Junior Grand Prix at Rogue Racing - 2009
3rd October:
Just 13 entrants for the October Grand Prix event. Somewhat worryingly, during the practice session (in kart 18) Geri looked well out of sorts, unable to leave the following kart behind. Would this be an indication of the morning ahead?
Heat one, Geri on pole from Alex Milton, Sam Conn, Luke Doig, Harry Macaulay and Matthew Hopcraft. The lights went green, Geri stood on the accelerator pedal, and.....nothing. A big delay before his kart pulled away allowing Luke (starting 4th) to just drive round Geri and the others and take the lead. Worse was to come, in a gaggle of karts fighting their way out of the first corner, Harry moved up from 5th past Geri into 2nd place. Half a lap gone and Geri had already lost two places. On the second lap Geri was pushed into the back of Harry at the end of the top straight, overtook him coming down the ramp and then was hit and shoved into the wall. The red light came on and the race was stopped. Geri had hurt his leg and banged his crash helmet against the steering wheel. By the time the red light came on, Luke had almost completed the lap and everyone else was just getting by Geri who was now last. From the restart, Geri was shown the black flag even though he had been shoved into the wall, so it was definitely race over for him. He came into the sin bin, and was almost a lap down on 5th as he was released. Luke went on to win by 15 seconds with best lap of 27.94s from Harry (28.96), Matthew (29.07), Sam (29.36), Alex (29.49) and Geri (28.69). Geri had closed up to just 2 seconds adrift of Alex, another lap would have gained a position. But only 3 points from race 1 (and his pole starting position) meant Geri was in for a tough day.
Heat two - Matthew Hopcraft on pole from Michael Langran, Jordan Donegan, Harry Macaulay and newcomer Henry Rutherford. Henry was a spinner on the first corner, the front four broke away in a very close battle with much squabbling over places. Positions were changing all through the race which finished with a win for Jordan (28.25) from Matthew (27.87), Michael (28.24), Harry (29.44) and Henry (a lap down, 30.89).
Heat three, and Geri's chance to redeem his position. Henry Rutherford on pole from last time out winner Daniel Truman, Geri, Alex Milton and Callum Bradley. Geri had another slow start and fell to 4th going up the ramp, and down to 5th place at the hairpin at the end of the top straight. It really didn't look like being Geri's day at all. A spinner at the hairpin on lap 2 allowed Geri to get back into 3rd place, another yellow light on lap 3. Daniel was leading while Geri was having difficulty passing 2nd placed Alex., but as they came across the start-finish line on lap 4, Geri moved inside Alex and up into 2nd place, but 3 seconds behind Daniel. Another spin for Henry on lap 6 brought on the yellows again and Daniel and Geri lapped Henry as he was placed back on the track. By lap 8 Geri had caught up with Daniel and they were now running nose to tail which continued until the final lap when Geri took the lead. Geri (27.69 - new FTD) won by just 1 length from Daniel (28.37), Alex (29.07), Callum (28.34) and Henry (32.36). Interestingly Henry was 1.5 seconds slower in this heat than his previous heat, now running kart 23, the one Geri had in heat one.
Heat four, Callum Bradley on pole from Ben Sissons, Matthew Hopcraft, Alex Milton, Michael Langran and Will Barker. Ben spun on lap one blocking the track giving Callum almost a whole lap lead under the yellow light while karts were moved. Will had already moved up to 4th with Michael also passing Alex. Matthew passed Ben on lap 4 to move into second place, Will got by Ben on lap 5 to take 3rd. Alex and Michael were now in close combat over 4th place as Ben dropped to 6th. Callum (28.63) won the race by 8 seocnds from Matthew (27.70) who in turn was 7 seconds clear of Will (28.20), with 4th placed Alex (29.71) another 7 seconds back. Matthew (28.72) came 5th with Ben (31.81) finishing a lap down.
Heat five, Will Barker on pole from Luke Doig, Henry Rutherford, Michael Langran, Daniel Truman and Sam Conn. Will and Luke broke away to lead by 2 seconds after just one lap, but on lap 2 Luke passed Will down the top straight into 1st place. Daniel was closing in on Will but 4th to 6th karts had already fallen back. Henry spun on lap 3 and Daniel moved up on Will under the yellow lights. By lap 6, Luke was 5 seconds ahead while Daniel had yet to find a way past Will. Sam and Michael were jostling for 4th place. Luke lapped Henry on lap 8, Michael past Sam into 4th place on lap 9 and on the final lap Daniel past Will along the straight. Luke (28.05) won by 8 seconds from Daniel (28.35), Will (29.09), Michael (28.45), Sam (29.38) and Henry (29.95). After five heats, 10 drivers had run two or more heats, and Geri was down in 8th!
