Honda Cadet event at Rye House - 2011

3rd April:
Geri approached this event with some trepidation. He had not been as successful as we had hoped when he first started racing outdoors, and we didn't really know why. Certainly his kart set-up left a lot to be desired - and we are still amazed at just unready for racing a brand new kart is when purchased from the most well-known UK kart manufacturer. Maybe that is naievity on our part, maybe they should offer a support package for newcomers to the sport?

Anyway, we were hoping that 6 hours spent with Steve Cutting a fortnight earlier would show dividends. If we knew when we arrived at the track what we knew later, we might well have stayed in bed!

Right from the off it was going to be one of those days. At the drivers' briefing, someone asked why grid slots for Honda Cadets were drawn rather than derived from timed qualifying. I guess on the face of it, it was a fair quesyion, the point being that a newly qualified driver might suddenly find himself on pole for his first non-novice race and be scared witless. Geri was placed third in his first non-novice race and all but let everyone by going into the first corner. But being a newcomer to karting, we have assumd that grid draws is the way it is done, and we also noticed that the Comer Cadet class were happy to stay as they were. We did sign a paper supporting the change, but only because such a change required 100% support and we didn't really mind either way. I can't see that anything will change before 2012 as such a change now would require a new chmapionship starting next month, with newly ratified regs (with the MSA) which costs money. On the other hand, missing the first couple of rounds would not disadvantage Geri if they start again. Time will tell next month.

We sent Geri out for the three qualifying laps - allegedly untimed - but they were timed (and as a result a computer error led to incorrect standings being issued, since corrected). We didn't know at the time, but Geri's best lap while being the second slowest of 26 drivers, was only 2.05 seconds off the fastest time. That was a lot closer than Geri usually managed. On the down side, he was complaining that he felt ill, he felt sick and had a headache, and this was getting progressively worse. We gave him medication, but it wasn't acting quick enough - as the first heat approached, he was feeling worse and worse and had to be coaxed to even give it a go.

Heat 1:
Geri had a good position for the first heat, having been drawn 7th on the grid. We had been working on his confidence and despite the way he felt, it worked. He got a good start, kept his foot in and came out of the first corner having gained a place, he was up into 6th. We felt encouraged by this, every previous race he has just rolled over in the first corner and let everyone by.

A good start, but 2 karts got by going into the first hairpin, other passed Geri down the straight just before the start-finish line, so at the end of the first lap, Geri was 9th. We could see he was trying to take Stadium (the first corner) too fast, which was compromising his exit and run down to the hairpin - sure enough 2 more karts passed Geri at the hairpin on lap 2, and another down the main straight. So 12th at the end of lap 2, but still looking lke he belonged out there, just suffering a couple of mistakes coming out of Stadium. Lap 3 was much better, Geri held his own and was already running in the 44s. What we couldn't tell was how he was feeling inside the kart - coming into Pylon on lap 4 he slowed, let some karts by and came into the pits to retire. He was feeling sick and dizzy. he was very upset, he went on to say the kart was the best it has ever been, he just couldn't stay out on track any longer.

So, DNF and 25th place from heat 1!

