Junior Grand Prix at Rogue Racing - 2007
3rd November:
James Baldwin was back for the race, it was a chance to see if Geri had learned from his error in the final of the previous round.
Once again, the format was the same, 5 heats per drivers, 5 drivers in each heat with the top ten drivers racing over 2 semi-finals, then the top five battling for the final. However, a juniors day during the half term holiday had attracted 40 drivers, and with the extra publicity there was a massive entry of 22 drivers this time.
22 drivers meant 22 heats for each driver to get in his 5 races. Geri amassed 36 points during the five heats winning three of them, James also reached 36 points after the heats giving them both pole position in their respective semi-finals. In the final heat Geri posted a new personal best lap, his first "26" at 26.92. He now knew that pole position in the final would be decided on by fastest lap in the semi final, with James racing first he would know what he had to do. But James did a 26.7 and despite Geri's best efforts, getting faster and faster as he pulled a huge gap from the second place man, he could only managed 26.92 again.
So Geri lined up on the outside of the front row for the second month running, this time with James on pole. Wary of what happened last time out, Geri tucked in behind James from the start and the two of them proceeded to drive off, James ekeing out a small gap. Mid way through the race the pair of them were trading 26s and Geri started to close, but James upped the ante with a series of 26.7s to Geri's string of 26.92s to win the race and the event by 2 seconds with Luke Doig finishing further back in 3rd place.
Geri gained 7 points on Jack Macaulay to move up into 2nd place overall, but with one event left, the gap of 10 points looked to be a big ask. On the plus side, Geri was set a target to be competitive with James by the end of 2007, although he still lost the final, Geri proved he is now James' major competition.