Heat 6, Sam Conn on pole from Harry Macaulay, Callum Bradley, Daniel Truman, Ben Sissons and Jordan Donegan. On the first lap, Harry had fallen to 4th and Ben was already some way back in 6th place while the front five ran together. Harry had a spin on lap three and now it was a 4 kart train up front, the train catching up with Ben as early as lap 5. Daniel fell back with Sam, Callum and Jordan lapping Ben on lap 6. In a frantic final couple of laps Callum took the lead from Sam, Jordan fell to 4th before reclaiming 3rd. Callum (29.03) won from Sam (29.28), Jordan (28.94), Daniel (28.56), Harry (29.58) and Ben (33.64). One heat to go and Geri was now down in 11th place!
And worse still, Geri would start the final heat from last! Jordan Donegan on pole from Will Barker, Ben Sissons, Luke Doig (who had won both heats so far) and Geri. A more normal "Geri start" had him up into 3rd place by the first corner as Luke got trapped by Ben and Geri passed them both. Coming down the bottom straight on the first lap, Geri overtook Jordan and moved into second place behind Will who had got the better of Jordan from the start. Lap 3 and Geri was in the lead, passing Will along the top straight. Ben spun on lap 4 just as Geri came up to lap him. Geri had taken a 4 second lead while Luke and Jordan were trying to get past Will. Luke finally bumped his way past Will on lap 7, Geri lapped Ben again on lap 9 as he spun again. Geri (27.77) won by 5 seconds from Luke (27.98), Will (27.98), Jordan (28.47) and Ben (32.12).
So after the heats, the points ran Luke 23, Callum 21, Matthew 20, Geri 19, Jordan 19, Daniel 19, Geri being in 4th by virtue of best lap time (he still held FTD). With only 13 drivers starting, all but Ben Sissons would race in a semi final.
Semi final 1: Luke Doig on pole from Matthew Hopcraft, Jordan Donegan, Will Barker, Sam Conn and Alex Milton. Alex and Sam collided coming out of the first corner but were able to get going again. Another yellow light incident on lap 2 saw Luke break free with the track blocked behind him. Luke now had a 10 second lead over Matthew, Will, Jordan, Alex and Sam. Alex span on lap 6 allowing Sam to move up into 5th place, Luke lapped Alex during the yellow light period while Alex's kart was being righted. On lap 7, Matthew set a new FTD (by 0.01s) chasing after Luke (who was struggling with kart 23). Alex span again on lap 8, Luke was now just 7 seconds ahead of Matthew, a gap which was down to 5 seconds by lap 11. Will was holding off Jordan some 8 seconds behind Matthew, while Alex span again on the final lap bringing on the yellow light almost to the finish. Luke (29.06) won from Matthew (27.68), Will (28.03), Jordan (28.37), Sam (29.39) and Alex (29.39).
Semi final 2: Callum Bradley on pole from Geri, Daniel Truman, Harry Macaulay, Michael Langran and Henry Rutherford. But Geri in kart 23 which appears to be a bit slow?
Geri moved straight across to the inside behind Callum to cover the move from Daniel, but Callum was pulling away from Geri. Daniel was right with Geri by lap 3 and they spent the last 10 laps with Daniel bumping away and trying to pass Geri at every opportunity. Geri was defending with everything he had, his kart plainly slower down the straight than Callum's. On lap nine, Daniel got inside Geri and they ran for almost half a lap side by side as Geri refused to give up the place. Daniel was shown the warning board. Callum lapped Henry on lap 10, Geri and Daniel got by Henry shortly after, Daniel was unable to pass Geri while doing so. Callum (28.13) won the semi final from Geri (28.51), Daniel (28.44), Harry (28.78), Michael (28.68) and Henry (30.33).
The final - and the grid positions decided using fastest lap times of the day rather than the semi final lap times. A small difference, but it cost Callum pole. Geri was due out in kart 23 again but he asked the marshals to have it withdrawn as it was plainly slower than the rest.
So, Luke Doig on pole from Callum Bradley, Matthew Hopcraft, Geri, Will Barker and Daniel Truman. Geri moved past Matthew into 3rd coming down the ramp on lap 1. Callum got past Luke on lap 3 at the end of the top straight, coming along the bottom straight on the same lap, Geri got by Luke to take second place. Callum and Geri were running together and slowly pulling away from Luke and Callum looked in control. But on lap 8, Geri cut inside coming down the ramp and took the lead. On lap 9 Geri lowered the FTD (by another 0.01) but on the final lap he set a decisive FTD at 27.46 as he won by 3 seconds from Callum (27.88), Luke (28.21), Matthew (27.81), Will (27.75) and Daniel (27.79).
Geri's score of 34 points is one of his two lowest so far this season so will be dropped unless he scores even lower in the remaining two rounds. However, he has now ammassed 448 points to Luke's 416. Taking Luke's two lowest scores away gives him 352 points which means that even if Geri misses the final two rounds and Luke scores maximum points, the score would still be 448-432. So Geri has won the 2009 Rogue Racing Junior championship with two rounds to spare! Luke looks to be safe in 2nd place while Jordan has to be favourite to finish 3rd overall.
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