Heat 1 – Honda Cadet – 03/04/11

Position Kart No Driver Name Laps Race Time Time Behind Best Time Best Lap No

1 53 Jordan BROWN-NUTLEY 10 07:03.58 0:41.90 7

2 71 William TREGURTHA 10 07:07.77 0:04.19 0:42.21 6

3 66 William WOODS 10 07:08.85 0:05.27 0:42.22 9

4 51 Ben SCOTT 10 07:08.99 0:05.41 0:42.24 9

5 58 Matthew HAYDEN 10 07:09.76 0:06.18 0:42.34 6

6 98 Harrison HUGGAN 10 07:09.85 0:06.26 0:42.40 10

7 33 Thomas ROW 10 07:10.08 0:06.50 0:42.44 9

8 81 Dylan FROST 10 07:10.30 0:06.72 0:42.43 9

9 54 Uzair MASTER 10 07:10.49 0:06.91 0:41.87 7

10 90 Ryan GILLESPIE 10 07:12.06 0:08.48 0:42.33 5

11 22 Rory HUDSON 10 07:12.62 0:09.04 0:42.40 10

12 24 Alfie HARALAMBOUS 10 07:17.34 0:13.76 0:42.62 5

13 99 James BECKWITH 10 07:17.66 0:14.07 0:42.85 5

14 41 Jonathan CAMPBELL 10 07:17.83 0:14.25 0:42.56 6

15 56 Richard CRISP 10 07:18.39 0:14.81 0:42.41 10

16 74 Nicholas FIGURADO 10 07:19.59 0:16.01 0:42.72 8

17 57 Keaton SAMRA 10 07:19.93 0:16.34 0:42.74 8

18 18 Danny HARRISON 10 07:25.14 0:21.56 0:43.40 5

19 23 Ronan GRAVES 10 07:27.61 0:24.03 0:43.79 4

20 46 Josh STEED 10 07:28.30 0:24.72 0:43.52 4

21 88 Jack CHAPMAN 10 07:35.88 0:32.30 0:43.68 4

22 78 Kieran WELSH 10 07:38.28 0:34.70 0:44.28 9

23 20 Joel OSWICK 6 04:33.02 -3:29.43 0:43.74 4

24 40 Thomas O'REGAN 6 07:44.22 0:40.64 0:44.13 3

25 50 Geri NICOSIA 3 02:16.65 -5:13.06 0:44.84 2

26 16 Lochlan BEARMAN 2 01:29.57 -6:25.99 0:42.66 2

Download Heat 1 Race Results in PDF Format

Heat 2:
The medication was working, after a nap in the back of the truck, Geri figured he might as wll have another try despite still being far from right. Another 7th place starting point meant he could try again from the same place as before. Geri made another good start, not losing any places through Stadium and he had heeded the warning about going too fast and compromising his exit - he was still 7th into the hairpin and down to the second hairpin where it all went wrong. Geri was tapped from behind into a spin, 4 other karts hit him while stationary, the last kart on the track came round the corner oblivious to yellow flags and smacked hard into Geri's side pod. The pod wedged against the back tyre so even though the engine was still running, the kart would not move. Geri was luckily unhurt but his rib protector bears scrapes on both sides proving its worth. The upshot was another DNF after a long red flag period while both drivers were checked out and karts retrieved.

We took the kart back to our truck to survey the damage - the side bar was bent and the pod jammed into the wheel. We removed both and compared the bar to the other side, only bent by a few mms but we could see the tabs where the pod fitted were out of shape, pulling these back into place improved things, but still the pod fouled the rear tyre - nothing taking a hacksaw to the rear edge of the pod couldn't fix!

So, back to scrutineering, we were fairly sure the rear axle wasn't bent and they agreed. But just when we thought our day couldn't get any worse, the scrutineer noticed that Geri's Bell helmet did not conform to 2011 regs! A ne reg is in place for lighter helmets for this year, we had assumed that it would be alright because a) it was a very expensive helmet so would be OK, and b) it was passed in the morning scrutineering! They were very good about this, the kart had been repaired satisfactorily to race again and they said they would allow Geri to continue with the helmet for the rest of today, but he would need a new one next time. This racing lark just gets more and more expensive!

On a separate note, later in the race, kart 46 spun and stopped roun Pylon. We were dismayed to see that despite the frantically waved yellow flags at the entrance to Pylon, and more frantic waving of the marshal trying to rescue him, kart after kart came round the corner flat out and a few piled into the stricken kart. We didn't hear a mass call of drivers to see the Clerk of the Course, but being young kids is no excuse for ignoring/not seeing flags. Both Geri earlier, and the driver of 46 could easily have been hurt because other drivers were not paying correct attention!

