Dunkeswell Kart Racing Club – Round 3

Dunkeswell’s infamous microclimate lived up to its reputation after a dry Saturday practice evolved into a stormy night which continued into monsoon conditions for race Sunday! The track was inspected and deemed safe, a decision that was revisited on a heat by heat basis and eventually led to the meeting being curtailed after the heats had been run.

With the ever present threat of the meeting having to be abandoned, it was vital to do well in the heats Tom Canning in the Honda Cadet class did just that taking 2 wins. Ryan Luscombe managed to claim heat 2. Jordan Hurman was an ever present threat achieving a second and 2 third places to secure a front row grid for the finals. The Comer Cadets were dominated by 2 drivers, Foster and Ravenscroft with Foster taking 2 wins to Ravenscrofts 1. However, if either wasn’t winning they were coming second and locked out the front row for the finals.

Izaac Channing continued his domination of the Minimax class showing supreme skills in the wet as he drove to 3 straight heat wins. Charlie Cudlip and Sam Stephens did their best to keep him honest and Cudlips 2 second places secured him a front row place next to Channing. The improving Jnr TKM grids saw the same three drivers in the same positions for all 3 heats as Ryan Edwards took all 3 wins with Brandon Patrick and Josh Hopkins finishing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

The Junior Rotax grid was dominated by Peter Saxby and James Moorcroft with Saxby’s 2 wins and a second place securing him pole for the final. Moorcrofts win and 2 top 3 finishes ensured he lined up next to Saxby for the finals. Robbie Galliers’s string of top 4 finishes put him 3^rd overall.

Stewart Baker put all his Dunkeswell experience to good use as he cut through the Senior Max field on his way to two heat wins. Ashley Lewis drove a brilliant heat 2 to secure a rare but well deserved win. However, the forbidding presence of James Clarkson was ever present and his brace of second places and a third secured him a place alongside Baker for the finals. In the Rotax 177’s, Steve James took 2 wins with veteran 177 driver, Rob Knight, taking the 3^rd. Current champion, Darren Lane scored a hat trick of second places to join James on the front row.

As well as it being a normal club round, Dunkeswell was please to be hosting the prestigious NKRA Formula Blue O plate. With many drivers heading to circuit from as far as Scotland it was a shame that the weather didn’t match the hospitality shown to the visitors! In the Junior Blue class, visiting driver, Tommy Leckie took 2 wins with another visitor, Mark Ross taking the win in heat 3. M Gilliland scored an impressive hat trick of 2^nd places whilst the highest placed local driver, Ben Pearson managed to get a 3^rd place in heat 3.

In the Senior Blue class, three names were ever present as Duncan McCleod, Douglas Simpson and Chris Derrick battled the conditions and each other. McCleod came out on top with 2 heat wins to Simpsons 1. However, McCleod’s second place in heat secured him pole. Derrick secured 2 3^rd place finishes and a 2^nd place finish to ensure these three drivers locked out the front of the grid.

By the time all the heats had been run, the conditions were beginning to worsen and the Clerk in consultation with the drivers and circuit management closed the meeting on the grounds of safety. This was unfortunate but entirely the right decision and the finals were awarded on the grid positions earned over the heats. A special thanks need to go to the standby Comp Admin team who did a superb job and an even bigger vote of thanks to the marshal team who braved the conditions stoically and without complaint and without a cosy awning to hide in in between heats!

