First Blood for Fitzpatrick

Sam Fitzpatrick got his 2011 Cadet Summer Series campaign off to the best possible start with a stunning display at the opening round of the championship. With Winter Series champion Michael Hughes now concentrating on his Honda Cadet duties things looked like they may be a little easier for young Sam. However, he would still have the ever improving Oliver Grantham to contend with along with the welcome return of Henry Dixon, back after suffering a broken ankle that ruled him out of the 2010 series while leading at the halfway stage.

The opening heat got underway with Dixon charging into an early lead ahead of Grantham with Fitzpatrick making a slow getaway. Cayd Breslin challenged the leaders early on but soon Fitzpatrick was back on pace with them. Grantham dived past Dixon into the lead on lap 4 and was soon followed by Fitzpatrick, who sat behind until lap 7 before executing a well timed lunge into turn 2 to snatch the lead. He then went on to pull out a two second gap and take the chequered flag ahead of Grantham and Dixon.

Heat 2 saw Fitzpatrick starting from pole position and he never looked back, leading from start-to-finish. Behind him Dixon was caught up in an early accident with Harry Weaver but soon set about charging back through the field. He made his way up to third before finding a gap rapidly close in front of him while challenging for second causing him to spin and drop back to sixth. That left Fitzpatrick alone at the front to win again ahead of Grantham with Breslin in third.

The final Heat began with Mitchell Fenn on pole, looking to regain the form that saw him score two consecutive podiums in the Winter Series. He lead them around the first lap before losing out to Dixon midway around lap 2. While trying to retake the lead he spun and was collected heavily by Weaver. Both drivers pulled off the circuit to catch their breath before rejoining the action showing that the Cadet drivers are made of tough stuff! Meanwhile, Grantham had now snatched the lead from Dixon who was falling back into the clutches of Fitzpatrick and Breslin. Some excellent defensive driving would see Dixon hold on to second at the line behind Grantham and ahead of Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick would start the Final from pole with Grantham alongside him on the front row and as in Heat 2 Fitzpatrick dived into a lead that he would never relinquish. Grantham however got a slow start falling down to fourth but was soon challenging Dixon for second. On lap 5 he made his move and set off in pursuit of Fitzpatrick. Dixon wasn’t done though and challenged back on the very next lap but suffered a spin, losing ground but retaining second place. The battle for fifth went all the way to the wire with Callum Goldsmith defending heavily from a recovering Fenn. At the flag it was Fitzpatrick who took the win at close to lap record pace ahead of Grantham with Dixon rounding out the podium. Breslin crossed the line in fourth with Goldsmith just pipping Fenn for fifth. Weaver came home seventh and in the process smashed his personal best lap time by over a second, there is a lot more to come from this young driver.

Fitzpatrick leads the championship at this early stage 12 points clear of Grantham, but there is still a long way to go with many twists and turns in store. To get involved in the Cadet League or for more information call the circuit on 01502 717718.

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