SUPER ONE KARTING // ROUND 2 @ SHENINGTON

This weekend saw the UK's premier short circuit karting championships arrive at Shenington for the second round of the 2009 season. In the UK the MSA Super One Championships have been the breeding ground of nearly all of the British motorsport heroes for the last 27 years. Neil Tozer made the journey to the Oxfordshire circuit to keep us all here at CTD up to speed with the latest band of future UK circuit racing stars.

The day saw a superbly organised event along with some thrilling racing as usual, in this one of the most competitive and exciting forms of motorsport there is. Taking the spoils in the two Main MSA Championships with a double win each were Jake Dennis in KF3 and Ben Cooper in KF1... [read more]

Shenington Circuit is the furthest south that the UK S1 Championship will travel this year and has been in existance since 1960 shortly after Karting was born in the UK.

Back in 1962 It was the home to a round of the World Karting Championships which at the time was a mini series event with the other two meetings taking place in Italy and the USA.

The circuit itself sits just outside the picturesque village of the same name and is located within a small airfield which was once used famously for test flights of the first jet powered aircraft. Nowadays during calm weather the airfield is used mainly for gliders.

Again just as with Clay Pigeon Kart Circuit in Dorset the 1 kilometer track itself is real challenge, it certainly is not just a series of hairpins and chicanes as with some modern day facilities. The newest part of the circuit which formed an extension in the early 90's is the "Wilkins" complex which is a gloriously flat out right kink (below) into a tight right handed hairpin, just about one of the best palces on any UK kart track to stand and admire the tricky skill of slowing an 80 mph projectile whilst cornering, with in the case of KF3 only rear brakes!!

Renault MSA Formula KF1 British Kart Championship:

KF1 is the pinnacle of direct drive karting in Europe with speeds nudging 85mph from 125cc water called TAG type engines limited to 16000rpm. A lap of the Shenington circuit takes little more than 40 seconds at an average of approximately 54mph so these things are definitely not for the faint hearted. With no suspension other than the tyres sometimes two wheel action is required as 2008 KF1 Super One Champion Mark Litchfield (below) ablly demonstrates through the flat out 80mph approach to Cafe Corner.

Again as in KF3 there was a double winner on Sunday taking both the final victories. Claiming the double was 18 year old Ben Cooper (below) from Gravesend who in 2007 was crowned Formula Rotax European Champion.

Ben who has stepped up to the KF1 class with Strawberry Racing took the flag in both finals after two thrilling races which saw him first emerge victorious from a tremendous battle with Johnaton Walker in final 1 before again taking the win in the second after some great passing moves as others tangled. Litchfield who had looked a little of the pace all weekend upped his game and took a turn at the front in the 2nd final but fell victim to a rather over ambitious move from Richard Bradley which saw the him forced off the circuit resulting in an exclusion from the results for Bradley.

Elliot Burton from Huntingdon (below) produced two consistent drives to take pole for the first final by way of two fifth place finishes in the heats. He maintained the form in the opening final scoring good points with again a 5th but in the 2nd event dropped to 7th at the flag.

Championship leader after the opening round at PFI back in March 16yr old Jordan Lennox-Lamb aboard the Top-Kart (below) failed to live up to his billing with a slightly disapointing performance which saw him only add 82 points towards his 2009 campaign total. Jordan placed 7th and 6th respectively in the two finals.

A slightly "Under the Weather" Johnathan Walker (below) awaits the start of the KF1 2nd Final after pushing Cooper all the way in the previous encounter despite a heavy chest infection.

Final Results:

Final 1:
01. Ben Cooper Tonykart Vortex
02. Jonathon Walker Gillard TM
03. Lee Bell Wright Parilla

Final 2:
01. Ben Cooper Tonykart Vortex
02. Lee Bell Wright Parilla
03. Luke Wright Tonykart Vortex

Renault MSA Formula KF3 British Junior Kart Championship:
Jake Dennis (above) the 2008 BRDC Stars Of Tommorow KF3 Champion took victory in both finals producing a mature drive in the first to come through from 3rd place and avoid any contact while in the 2nd which was restarted twice due to accidents he left it late to snatch the win from Jake Dalton (below) at the chicane with a well executed pass in the last quarter of the race.

The first final saw Sennan Fielding (below) lead away from the line from poleman Alexander Albon. However a mid-race tangle with Alex Walker at the chicane would see Sennan drop down the order and allow Dennis through to take the chequer. 2nd place went to Dalton followed by Albon who took the last podium place.

Final Results:

Final 1:
01. Jake Dennis Topkart TM
02. Sam Blake Octane XTR
03. Jake Dalton Alonso Maxter

Final 2:
01. Jake Dennis Topkart TM
02. Jake Dalton Alonso Maxter
03. Alexander Albon Tonykart TM

ABkC Dunlop Cadet National Championship:

Supporting the main two MSA championships were as usual the Cadet's. The youngest racers of the day ( 8-12yrs ) produced some great slipstreaming action (below) as usual with George Russell and Harry Woodhead initially breaking clear in Final 1 before being caught by the pack. TJ Nelson capitalised as the battle between the two raged at the front and nipped by into 2nd with Russell dropping to fifth temporarily before fighting back to 3rd at the flag.

The 2nd Final was a straight fight between team-mates Nelson and Woodhead (below) Nelson made the running with Woodhead tucked in his slipstream content for the two to make a break from the chasing bunch. Into the last lap and Woodhead made the decisive race winning move into the chicane and duly took the flag for his 2nd win of the day.

Final Results:

Final 1:
01. Harry Woodhead
02. T Nelson
03. George Russell

Final 2:
01. Harry Woodhead
02. T Nelson
03. Max Vaughan

Renault ABkC National KF2 Kart Championships:

Out of the large field of KF2 runners it was Jordan Chamberlain and Shaun Carter that dominated the two finals and now move onto the next round in 1st and 3rd place in the KF2 championship standings respectively.

Final Results:

Final 1:
01. Jordan Chamberlain Tonykart TM
02. Shaun Carter Tonykart TM
03. Mackenzie Taylor Alonso Vortex

Final 2:
01. Jordan Chamberlain Tonykart TM
02. Shaun Carter Tonykart TM
03. Alex Lynn Alonso Vortex

UK MSA Super One Series Class of 2009 (above)

The Series now moves onto Rowrah in Cumbria for the 3rd round on the 6/7th June.

Stay tuned to CTD for more Karting during the year.


Photo/Editorial: Neil Tozer