Final Results and Standings

Honda Cadet

1. 1.Tom Canning
2. 2.Jordan Hurman
3. 3.Ryan Luscombe

Comer Cadet

1. 1.Tommy Foster
2. 2.C Ravenscroft
3. 3.Callum Hunt

Rotax MiniMax

1. 1.Izaac Channing
2. 2.Charlie Cudlipp
3. 3.Sam Stephens

Junior Rotax Max

1. 1.Peter Saxby
2. 2.James Moorcroft
3. 3.Robbie Gallier

Senior Rotax Max

1. 1.Stewart Baker
2. 2.James Clarkson
3. 3.Ashley Lewis

Rotax 177

1. 1.Steve James
2. 2.Darren Lane      
3. 3.Rob Knight

Formula Blue Junior O Plate

1. 1.M Gilliland
2. 2.Tommy Leckie
3. 3.Mark Ross

Formula Blue Senior O Plate

1. 1.Duncan McCleod
2. 2.Douglas Simpson
3. 3.Chris Derrick

Dunkeswell Kart Racing Club Championship Round 2

Round 2 of the club championship enjoyed perfect weather and hosted over 100 drivers with many new faces trying out the South West’s friendliest circuit for the first time. With increased numbers, the club was in a great position to split the cadets to give the Comers and Hondas their own grids.

Tommy Foster stamped his mark on the Comers in heat 1 carving through the field from 4^th on the grid. Lewis Griffiths was battling hard to keep him honest and despite an early lead lost out to Foster on lap 5. Ollie Caldwell was third having started on pole. In heat 2, it was Griffiths who came out on top despite swapping the lead with Foster 3 times over the heat. However, he managed to get past Foster on lap 8 to take the flag. Fosters problems didn’t stop there as Caldwell nipped past to take second leaving Foster in third. Heat 3 saw Foster back on form. Despite dropping to 3^rd he battled through on lap 6 to overhaul Caldwell first before dispatching Griffiths on the last lap to cross the line first and setting the fastest lap of the day with a 55.10. In the final, Foster had a good start and looked to be untroubled until lap 3 when a flying Griffiths came through from 3^rd to take the lead. However, it all went wrong for Griffiths as he was overhauled, first by Foster and then Caldwell. Both these drivers spent a lap welded together before and an error allowed Griffiths back through on lap 9. Foster was quickest to counter Griffiths and a fraught last lap lunge saw him regain the lead to take the final. Griffiths was second with Caldwell third.

In the Hondas, 26 entrants meant it was going to be extremely close and interesting racing. 3 different drivers took heat wins with Tom Canning, Ryan Luscombe and Jordan Hurman all seeing the chequered flag. In heat 1, Canning was kept honest by Hurman who was always ready to pounce on any mistake. Luscombe was also in the thick of it but managed to regain 3^rd on the last lap to take some valuable championship points. Heat 2 saw Luscombe take the lead on lap 5 and hold it to the flag. Again, Hurman was waiting in the wings but had to settle for another second place. Canning demonstrated his driving credentials but making up 12 places to secure 3^rd. Heat 3 saw Hurman finally get his win. The final was a close run thing with all three heat winners battling it out for the win. In the end, it was Hurman from Canning with Luscombe in third. If nothing else, this class is going to be close!

With an increase in the Junior TKM’s the Libre class of Junior Blue, Mini Max and Jnr TKM was looking very healthy. In heat 1, Ben Pearson took all 3 heats in the Jnr Blues, Ryan Edwards did the same in the Jnr TKM class. In the Mini Max class, Izaac Channing took 2 heats with Sam Stephens taking the third. In the finals, novice Jake Taylor upset the order taking the win in Jnr Blue after Pearson succumbed to a mechanical problem. Edwards completed his domination of the Jnr TKM and in Mini Max, Channing demonstrated his improving grip on his new class and his championship intentions to win it.

Robbie Gallier, James Moorcroft and Sam Morgan were the main movers in the first heat of the Junior Rotax class. Gallier and Moorcroft both making up 7 places to take first and second respectively, Morgan made up 3 to take third. In heat 2, Morgan took the win from pole with Lewis Bowles making up all his places to get into second on lap 1 and remained there. In third was Lewis Malin who came from 6^th on the grid to secure third by lap 3. James Moorcroft was back on form in heat 3 in what was a clean but close race. Bowles took another second place with Gallier in third. In the final it was Moorcroft who made the best start and his momentum carried him through to the lead on lap 2 and despite the best effort of Bowles, he managed to hold on to take the win. Bowles secured a hat trick of second places whilst 3 seconds back was Morgan.