Heat 2 – Honda Cadet – 03/04/11

Position Kart No Driver Name Laps Race Time Time Behind Best Time Best Lap No

1 54 Uzair MASTER 10 07:06.21 0:41.99 7

2 53 Jordan BROWN-NUTLEY 10 07:06.29 0:00.08 0:41.64 6

3 81 Dylan FROST 10 07:07.87 0:01.66 0:42.10 6

4 66 William WOODS 10 07:09.20 0:02.99 0:41.88 8

5 16 Lochlan BEARMAN 10 07:09.47 0:03.27 0:41.81 7

6 71 William TREGURTHA 10 07:10.59 0:04.38 0:42.00 7

7 98 Harrison HUGGAN 10 07:10.96 0:04.75 0:42.18 8

8 56 Richard CRISP 10 07:11.27 0:05.07 0:41.84 8

9 51 Ben SCOTT 10 07:11.37 0:05.16 0:41.70 8

10 99 James BECKWITH 10 07:13.39 0:07.19 0:42.38 6

11 41 Jonathan CAMPBELL 10 07:13.55 0:07.34 0:42.22 7

12 58 Matthew HAYDEN 10 07:13.65 0:07.44 0:42.08 8

13 90 Ryan GILLESPIE 10 07:13.83 0:07.62 0:42.26 7

14 33 Thomas ROW 10 07:15.87 0:09.66 0:42.11 8

15 24 Alfie HARALAMBOUS 10 07:16.37 0:10.16 0:42.08 8

16 22 Rory HUDSON 10 07:21.72 0:15.51 0:42.42 5

17 23 Ronan GRAVES 10 07:22.78 0:16.58 0:43.31 6

18 78 Kieran WELSH 10 07:28.74 0:22.54 0:43.55 7

19 57 Keaton SAMRA 10 07:28.96 0:22.75 0:43.13 8

20 88 Jack CHAPMAN 10 07:32.01 0:25.80 0:43.85 5

21 20 Joel OSWICK 10 07:41.05 0:34.85 0:43.73 7

22 18 Danny HARRISON 10 07:41.24 0:35.03 0:42.86 5

23 46 Josh STEED 7 05:18.79 -2:12.58 0:43.83 5

24 74 Nicholas FIGURADO 1 0:49.49 -7:43.28 0:49.49 1

DNS 50 Geri NICOSIA 0 0:00.86 -8:54.65 0:00.00 0

DNS 40 Thomas O'REGAN 0 0:01.65 -8:55.44 0:00.00 0

Download Heat 2 Race Results in PDF Format

Heat 3:
We cut things pretty fine, we just got passed by the scrutineers as the grid for Honda Cadets was called. This heat was more about trying to get some track time and hoping Geri could complete a race as much as his kart. This time he started back in 16th place, but as the karts came round to the rolling start, it all went wrong again. From our vantage point at Stadium, we saw the kart in front of Geri become involved in an accident and tip up onto its side, all in slow motion. As the kart started to go past the vertical, the driver (we think it was Thomas Row who used to race with Geri in Aylesbury) climbed out. It all happened so slowly the marshals on the start line were able to prevent the kart from toppling right over. And then we noticed Geri parked right behind Thomas' kart, pointing exactly the opposite direction! Luckily the race was quickly red flagged, we went over to check Geri - his kart was fine, he just spun avoiding the kart in front. Both Geri and Thomas were allowed to rejoin the group who had been stopped on the track at Pylon where they were put back in grid order for a restart.

Geri did OK on the restart but managed to lose one place, but in a battle for position on lap two he was slowed and lost four more places, dropping him back to 21st. He was giving chase to Kieran Walsh in kart 78, and slowly but surely the gap was coming down. One of the things Steve expressed to Geri a couple of weeks ago was that if you catch up with someone, you are going faster, therefore you should be able to overtake them quickly. This was as a result of Geri catching someone much slower while testing, then following him round for a few laps while other karts then caught up and passed them both. Geri learned the lesson that day, following the kart into Stadium next session Geri had passed the kart before the corner doubled back.

