Ellough Park. In the final it was Taylor who stole the early advantage and managed to fend off his pursuers for twelve laps. On the penultimate lap Martin dived through at turn one and was followed by McAuley. This order remained the same until two corners to go when a small mistake by Martin bunched all three drivers up resulting in contact sending Martin and McAuley wide allowing Taylor to snatch the win. However, Taylor was deemed at fault by the Clerk of the Course and was duely docked two positions giving Martin the win ahead of McAuley.

The Honda Cadet class was as closely fought as ever and the opening heat seemed to set the scene for the day with an in-form Sam Fitzpatrick taking the win ahead Albone with Luke Whitehead in third. Heat 2 saw Michael Hughes convert his pole position into the lead in the early stages and for many laps held off the charging Fitzpatrick before a small mistake dropped him to second. Hughes clung on to the back of the leader and so nearly made his way back to the front but at the flag it was Fitzpatrick first ahead of Hughes with Perry Cooke, building on the form from his maiden win last month, in third. Disaster struck for Fitzpatrick in Heat 3 when his throttle cable snapped at the start eliminating him from the race. This left the way clear for Cooke to blast away at the front with Albone pursuing in second. It was Albones turn for bad luck next as he lost his chain on lap four allowing Louis Back through to second. Back was driving a brilliant race, soaking up the pressure from the pack headed by Oliver Grantham. At the flag it was Cooke who took the win ahead of the impressive Back with Grantham in third. The scene was set then for the Final with Cooke on pole with Fitzpatrick alongside. At the start Cooke held the lead but was under massive pressure from Fitzpatrick. Behind the leading duo Jean Sammut was carving his way through the field and was up to third by lap five. Fitzpatrick took the lead on lap 6 after a mistake from Cooke but the two remained nose-to-tail. On lap nine a heavy collision between the race leaders dropped them back behind new race leader Sammut and Whitehead. Both recovered positions but at the flag it was Sammut who took his second win of the season with Cooke second, Whitehead third and Fitzpatrick a massively disappointed fourth. However, the Clerk of the Course deemed Cooke responsible for the collision between him and Fitzpatrick so a five place penalty was issued demoting Cooke to seventh. This promoted Fitzpatrick to third ahead of Albone, Hughes and Grantham. Top novice driver went to Tom Bayley who came home twelfth overall.

The Junior classes saw a mesmerising display in the Junior Rotax Class from FKS driver Nick Arthur who dominated the three heats and Final, showing that he will be right at the front for the national round. Behind him Charlie Starsmoore and Benjamin Bee battled all day long for second place joined by Mark Phelps in his Junior TKM. Starsmoore eventually took second ahead of Bee, sandwiching the ever quick Phelps. In the Minimax class it was again the FKS drivers who dominated. Heat 1 went the way of Rob Hodkinson ahead of team-mate Josh White, this order being reversed in Heat 2. Heat 3 saw Hodkinson back on top ahead of White while Non-MSA regular Adam Hatfield put in a terrific performance to still be close the leaders at the end of the race. The Final again saw the RL Racing Dept. duo at the front with the order remaining the same to the flag, Hodkinson taking the win ahead of White and Hatfield.

A strong field of Senior Rotax drivers took to the track and the opening spoils of the day went to last months winner Craig Pollard who fought his way to the front just pipping championship leader Vince Mallett with James Canham in third. Heat 2 saw Teddie Harvey take the early lead and he soon pulled away from the field. Pollard again had to fight to the front and once he did he reeled in Harvey and was right on his tail on the final lap. Harvey drove a defensive final lap to just hold on to the win ahead of Pollard and Canham. Heat 3 this time saw Pollard away at the front from the start, a position he would hold to the flag. Behind him there were brilliant performances from Stephen Gluckstein who came home a seasons best second ahead of Ben Kidd, another seasons best. The Final got underway with Pollard and Harvey breaking away at the front with Mallett not far behind in third. Behind them Arron Burnage was putting in an inspired performance to hold on to fourth place. On lap nine though Canham tried to pass Burnage, tangling wheels and sending Canham wildly spinning over the top of Burnage. In the ensuing chaos Steve Jennis was sent into a heavy roll ending upside-down in the middle of the circuit. He quickly clambered out from under his kart and moved it to the side in order to keep the race going. The mayhem left the top three way ahead of the pack and at the flag it was Pollard taking the win ahead of Harvey and Mallett. Steven Knowles came home fourth ahead of the ever improving Gluckstein. The officials also awarded the coveted Driver of the Day trophy to Pollard for his outstanding driving during the meeting.

Round 10 of the championship takes place on Saturday 15^th October with Signing-on beginning at 8am, Practice 9am-11am, Drivers Briefing at 1130am and the Racing beginning at 12pm. Please ensure you get your entries in early either via email or by phoning 01502 717718.