The Senior Max grid enjoying its biggest grid of the year gave the crowds some close and hard racing. Heat 1 saw Team Factory Racing secure a historic 1 – 2 as Tyler Weedon got past pole man, Taylor Adams, to take the win. Adams was less than a second behind at the finish. Will Maslin, on his return to Dunks, managed to avoid all the action to take third on lap 7 and hold it to the flag. Chris Davis took the win in heat 2 with James Clarkson, who made up 6 places at the start taking second. Pole man, Maslin who battled hard, managed to retain third. Josh Collings dominated the rerun heat 3 after it was halted due to a mass coming together. Stewart Baker took second and Clarkson third. In the final, Collings made his mark early on to get ahead and stay there. Clarkson, despite a poor start, battled back to make up 4 places to take second with Davis rounding off the podium in third.

The 177 grid was dominated by Colin Davis took 2 heat wins and a second in heat 3. Tom Cook and Carl Watts were second and third respectively in heat 1 whilst in heat 2, it was Watts who secured second with 2011 Champion, Darren Lane, in third. Lane took the win in heat 3 with Davis, who made up 11 places to taking second. Veteran, Rob Knight, showed his vast experience to take third. The final was dominated by pole man, Davis, who was untroubled from lights to flag. Behind him, Carl Watts looked set for second until a mechanical issue caused him to DNF. This elevated Lane to second and a worthy third to Knight.

Ron Shone took all three heat wins and the final in the Senior Blue class as he showed novices, Arthur Thurtle and Mike Ross how to race round Dunkeswell.

Dunkeswell welcomed local legend, Roy Beal, back into the 250 gearbox fold and in heat 1 he duly delivered taking the win. Tom Matthews was second with Ash Goodliffe in third. Matthews took the win in heat 2 with Goodliffe hanging on for second. Beal started third and finished third after pole man, Roger Hearmon, DNF’d due to a mechanical issue. It all went wrong for Beal in heat 3 when a cracked chassis forced him to retire on lap 4. Matthews took his second win of the day with Goodliffe in second and Hearmon in third. The Final was a straightforward affair as with Beal not starting a podium was guaranteed providing you finished! Goodliffe took the flag  and the win (via the pitlane) with Matthews in 2nd after Hearmon succumbed to mechanical problems 1 lap from home.

All in all an outstanding weekends action that has shown Dunkeswell Kart Racing Club to be one of the best places to race or watch motorsport in the South West. For more details please visit www.dunkeswell.com. Next race weekend is 28^th & 29^th April. See you there!

Final Results and Standings:

Comer Cadet

1. 1.Tommy Foster             Zip
2. 2.Lewis Griffiths             Zip
3. 3.Olli Caldwell               Zip

Honda Cadet

1. 1.Jordan Hurman           Project 1
2. 2.Tom Canning               Project 1
3. 3.Ryan Luscombe           Project 1

Junior Blue

1. 1.98Jake Taylor                  Corsa
2. 2.Nathan Booth              CAT
3. 3.Ben Pearson                CRG

Junior TKM

1. 1.Ryan Edwards             Tal-Ko
2. 2.James Chubb               Octane
3. 3.Louis Beavan              

Rotax MiniMax

1. 1.Izaac Channing            Alonso
2. 2.Sam Stephens              Alonso
3. 3.Dominic Shepherd      Tony

Junior Rotax

1. 1.James Moorcroft        Tony
2. 2.Lewis Bowles               Gillard
3. 3.Sam Morgan               Alonso

Senior Rotax

1. 1.Joshua Collings            CRG
2. 2.James Clarkson           Tony
3. 3.Chris Davis                  CRG

Rotax 177

1. 1.Colin Davis                  Tony
2. 2.Darren Lane                Storm
3. 3.Rob Knight                   Redspeed

Senior Blue

1. 1.Ron Shone                   Corsa
2. 2.74Athur Thurtle              AMV
3. 3.37 (N) MikeMac