But try as he may, Geri wasn't making a move into Stadium stick and the karts behind him were gaining on the pair of them. Geri lost patience on lap 9, he came out of Stadium and stayed tight to the left down to the hairpin passing Kieran on the inside, but then being repassed on the exit. To add insult to injury, kart 18 took advantage of Geri's slow exit and passed both karts - nett one place lost but a valuable lesson learned.

Geri finished 22nd, within a second of the two karts in front and he knew he had thrown away a place or two. But on the plus side, lap times were coming down and he was into the 43s, just 2 seconds adrift of fastest lap.

Heat 3 – Honda Cadet – 03/04/11

Position Kart No Driver Name Laps Race Time Time Behind Best Time Best Lap No

1 66 William WOODS 10 07:02.70 0:41.75 5

2 51 Ben SCOTT 10 07:04.03 0:01.32 0:41.96 8

3 53 Jordan BROWN-NUTLEY 10 07:06.00 0:03.29 0:41.73 9

4 54 Uzair MASTER 10 07:06.48 0:03.77 0:41.80 10

5 16 Lochlan BEARMAN 10 07:06.71 0:04.01 0:42.00 9

6 22 Rory HUDSON 10 07:08.23 0:05.53 0:42.15 9

7 56 Richard CRISP 10 07:08.70 0:06.00 0:42.15 9

8 41 Jonathan CAMPBELL 10 07:08.82 0:06.12 0:42.27 10

9 90 Ryan GILLESPIE 10 07:11.67 0:08.97 0:42.34 10

10 71 William TREGURTHA 10 07:11.79 0:09.09 0:42.02 6

11 81 Dylan FROST 10 07:14.71 0:12.01 0:42.34 10

12 33 Thomas ROW 10 07:14.80 0:12.10 0:42.33 10

13 57 Keaton SAMRA 10 07:15.74 0:13.04 0:42.90 8

14 24 Alfie HARALAMBOUS 10 07:17.23 0:14.52 0:42.48 7

15 58 Matthew HAYDEN 10 07:17.37 0:14.66 0:42.32 8

16 23 Ronan GRAVES 10 07:18.69 0:15.99 0:43.15 4

17 98 Harrison HUGGAN 10 07:18.75 0:16.05 0:42.49 7

18 99 James BECKWITH 10 07:19.16 0:16.46 0:42.27 8

19 74 Nicholas FIGURADO 10 07:19.29 0:16.58 0:42.47 8

20 18 Danny HARRISON 10 07:29.57 0:26.87 0:43.19 4

21 78 Kieran WELSH 10 07:29.64 0:26.94 0:43.88 10

22 50 Geri NICOSIA 10 07:30.42 0:27.72 0:43.83 5

23 20 Joel OSWICK 10 07:31.01 0:28.30 0:43.78 10

24 88 Jack CHAPMAN 10 07:31.40 0:28.69 0:44.24 7

25 46 Josh STEED 10 07:32.02 0:29.31 0:43.90 5

26 40 Thomas O'REGAN 4 06:01.80 -2:59.09 0:44.97 2

Download Heat 3 Race Results in PDF Format

Final:
With two DNFs and a 22nd it was no surprise that Geri started on the back row for the final - in fact it was a surprise that he started 25th rather than 26th, some poor soul was having an even less successful day. He still wasn't feeling his best, but the battle in the last race had him well up for a race this time - and how. On the grid, Kieran was two karts in front of him, starting 21st. We set Geri the target of getting by the novices between them because we needed to not let Kieran get away. And how Geri responded, 25th on the start line, Geri came out of Stadium way up the field and even though faster karts got by over the course of the first lap, Geri completed the lap up 5 places in 20th, on lap 2 he passed kart 20 so he could move up behind Kieran in kart 78. First part of the job done then. A place was lost on lap 6 as the bright yellow kart 16 recovered from his bad start to move past Geri. Kieran had overtaken 88 by now, leaving