Vingoe takes Historic Win

Round 5 of the 2011 Open Grand Prix championship saw 21 drivers take to the starting grid in what has proved an unpredictable campaign so far. The championship leader at this stage was James Barnes, who had claimed two wins from the opening rounds. Returning to the action for this meeting was youngster Luke Dickerson, who had missed Round 4 through illness.

Heat 1 saw Barnes on pole alongside his great rival Andy Horne but it was Ashley Waters who took the lead from row 2 and he led the early stages. Dave Lock had worked his way up to third but then suffered a kart fault which brought him back to pits. He would rejoin the track ahead of the third place battle and on cold tyres he lost control at turn 4 ending up stationary in the middle of track and was hit at full speed by Ollie Thorn, launching both drivers out of their machines. The race was immediately red flagged but thankfully both drivers were unharmed and took the restart. At the restart Barnes retook the lead which he held to the flag ahead of Waters and Steve Algar. Horne was struggling with a stretched throttle cable and valiantly held third until the final lap when he was demoted to ninth.

Heat 2 had Mark Cornell and James Pearce on the front row but it was the young guns Dickerson and Seb Fisher who punched their way into the lead. Ryan Stringer made a blinding getaway from the back of the field and raced his way through to chase down the leaders. Jim Cordner was also running strongly and was up to fourth before a collision dropped him down the order. At the flag it was Dickerson who took the win ahead of Fisher and Stringer.

Heat 3 this time had Alex Vingoe and Michael Brown on the front row and it was the former Cadet champion Vingoe who pulled away into the lead. Behind him Pearce put in a stunning drive to fight his way through from the back of the grid to second, claiming a new lap record in the process. Horne stuck to the back of Pearce and was also under the existing lap record. They couldn’t catch Vingoe however who took the win ahead of Pearce, Horne and Guy Newstead.

Heat 4 had rookie driver Luke Cousins on pole alongside Fisher and the two battle hard in the early stages before Fisher made the break. From there he got his head down and produced yet another new lap record. He took the win, his first heat win of the season, ahead of the impressive Cousins with Thorn, none the worse for his earlier crash, in third.

The B-Final saw a surprise pole-man in Lock, the first time he had failed to make the A-Final. However, with the top two from the B-Final promoted into the A-Final he was favourite to make the jump. Sure enough he pulled away from the field in the early stages but towards the end of the race had to defend from a charging Mick Waters, who so nearly stole the win at the flag. Third went to Mark Cornell ahead of Gary Fisher, Cordner, Abby Parravani, Phil Read and Darren Price.

The scene was set then for a thrilling A-Final with Vingoe on pole ahead of Fisher, Dickerson and Barnes. At the start Vingoe took full advantage of his pole position and led the field round the opening lap. Behind him there was a titanic scrap for second between Fisher, Dickerson, Horne, Newstead and Barnes. On lap 7 Barnes spun for the second Final in a row and dropped behind a charging Thorn. Pearce was not having a good race either, struggling to keep himself in the top 10. The race settled down with Vingoe now well in the lead ahead of Dickerson, who was having to defend heavily from Horne and Newstead. Going into the final lap Horne saw his chance and dived through at turn 3. Newstead stuck to his bumper relegating Dickerson to fourth. At the front though it was Vingoe who took his maiden Open Grand Prix win and with it the accolade of being the first driver in history to win in the Cadet, Junior and Senior leagues at Ellough Park. Horne held on to second with Newstead third and Dickerson and Fisher rounding out the top 5.

Barnes still holds on to the championship lead ahead of Horne and Thorn with Vingoe now up to fourth. For more information on the championship or if you would like to enter you can contact the circuit on 01502 717718.

Pullen Sets the Pro-Kart Pace

Round 4 of the 2011 Pro-Kart Sprint Series saw a field of 4 Pro and no less than 9 Clubmans take to the circuit under ominous skies. After a turbulent fortnight of off-track discussions it was time to let the racing do the talking and it did just that.

Qualifying saw the usual pole position for series leader Shaun Reeve but this time by a mere 4 hundredths of a second from Malcolm Pullen ahead of the father and son duo of Richard and Ben Binder. Fastest of the Clubmans was Ryan Bennett ahead of Mick Goodman and rookie driver Steve French.

Reeve converted his pole into the lead at the start of Heat 1 but he was closely pursued by Pullen. The two eased out an advantage over the Binders with Pullen continuing to try and pressure Reeve into a mistake. The mistake came on lap 7 and Pullen took full advantage with a daring move in turn 2. From there he pulled away to take the win ahead of Reeve and Richard Binder. Ryan Bennett took the Clubman spoils ahead of Goodman and Pete Bennett.

