The final regular season race of 2016. 14 youth drivers were anxious and ready for their final chance for a points advantage before the semi-finals and finals. But before any of that, RC car time!
After the fun, the two groups of drivers went out for their practice sessions on a cold track. Daniel, along with the other drivers could be seen struggling for grip, with the karts having both understeer and oversteer. Daniel said that he enjoyed the sessions, but was finding them tricky, and fellow drivers Matte Ferrari and Alexander Holyer agreed, this was going to be tough.
When it was time to qualify, the sky was pink, sunset was upon the drivers. They went out on track, with fastest laps varying from 37s to 42s. Daniel went out and set three really good laps, but those were not registered. The steering wheel counted them all as one big lap, and gave him a 2 minute lap time. He had one more lap, which was okay, a 39.9, and enough for fourth.
Now it was racetime. The only light sources were the floodlights and the moon. The track was cold as ever. As the green flag waved, the first three drives took off on the long flat out section of the track, Daniel still holding his own. Then, at turn four, Ivan Kosar’s kart was glowing red and boiling hot. As he went to pull over from his second place starting position, he was shunted and spun off the track. Daniel cruised straight by them.
Daniel drove strong to stay ahead of Cameron Cluett and Adam Ali, but as the white flag flew, Cameron took second place into turn 1. Daniel tried to get the up and under, but to no avail. Then, Daniel got a good exit out of turn five, and on got a run into turn six, but didn’t do it. Instead, Daniel got a good exit out of turn 6, and went side by side with Cameron into 7a and 7b. Daniel was on the inside of a, but outside of b, but Cameron braked and got out of there, while Daniel stayed on. Then, out turn 8, onto the straightaway, Cameron and Adam went on either side of the line, and crossed the finish line three wide, a perfect photo finish.
Nobody had any clue what the order was, but as they called the drivers up to the podium, Cameron Cluett got third, and Daniel fended him off just long enough for second.
This result puts Daniel tied with Alexander Holyer for third, both with 61 points, 2 points behind Christina Febrarro, while Ivan Kosar leads, by very little, with 65 points.
The close nature of this championship means that the semi-finals and finals will be very exciting, and every point will be crucial, to get the championship.
1 thought on “Driver #12: Goodwood CRKC Race 10”