VICTORY AT WHILTON MILL

Following a good practice session on Saturday amongst a talented field of drivers, Mike knows that Ash is now putting into practice the natural talent with some of (Mikes) race experience to achieve some solid results.

The plan on Sunday was to gain 10 grid places in each heat or at worst finish in the top three to ensure a good grid position for the final. Heat 1 was 20th to 3rd and a good opener and Heat 2 was also a 14th to 4th drive, so all was going to plan. In the final heat starting in 5th to Mike Ash had the chance to prove a point so by this stage only a victory would suffice and Ash duly came up with the goods.

The tactics in the heats were simple, keep out of trouble at the start and then pick off a couple each lap with the same two overtaking places identified as being safe with little danger of being pushed off. Ash executed the strategy to perfection.In the final on Sunday, Ash secured pole, so again the plan was kept very simple.Firstly go hard for three laps and try and secure a break from the rest who would hopefully be squabbling over positions.

Assuming there was a 2 or 3 second advantage, the second part was to drive as fast as necessary to keep a buffer.In the heats Ash had been the quickest in every race, so Mike knew that the Kart was working well and that all Ash had to do was to get a safe lead and then protect the Kart by being as smooth and as undemanding as possible.

This wasn't the day to break lap records but to secure a win. Ash drove exactly to plan so Mike and the Ultimate team were delighted with the result.Bring on PFI and fingers crossed another podium.

ASH TAKES 2ND AT ROWRAH AT HIS FIRST VISIT!

Ash collected another podium finish at Rowrah at the weekend.

Mike drove Ash up to Rowrah on Thursday evening, so they could have Friday and Saturday for practice. Mike was very pleased with the two days setting both kart and driver to achieve lap record pace. Ash put the practice to good use with his Sunday podium performance.

Heat one saw Ash starting tenth on the grid and picking up seven places to finish a creditable third. Ash won the second heat having gained a further three places from his original start position of fourth. The third heat Ash started from P2 behind Corby Gormley, a position which he held throughout the heat. The final was almost a re run of heat three. The already successful and experienced and race winner Corby Gormley held Ash in second place with his .43 of a second lead.

Another great result for Ash and after such a long trip, a break now and then Whilton at the end of the month. On this basis Mike says "From now on, at club level anything less than a podium is a poor result. I don't want to tempt fate, but Ash is picking up my tips really well, and having won numerous races and held the lap record myself at Whilton in both Junior TKM and Rotax Max, providing the Kart stays reliable, I hope we will have the edge." A third at PFI, now a second at Rowrah, it would be nice to get the top slot at Whilton.


Pictures will be posted when available until then here is one from the past - winning Super 1 at Whilton in 2006 in TKM on my ARC Two wheeler :-

ASH - ROWRAH TESTING THIS FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY

Mike looks forward to the run up to Cumbria this week as it brings back happy memories of winning the National Schools Titles there in 2005, a podium there in Super 1 TKM in 2003 and a top 6 in Junior Max in 2004. In 2006 he bettered those in the exciting Super 1 TKM rounds. Mike won having carved out a massive lead but then having to defend hard over the last lap from Fiske as his tyres went off. In 2007 Mike had engine problems in the Motors TV round having entered the meeting leading the series, but made amends a few weeks later in the Super 1 meeting setting the fastest lap and running in the top three until a stone broke his chain in the final when a podium seemed certain. Mike says ' I have had plenty of track time here with a lot of success and I hope Ash will benefit for my experience. There is plenty of video footage of my races and I will use those to point out the overtaking points to Ash, who has the raw speed to win, but with under a year of top level racing, still needs to plan his attacks in a controlled and calculating manner'.

ASH - AN EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AT PFI AS PREDICTED

Excellent work by Ash in the heats meant a second row grid in the Final. Here is Mike offering some last minute advice while buckling Ash's helmet. In the end Ash finished an excellent 4th, behind two top seeded drivers and won his first prize of the season, in a very strong Mini-Max field. With a busy extended weekend of testing at Rowrah coming up next, things are looking up for the young Coventry driver as he heads into Stars as the Rookie to watch! Mike said 'He was very proud to be part of Ash's success and they are working very well together'.

Mike said,'The first of many trophies we hope. If Ash keeps listening to me and concentrating on his overtaking moves, there is no reason why this shouldn't be a regular feature of our weekend'.

Mike detailing the approach at the start and Ash taking it all in with great aplom.