Junior Grand Prix at Rogue Racing - 2007
6th October:
With Grand Prix leader James Baldwin unable to attend this event - he was racing elsewhere - this had to be Geri's big chance.
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. This event had attracted 11 drivers despite the absence of the Baldwins.
Geri started the first heat in 4th place and managed to get up to 2nd place by the end of the 6 laps. He won the second heat from pole, then proceeded to take the next two heat wins as well from second and third on the grid. Starting the last heat in 5th place, Geri was up to third coming into the last corner with the front three karts all bumper to bumper. The race leader tried to lap the kart in last place but in the ensuing accident Geri managed to sneak through and cross the line in 1st, his fourth consecutive win. This left Geri on 39 points (from 40) after the heats, well clear of Jack Macaulay back on 35 points.
Geri and Jack both comfortable won their semi-finals, but Jack posted a faster lap demoting Geri to second on the grid for the final. Having won five straight races, Geri was confident, but an attempt to overtake Jack round the outside of the first corner saw Geri trapped against the wall and losing a place. A slow start onto the long straight cost him another place and Geri was unable to recover, finishing the final in 4th place but learning a valuable lesson - not to overtake round the outside on the first corner!
Jack Macaulay won the final from Luke Doig and Tom Robilliard, but Geri's form in the heats meant he was the highest point scorer for the day on 52 against Jack's 51 points.