The reverse grid for Heat 2 placed Jamie French on pole alongside brother Steve. At the start it was Steve who took the lead which he held for half a lap before Pete Bennett stormed by, stretching a massive advantage over the rest of the pack. Pete Horrod held third round the opening lap but was soon engulfed by the Pro class drivers. The opening lap also saw an uncharacteristic spin for Reeve, which set up a stunning drive through the field. At the front Bennett held on to his advantage with Pullen now chasing him down having worked his way up to second. At the flag it was Bennett who made history by claiming the first overall heat win by a Clubman ahead of Pullen with Reeve a stunning third having been last at the end of lap 1.

The final got underway with Pullen on pole ahead of Reeve and the clouds threatening to burst at any moment. With light drizzle falling it would come down to who dared to go faster without making a mistake. Pullen and Reeve shot away from the start and soon pulled away from the pack. Pete Bennett continued his great form running for third overall with Richard Binder. Ben Binder was having a torrid time falling back through the field. The backmarkers soon came into play and it was Pullen who found his way through to stretch out a three second lead. By this stage Richard Binder had won his battle with Pete Bennett who was now struggling to hold on the Clubman lead from his son Ryan. At the flag it was Pullen who took his second win of the campaign with Reeve second and Richard Binder third. Pete Bennett held on to the Clubman win ahead of Ryan Bennett, both finishing ahead of a disappointed Ben Binder with Mick Goodman claiming third in Clubmans.

Round 5 takes place on Monday 6^th of June with open testing available from 4pm-6pm and the meeting starting at 6pm. For more information on the series you can contact the circuit on 01502 717718 or visit the forum at http://elloughpark.proboards.com/

Holdbrook Weathers the Storm

Round 2 of the 2011 Junior League saw 16 drivers take to the track with Harry Holdbrook looking to stretch his advantage after a brilliant win at the opening round. Matt Baisley, who celebrated his 15^th birthday on the night, was hoping to give himself a great birthday present and close the gap to the championship leader. Aiden Durrant and Cameron Rutledge both returned to the action having missed the first round through injury.

Just before the opening race the heavens opened making the track resemble a swimming pool rather than a race track. Dominic Oliver lead the field off from pole position but it was Arnold Lincoln who got the jump from row 2 to take the early lead. Baisley made a tremendous start from 13^th and was soon chasing down the leader. Jak Warner also made a rocket start and found himself in third by half race distance. Holdbrook was having a harder time in the traffic and lost touch with the leading pack. With two laps to go Baisley caught and passed Lincoln for the lead which he held to the flag. Warner maintained third with Holdbrook fighting his way through to fourth.

Heat 2 saw Holdbrook on pole with Baisley alongside and the two drivers soon broke away at the front to have a private battle for the lead. Rookie drivers Alex Ready, Rutledge and Charles McGregor were enthralled in a race-long battle for third. Warner meantime was having a luckless race struggling with handling difficulties after a clash with Lincoln, he would end the race in 10^th. At the front Holdbrook got the better of Baisley to take the win ahead of Baisley with Ready winning the battle for third.

Heat 3 and it was Rutledge leading from pole this time with Lewis Fenn on the front row. At the start Rutledge flew into the lead followed by Ready and Durrant. They were soon caught by Holdbrook and Baisley who found their way through to once again run 1-2. Warner was again struggling in the traffic but soon found a clear route to finish sixth at the flag. Lincoln, who had changed karts following his heat 2 crash, had a difficult race and could only manage 13^th place. At the flag it was Holdbrook who clung on for his second win of the night ahead of the consistent Baisley and Rutledge.

The final saw Baisley on pole alongside Holdbrook but at the start it was Ready who stormed into the lead which he held round the opening lap. On lap 2 Holdbrook and Baisley both passed Ready and once again pulled out a big advantage. Warner had more work to do from seventh on the grid and he found himself in a large squabble for third with Ready, Durrant, Rutledge and McGregor. Ready spun out of third on lap 4 and was followed by Rutledge, who would suffer a number of spins which would ultimately drop him to tenth at the flag. The battle for the lead was eventually decided by the backmarkers with Holdbrook finding a clearer route through and pulling out a 5 second lead. He would hold that advantage all the way to flag to make it two out of two and stretch his championship lead. Baisley maintained second with Warner prevailing in third. McGregor took another fourth place ahead of Durrant, Lincoln, Ready, Sam Cordner, Fenn and Rutledge rounding out the top 10.

Round 3 takes place on Thursday 30^th June with the annual ‘Dads and Lads’ event at 7pm on Saturday 18^th June. For more information on either event please contact the circuit on 01502 717718.

Fitzpatrick Secures Record Breaking win

Round 2 of the 2011 Cadet League Series saw a strong field of 9 drivers take to the track with perfect conditions greeting them once again. Championship leader Sam Fitzpatrick came into the meeting looking to build on his excellent form from the recent Non-MSA Honda Cadet meeting and extend his early lead. Snapping at his heals would be his main challengers from Round 1 Henry Dixon and Oliver Grantham along with the long awaited return of British Mini-Moto star Ryan Folkes.