250 N Gearbox

1. Ash Goodliffe      Anderson  
2. Tom Mathews            
3. Roger Hearmon          Anderson

Dunkeswell Kart Racing Club 2012 Championship Round 1

The 2012 Dunkeswell Club championship kicked off with glorious weather and an impressive entry list of 96 drivers boosted by the NKRA Southern Championship entrants visiting the track (See separate report). First up were the cadets with the Comer class making a welcome return to the circuit. Alex Quinn started the season as he finished the last dominating the heats and final with Tommy Foster and Lewis Griffiths rounding on the podium. In the Honda cadets, Ryan Luscombe was laying down a marker taking two heats with Jordan Hurman taking one. In the final, Luscombe and Hurman were in a class of their own and crossed the line separated by 2 tenths of a second. Hugo Holmes claimed third. The Minimax grid was owned by Sam Stephens who took all 3 heat wins and the final. Ari white kept him honest but could only manage second with Izaac Channing on his Minimax debut claiming third. The Junior Rotax class started 2012 where it left off in 2011 and enjoyed 3 different heat winners with James Johnson, James Moorcroft and Sam Morgan all seeing the chequered flag. In the final, Morgan, from pole, held off Johnson with Moorcroft coming through to take third. With several drivers moving up to seniors and the class enjoying the current and 2 former champions competing, the competition was going to be tough. James Clarkson took an early lead in the championship taking the first 2 heat wins. Peter Rundle demonstrated why he was the 2008 Junior champion by dominating Heat 3 although Clarkson was right behind him. In the final, Clarkson and Rundle were glued together for the 15 laps, with Clarkson holding on for the win. Ollie Beesley rounded off the podium with a solid debut drive as a senior. With no gearbox karts this round, the last class on the grid were the Rotax 177 boys. Tom Cook, Matt Isgrove and, 2011 Champion, Darren Lane all took heat wins. In the last race of the meeting, all three were in contention with Isgrove coming out on top. Lane burst through from 6th to take second and Cook was third. Overall, an excellent start to the season for the South West's premier kart circuit. For more details, check out the club website at www.dunkeswell.com .

Final results and standings

Cadets (Honda)

1. 99 Ryan Luscombe Project One

2. 46 Jordan Hurman Project One

3. 26 Hugo Holmes Zip

Cadets (Comer)

1. 39 Alex Quinn Zip

2. 53 Tommy Foster Zip

3. 25 Lewis Griffiths Zip

Rotax Minimax

1. 24 Sam Stephens Alonso

2. 18 Ari White

3. 22 Izaac Channing Alonso

Junior Rotax

1. 41 Sam Morgan Alonso

2. 35 James Johnson Tony

3. 21 James Moorcroft Tony

Senior Rotax

1. 66 James Clarkson Tony

2. 44 Peter Rundle Maranello

3. 55 Ollie Beesley CRG

Rotax 177

1. 25 Matt Isgrove Tony

2. 28 Darren Lane Storm

3. 87 Tom Cook Storm

Dunkeswell KRC and Lllandow Kart Club have joined forces to bring you the Dragon Challenge 2012. Down load the flyer for more information. If you are looking to try out a new circuit at a reduced price then this could be the thing for you. Both circuits are technical  and flowing providing drivers with a challenging drive.

Alan Turney at Tal-Ko has kindly offered to put up some prize vouchers for TKM drivers competing at Dunkeswell in the 2012 Championship. Subject to numbers (8 minimum) Tal-Ko will provide a prize of £75 for the championship winner, £50 for the class runner up and £25 for the third placed driver. This will be for both Senior and Junior drivers. So get down to Dunks and put yourself in with a chance of being champion and getting a prize to boot!

Dunkeswell KRC has been selected to host the prestigious Blues "O" plate for 2012. This will see an influx of Senior and Junior Blue drivers heading to the circuit for 3 races this year which will be a welcome boost to the club. We look forward to welcoming you all and showing you why Dunks is a great place to race! For more details contact Ron Shone on the details below or via our links page.