Yes a team consisting of current Stock Hatch Champion - Ryan Bensley, group B front runners Pip Hammond and Garry Feakins and Mike Comber, beat 15 teams! This included current GP2 drivers, Porsche Carrera Cup and Renault Clio Cup front runners as well as current Formula Ford, Formula 3, plus Formula Renault and BMW drivers. Red Bull had entered three teams!
In the end, they were narrowly beaten by current University Champions and semi-professionals - Kingston Kart Club, but all 16 teams were very close with only a couple of laps splitting them over the three hour race including 4 driver changes and a fuel stop. (We believe Kingston won as they had one pit stop less by having just three drivers, but the weather was so poor that anything could have been going on.)
To start proceedings, Mike (105) and Ryan (115) were selected out of the 64 competitors to join the 'professionals race'. Mike qualified 4th and Ryan 6th and Mike held 3rd for most of the first half ahead of Oly Milroy until Mikes Rotax Kart had its battery connector drop off! Mike was stopped for half a lap while a mechanic fixed the problem and rejoined in last place, but he still managed to fight his way back to 4th setting the fastest lap in the process.
In the later Pro-Kart 3 hour endurance race, Pip and Garry made the most of the teams half an hour practice time, with Ryan getting in two laps and Mike sneaked in almost a lap after the flag had dropped. Pip did really well and managed to set the 6th fastest qualifying lap, but because most of the quick drivers were going out first Pip as team captain elected Mike to go out first in order to keep the team near the front. (Kart #5)
On the first lap Mike was past two drivers and up into 4th, and on the next lap into third. On the third lap, with the front two 'professional drivers' battling, Mike took them both on the hairpin just before the start finish straight. He had soon opened up a 50 metre lead on a drying track and set the fastest lap, but suddently the clouds burst and Mike was caught out on entering the wet half of the track. Stuck on the kurb, the following five Karts all passed in a train before Mike could recover and then another couple passed as he gained momentum. It took Mike a further 40 minutes of his stint to get the places back as the track started to dry again. Mike pitted first of the front runners and hand over in a marginal 4th place to Pip, hoping to slot back in near the front.
For some unknown reason, Pip was help on the red pit lights for almost half a lap as other Karts trundled past, but he kept his nerve and coped very well, having dropped towards the back. As other drivers swapped, Pip regained track position and eventually regained the 4th slot and after a further 45 minutes when he came in to refuel and to allow Garry out. Poor Garry got stuck in the pits on the red light again. Once more the team was dropped into the middle of the 16 driver pack. To add to his problems, the weather suddenly changed for the worse, and so most drivers found themselves spinning on a regular basis, as slicks on an oily track don't mix.
Garry managed to end his stint in 3rd place and fortunately Ryan made a smooth return to the track in 5th, which he gradually converted to and excellent 2nd. A few more laps and he could have won, but due to the slight delays with the rain, the race was cut short. A fine result for the team and a chance for Mike to mix with a couple of the Stock Hatch front runners. Hopefully some images to follow, but for now try this link. http://www.pixelpowersolutions.co.uk/ and go onto the Daytona albums.
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