Heat 1 saw Fitzpatrick starting from pole position and he tore away from the start chased hard by Dixon. The two soon broke away from the pack and set an astonishing pace to both smash the lap record, with Fitzpatrick finally lowering the mark, held for more than a year by Arnold Lincoln, by half a second. This pace took him to the win with Dixon in second and Grantham third.

Heat 2 began with Grantham blasting into the lead with rookie driver Harry Weaver showing his best form of the season running in second. Fitzpatrick was having a challenging race this time and would only make it up to fourth place at the flag. This left Grantham clear to take the win ahead of Dixon with Weaver taking a stunning third place.

Heat 3 this time had Folkes starting on pole and he converted this into the lead in the early stages. Fitzpatrick, again coming through the field, found his run a lot smoother this time and soon caught and passed Folkes for the lead. He carried this through to his second heat win of the night followed home by Folkes with Grantham taking another good haul of points in third.

The Final got underway with Fitzpatrick on pole joined on the front row by Grantham. Fitzpatrick took full advantage of his pole position to pull away into the lead with Grantham struggling to keep in touch. He was soon overhauled by both Dixon and Folkes, who set off in pursuit of the race leader. However, despite their best efforts Fitzpatrick drove a measured race to take his second win from two rounds and put himself firmly in the lead of the championship. Dixons second place sees him close the gap to just 14 points to Grantham and Folkes’ third place saw him step onto the podium for the first time since 2008. Grantham soldiered on for fourth place ahead of Mitchell Fenn, Regin Masters, Callum Goldmsith, Louis Skoyles and Weaver.

Round 3 of the series takes place on Wednesday 29^th June with the annual ‘Dads & Lads’ event taking place on Saturday 18^th June at 5pm. To book a place for either event for more information contact the circuit on 01502 717718.

Holdbrook Returns to the Top

The opening round of the 2011 Junior League Summer Series saw a field of 15 drivers take to the track all vying to get the best start possible to what promises to be the most competitive championship for many seasons. Returning to the action was last years runner-up and rookie champion Harry Holdbrook, looking to go one better than last year. He wouldn’t have it easy though with Winter champion Jak Warner still looking to take his maiden victory and the on form Matt Baisley odds-on favourite to make it three in a row. Unfortunately missing from the action though were Aiden Durrant and rookie sensation Cameron Rutledge who both suffered non-racing related injuries leading up to the season opener, both will be fighting to be fit for Round 2.
Heat 1 began with rookie driver Chris Chilvers on pole position, who held on well round the opening lap but was soon passed by Warner and Holdbrook. Baisleys meeting didn’t get off to the best of starts with brake issues forcing him into the pits to change his kart. At half race distance Holbrook fired into the lead but couldn’t shake off the attention of Warner. Charles McGregor continued to impress, locked in a battle with Andrew Curtis and Arnold Lincoln for third place. On the final lap it was still Holdbrook in the lead but found himself blocked by a backmarker which allowed Warner to sneak by to snatch the win. Mcregor won the battle for third ahead of Lincoln and Curtis.
Heat 2 saw another rookie on pole, Luke Collins, who also ran well with the leaders early on before slowly dropping down the order. Holdbrook was the early race leader but was soon reeled in by Baisley. This time though there were no backmarkers to stop Holdbrook who held on for the win ahead of Baisley and Warner.
Heat 3 this time had Curtis starting on pole but it was Warner who stormed into the lead at the start from third on the grid. He led all the way to the flag ahead of the usual suspects Holdbrook and Baisley. Another rookie driver, Alex Ready, impressed many with an unbelievable manoeuvre to go from seventh to fifth at the final corner.
The Final saw Warner with another pole position alongside Holodbrook, would Jak finally take his maiden victory. From the outset it was clear he wouldn’t have it all his own way as Baisley took advantage of the leading duo battling to blast into the lead. All three set a blistering pace to edge away from the pursuing pack which at this stage was headed up by Ready. On lap 7 Holdbrook weaved his way to front and left Baisley and Warner to scrap over second place. Lincoln was also on a charge, moving up from a sluggish start to find himself in a lonely fourth place but gaining on the leaders. With a couple of laps to go it looked as though Baisley would catch Holdbrook as he put in lap times close to lap record pace but Holbrook responded to hold on the lead and take the chequered flag in first place. Baisley came home second ahead of Warner with Lincoln, Ready, McGregor, Curtis, Tom Moore, Sam Cordner and Dominic Oliver rounding out the top 10.
Holbrook holds a slender championship lead at this early stage ahead of Warner with Baisley well in touch in third. Alex Ready leads the rookie standings ahead of McGregor and Collins. Round 2 takes place on Thursday 26th May, to book a place or for more information please call 01502 717718.