him two places in front of Geri, but it was all change over the next two laps as Geri moved up two places passing Kieran first, then 88. There was now an 8 kart queue racing bumper to bumper and Geri was leading it. An altercation at the hairpin let Kieran by again on lap 9 as Geri was slowed when being clipped, the other kart spun and fell backwards in the group. But Geri wasn't going to give up easily and managed to hold off the karts lined up behind him and repass Kieran on lap 11. Kart 18 who had started 19th came up behind Geri and tried hard to pass him - time after time he got inside Geri at the hairpin but with a compromised line, could not stop Geri pulling back passed on the run down to the next corner. The pace of these two was hotting up and the line of karts behind started to drop back - it was just Geri and Danny (18) battling for position. The last two laps there was barely a gap between them, especially through the section from Pylon to the start of the ain straight. But Geri held his nerve to keep 18th place (from 26) by just 7/100ths of a second. This will do wonders for his confidence, he was like the Geri of old, making zero mistakes under pressure.

A-Final – Honda Cadet – 03/04/11

Position Kart No Driver Name Laps Race Time Time Behind Best Time Best Lap No

1 53 Jordan BROWN-NUTLEY 16 11:15.38 0:41.78 15

2 66 William WOODS 16 11:15.46 0:00.08 0:41.81 7

3 51 Ben SCOTT 16 11:17.42 0:02.04 0:41.92 12

4 71 William TREGURTHA 16 11:17.62 0:02.24 0:41.86 9

5 54 Uzair MASTER 16 11:19.43 0:04.06 0:41.73 7

6 58 Matthew HAYDEN 16 11:22.48 0:07.11 0:41.94 9

7 56 Richard CRISP 16 11:22.62 0:07.24 0:41.98 8

8 33 Thomas ROW 16 11:22.81 0:07.44 0:41.85 8

9 41 Jonathan CAMPBELL 16 11:22.94 0:07.56 0:42.19 8

10 90 Ryan GILLESPIE 16 11:27.88 0:12.50 0:42.32 15

11 24 Alfie HARALAMBOUS 16 11:28.22 0:12.85 0:42.31 15

12 74 Nicholas FIGURADO 16 11:28.80 0:13.42 0:42.46 10

13 99 James BECKWITH 16 11:29.11 0:13.74 0:42.38 11

14 16 Lochlan BEARMAN 16 11:29.24 0:13.87 0:42.20 10

15 57 Keaton SAMRA 16 11:29.88 0:14.51 0:42.45 11

16 22 Rory HUDSON 16 11:39.92 0:24.54 0:42.42 14

17 98 Harrison HUGGAN 16 11:41.44 0:26.07 0:42.39 16

18 50 Geri NICOSIA 16 11:53.81 0:38.43 0:43.64 14

19 18 Danny HARRISON 16 11:54.14 0:38.77 0:43.20 8

20 23 Ronan GRAVES 16 11:54.98 0:39.60 0:43.29 16

21 78 Kieran WELSH 16 11:57.72 0:42.35 0:44.02 13

22 20 Joel OSWICK 16 11:57.80 0:42.42 0:43.90 14

23 88 Jack CHAPMAN 16 11:58.16 0:42.78 0:43.95 13

24 46 Josh STEED 16 11:58.36 0:42.99 0:43.83 15

25 40 Thomas O'REGAN 10 11:58.76 0:43.38 0:43.88 3

Excl 81 Dylan FROST 16 11:15.59 0:00.21 0:41.78 15

Download A-Final Race Results in PDF Format

Now we have a better starting position with the kart set-up, Geri says its the best he's ever driven it. We've still got a lot of time to find, but we can approach testing from a better benchmark and see what changes do. We have a little extra expense before the next round, a new helmet and a new suit as Geri has grown again while we were not looking!

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