Saturday practice was just like a month ago with Ash being the quickest on the stop watch. All was looking promising for Sunday, but again the weather forecast was hopelessly wrong, and the predicted rain never arrived.
The first of the heats at Whilton on Sunday, went far better than expected. As always Mike said to Ash to make 10 places and with Ash starting twenty third on the grid he doubled that to make 3rd. Following the rolling start Ash managed to capitalise on an incident ahead of him going into the first corner and a concerted effort with some masterful overtaking saw him claw his way up twenty places by the time the chequered flag went out. For once a stroke of luck at the subsequent scrutineering meant that the kart that finished ahead of him was disqualified from the heat for being underweight, thus promoting Ash into second place.
The grid positions for Heats 2 and 3 saw Ash drawn at tenth, although by the start of the second heat. Again Ash drove a skillful heat, pulling himself into third place by the final lap. Unfortunately when dropping down into Ashby bend on the final lap Ash took a line into the corner and exerted his authority to steal second place, but as the two karts exited the bend they came together Ash being impacted to the rear left corner, lifting the rear of his kart and the heavy landing distorting his axle. Unfortunately, the other kart involved spun out and was then further involved with the following karts making the contact look more severe than it was. Ash managed to make the finish line and take second place despite the bent axle.
An unsuccessful protest was lodged regarding the incident at the end of heat 2, and at that time it was found that an administrative error had resulted in Ash not being correctly signed on that morning for the meeting. In accordance with the MSA rulebook Ash had to be excluded from the meeting by the Clerk of the Course, so that bought about the premature end of the days racing. An unfortunate end to what promised to be another exceptional meeting for Ash.
Mike said that "Ash had bounced back from his disappointment at PFI the previous week and was convinced that another podium was a probable outcome as both the Kart and Ash were as quick as anything out there. It's PFI again this weekend and providing there are no administrative hic-ups, lets plan for another podium for Ash".
The first of the heats at Whilton on Sunday, went far better than expected. As always Mike said to Ash to make 10 places and with Ash starting twenty third on the grid he doubled that to make 3rd. Following the rolling start Ash managed to capitalise on an incident ahead of him going into the first corner and a concerted effort with some masterful overtaking saw him claw his way up twenty places by the time the chequered flag went out. For once a stroke of luck at the subsequent scrutineering meant that the kart that finished ahead of him was disqualified from the heat for being underweight, thus promoting Ash into second place.
The grid positions for Heats 2 and 3 saw Ash drawn at tenth, although by the start of the second heat. Again Ash drove a skillful heat, pulling himself into third place by the final lap. Unfortunately when dropping down into Ashby bend on the final lap Ash took a line into the corner and exerted his authority to steal second place, but as the two karts exited the bend they came together Ash being impacted to the rear left corner, lifting the rear of his kart and the heavy landing distorting his axle. Unfortunately, the other kart involved spun out and was then further involved with the following karts making the contact look more severe than it was. Ash managed to make the finish line and take second place despite the bent axle.
An unsuccessful protest was lodged regarding the incident at the end of heat 2, and at that time it was found that an administrative error had resulted in Ash not being correctly signed on that morning for the meeting. In accordance with the MSA rulebook Ash had to be excluded from the meeting by the Clerk of the Course, so that bought about the premature end of the days racing. An unfortunate end to what promised to be another exceptional meeting for Ash.
Mike said that "Ash had bounced back from his disappointment at PFI the previous week and was convinced that another podium was a probable outcome as both the Kart and Ash were as quick as anything out there. It's PFI again this weekend and providing there are no administrative hic-ups, lets plan for another podium for Ash".
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