Karting at swindon

[Moleman]

Karting at swindon Sat 22th March

Here’s the 2014 Inter-Area KARTING Challenge ……… to follow last year’s highly successful day.
Ken Robsons Pissed'n Broke team came first giving B.K.C.C. top spot then the Welsh Border Reivers followed by Tony Sighe and Tom Frankland’s Swindon Skidmarks team was third …………..we had 10 teams and would like to repeat this maximum entry again!

Apart from other Westfield club areas we hope the TVRCC will be there, as well as BKCC?  please Ken -- you are always welcome although we may have to handicap you with weights this year!!!  I will be going with my normal team Rolling Road blocks out again? & see if we can get abit closer to Ken this year? 

VENUE             Hangar C2 Area 1 Hackpen Lane, WROUGHTON AIRFIELD  Nr Swindon, Wilts   
THE TRACK & THE KARTS     The track is unchanged at 550m length (the longest in the South-West!) and this year they have new GT2 270cc SODI Karts with improved chassis and Aero features would you believe – these won’t take off but may look smarter!  Please look at their website and see what you think

FORMAT                  As last year we have opted for the 2 hour Enduro format where we get the track exclusively to ourselves. We get some practice sessions followed by the Enduro competition with team drivers sharing the time. Maximum number of team/karts on the track is 10.
COST                      is unchanged at £135 per team of 4, preferably 5, drivers so £27 to £34 each each team needs to send in their 50% DEPOSIT cheque  to Karen Bartlett -- 50% of £135 say £67 with their booking     www.swindonkarting.co.uk

Once again it will be a fun day and scrape some of the rust off our driving skills. It should be a fun day!!!
Who would like to have a go? You don't need to get a team up unless you want too? There are some good teams but most are as bad as me!    So put your names down now as these spaces go quickly. Your welcome to get friends to join in as well as your spouses if you wish as this is getting popular with the girlfriends as well. 

Who's up for it then?

[Iancider]

Me me me me.  Was that enthusiastic enough?   I'm not going to rely on team blowout this time cos they let me down for the last one but I am a certainty.  Do I need to form a team or can we between us form one?  One more driver is likely if we need one.  Are we forming a list then booking?  What time would it be?  Wifey also willing if there is a girl's team and she is allowed to give hand-signals.

Well done Colin, this one looks good.

Ian

[Krazyken]

I will be there with the Piston Broke team.  This is a very friendly event hosted by our friends from the WSCC and a great way to start the weekend.  Please be aware that it gets very cold in the track area so thermals or under armour type clothing is recommended.

A great event with excellent banter between Colin & I leading up to the event.

[Moleman]

ANYMORE TAKERS FOR THIS THEN?

[Krazyken]

As SWMBO has reminded me, we fly out on holiday later that day and I have to take our fearsome guard dog (small Jack Russell) to the kennels in the morning while she packs. 

This unfortunately means that we will not be there to defend our crown this year but it does mean that the title is wide open this year.  So no excuses not to book it's a great fun event with our friends from the WSCC and a good way to scrape the rust off those driving skills after the winter break.

[Moleman]

Sorry to hear that Ken. 

Does anyone else would like to try this? You will be surprised what fun it is even if you ain't that good! 

We really need to get another team up. We could do with at least another 3 people minimum.

[Iancider]

Moleman could you add a bit of detail please. 

You can have me alone or I could provide some more volunteers if that would help.  Also is this day or evening - I could not see the event posted on their website.  Are we booking directly or as the club?  Sorry many questions....

Ian

['The Gaffer']

Its possible I can step in and help make a team. Last time I did thiis in winter it was llike racing in a cold store. Hopefully a bit warmer this time

[Moleman]

Ian. I know it normally starts about 10am on the saturday morning. I will ring them tomorrow. 

Phil. It is still cold there so gloves & woolly hat & jumper is a must. 

[Moleman]

Really sorry the date has been changed!
It is now 22nd March, saturday morning.

The big bummer is I can't make this. 

If anyone else would like to do this & we can't get enough for a team it won't be a problem as we should be able to get you in a team.
just let me know. 

[Moleman]

Any more for this then? You don't need a team. They are taking individual names to make up teams.

[Iancider]

I'm still up for it

Ian

[Moleman]

The format of the event has changed a bit due to BKCC and other WSCC teams being unable to raise full teams of five drivers -- we have reverted to the below format and anyone is welcome to join in.

It will be £33 to join in & if you are interested let me know & I will give you the details on how to pay.

THE INTER-AREA WSCC KARTING CHALLENGE -- 2014

DATE       SATURDAY 22cnd MARCH 2013
TIME      It's important to arrive on time at 9.15 a.m. for the 10.15 start – we needed to get kitted out and have a drivers briefing before the start.
WHERE   Hangar C2 Area 1 Hackpen Lane, WROUGHTON AIRFIELD
Nr Swindon, Wilts    Tel: 01793 814340 please note that   SatNav won't work so follow the instructions  on their website –see below
WEB      www.swindonkarting.co.uk
COST      £33 each
The 2014 Inter-Area Challenge has had to be altered due to our usual challengers failing to challenge us so we are running in teams of 2 drivers in a one hour format
THE TRACK & THE KARTS   The track is unchanged at 550m length (the longest in the South-West!) and this year they have new GT2 270cc SODI Karts with improved chassis and Aero features would you believe – these won't take off but may look smarter!  Please look at their website and see what you think
FORMAT      This time with lower numbers we have had to go for the 1 hour Enduro format where we get the track exclusively to ourselves. We get some practice sessions followed by the Enduro competition with team drivers sharing the time.
FOOD         The format changed last year to their in-house hot food bar – pretty satisfactory if you choose and place your order in time for the end of the Enduro session.
TROPHY      Naturally enough the winning team will be awarded an astounding trophy to cherish!

[Iancider]

I'm still on for it and will confirm another driver tomorrow I believe - will make my arrangement directly with Andrew.

[Krazyken]

Enjoy the event chaps and do us proud.  BKCC for the podium!

[Iancider]

Booked - and I roped-in another driver!

[Moleman]

Nice one. you will really enjoy it. 

[Iancider]

Well, we had a lovely day at the Swindon carting today.  I am posting a little late because my arms are so tired that I could not raise them to the keyboard!  Racing in a Hangar on a disused airfield was quote an experience in its own right - it was like something mothballed from the Cold War.  And yes it was a bleak spot out there. 

It was a good track.  We started off with a qualifier and I was placed at the back of the grid and I am pleased to say I managed to hold on to that even after an hour - even though some people kept trying to push past.  Some of them even tried to ram me really hard to get me out of the way.  I got boarded a couple of times for driving too fast but I was already at the back.  So I tried weaving a lot and that seemed to slow everybody else up too.  Some even tried parking in the tyres for a rest. 

There were a couple of young lads zipping around as you would expect from those with a profile no wider than a piece of string.  But expereince did win over and pole position was taken by the older generation. 

Thanks to Andew Reeves at Westfield Sportscar Club for organising this and to Colin for making it happen - especially as he could not come.  I took some pictures but my applogies for the poor quality because the light was really low.  I got a picture of the winners rostrum which was lucky because I would not have got that shot if I had been faster.

I start with a star.  I didn't realise Stig was so small or that he was only six.  Look at him carefully, he is very fast and a likely F1 champion - he was seriously fast.

[Moleman]

Nice one Ian. I would have liked to have gone.
I had problems getting out of the kart last time I was there as my arms were too week. 

['The Gaffer']

Nice one Ian