British domination at Most

Dominated by the Germans and by the French in 2008, the British Superkart drivers are getting the upper hand again this season. Gavin Bennett (Anderson-DEA) and Trevor Roberts (Anderson-BRC) landed one race each at the second round of the CIK-FIA European Championship held on the Czech circuit of Most, after Lee Harpham (Anderson-FPE) had achieved pole-position in qualifying practice.

Already twice winner in April in France, Gavin Bennett won an event with a special flavour in Race 1 at Most. As well as firmly establishing his position as leader of the Championship, this victory was also the outcome of a successful gamble as Bennett had chosen to change his engine make for this Czech meeting, replacing his FPE by a DEA, which in fact he only received the day before practice and had to mount on his chassis just a few hours before using it for the first time. Third in practice, Bennett (Anderson-DEA) long held second place behind Lee Harpham in Race 1, progressively catching up with the leader lap after lap and achieving the fastest lap time of the race in the process. No one will however know whether he could have taken victory from Harpham if the latter had not suffered a fault in his ignition on the last lap. With an engine that worked in fits and starts, Harpham nonetheless managed to cross the finishing line in second place. Peter Elkmann (MS Kart-Yamaha) was then a distant third but he did not have the opportunity to take advantage of Harpham’s misfortune since his engine gave up three corners from the finish, which thus compromised his claim to renew his 2008 title. As a result, Carl Hulme (Anderson-FPE), author of a hefty race, inherited third place.

The final result of Race 2 produced a completely different podium because none of the first three classified drivers in Race 1 could reach the finish. Several drivers were put on the sidelines or lost time at the start when a kart in distress driven by the German Martin Knauder brought some confusion in the first corner. Among the victims was Lee Harpham, and Malcolm Crowe as well as Carl Hulme lost several places in the incident. After a good start, Bennett was to lose ground progressively and finally retired with a broken chain. However, his lead in the Championship remains comfortable, more especially as his main rival for the title, Peter Elkmann, did not manage to get a better place than third in Race 2. The reigning Champion could not retaliate either to the Northern Irish driver Trevor Roberts or to Guido Kleinemeyer (PVP-BRC). John Riley (Anderson-Rotax) was classified fourth ahead of Carl Hulme, author of a fine recovery from 21st place after the time lost in the first corner incident.

From the Czech weekend, one will also remember the non-participation of Damien Payart for health reasons and the good performance of Daniel Hentschel (who was 4th in Race 2 on his PVP-DEA until he retired because of a loose exhaust), of Marcel Maasmann (once 5th in Race 2 on his MS Kart-VM before finishing 9th) and of Australia’s Carlo Chermaz (PVP-PVP), who convincingly finished twice in the “Top 10”.

Info & Photo CIK