The Alonso Philosophy: Round 3 Of The Club 100 Lightweight Sprint Championship

The 3rd Round of the Club 100 Lightweight Sprint Championship took place on the 28th April at Rye House in Hoddesdon. Here's my summary of my day's racing.

Located just a short drive from my home in North London, Rye House is my 'local'. Except this local doesn't serve lagers, but similarly it does have a habit of leaving you a little sore the next day. Rolling out of bed at a not so painful 7:30am, I was excited to return to a track I must have driven around 1000 times. Clear blue skies with promise of warmth meant conditions were thankfully also looking perfect.

Not long after we arrived at one of F1 stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton's old playing grounds, in true Club 100 style the racing got started as quickly as possible (the event organisers firmly believe in working to 'the sooner we get started, the sooner we go home'). Having to focus myself for qualifying, my attitude for the day's racing took influence from F1 World Champ Fernando Alonso's consistent performances last year. I figured since the Club 100 season is long and filled with variety, consistency is key. Inspired by his success I targeted podiums for both of the day's races, deciding that points were more important than 'binning it' when chasing that extra place, better to finish the race and grab what I can.

QUALIFYING

Despite it being early morning and the first time I'd sat in a kart for a couple of weeks, with this probably being something like my 1001st lap of Rye House, I was able to immediately settle into a rhythm and start chasing that perfect lap. The pace soon came and my laps were good, with just a few outliers here and there, mostly thanks to traffic. Using every inch of the backbreaking kerb at Pylon (shown in the title pic), I was taking some serious risks.

Upon my return to the pits, it became apparent just how necessary those risks were; pole position by 2/100ths. Doesn't come much closer than that.

Pole position over the start line

RACE 1

Sitting on pole position for Race 1, I was by no means confident. The tiny margin between myself and the pursuing karts meant there was little chance of me breaking free from them if everyone remained settled. But speeding over the line, my start was clean and fast as I swept into Stadium bend. Feeling confident enough not to defend, I pressed on with setting fastest laps in order to drag myself out of the danger zone.

This is when it became apparent that my kart had just a few issues. It didn't lack straight line speed, but an out of line steering wheel began to trouble turn in, with a suspected tracking issue as the problem. This coupled with a heavy vibration meant my working conditions were far from ideal. Nevertheless, I pushed as hard as I could only to be out dragged into turn 1, painfully conceding 1st.

Conceding the lead

Despite the loss, it was here that I really began to 'earn my money' (unfortunately in reality my money likes to travel in the opposite direction). To chase down the new leader I had to race my socks off, setting qualifying lap after qualifying lap with my less than perfect kart. I soon began to match the leader's pace, but the threat of attack from behind later into the race meant I chose to defend rather than attack, remembering consistency is key.

The final result saw me just crossing the line in 2nd, disappointed not to get the winners trophy, but very pleased with the 127 Championship points.

RACE 2

Due to only setting the 4th fastest lap in Race 1, I lined up 4th on the grid for Race 2. As I crept out of the pits to begin our warm up laps, I recognised the machinery; this was Race 1's kart. I immediately returned to the pits to swap to another kart, that wonky one wasn't costing me another race. Once I'd joined the formation lap it seemed as though the decision to swap was the right one. No vibrations and a straight steering wheel, I felt much more confident.

Accelerating over the start line, I managed to maximise my position and slot into 4th; nothing spectacular, but what I had to do. I was happy to realise that I was actually now quicker than the karts ahead, so sitting on the final podium positioned kart's bumper, I was able to notice several key areas where I was quicker. But accelerating back onto the straight in what I thought was a prime slipstreaming position, it became clear my afternoon's kart struggled on the straights. Despite my overall good pace, the lack of top speed made it near impossible to make a clean overtaking manoeuvre for 3rd. In a desperate attempt to move forward, I placed my kart's nose on the inside of turn 1, hoping to force the kart ahead into a mistake. Instead I found myself on the outside of the following corner, which allowed the chasing kart to slip through into hairpin 1. I'd gone backwards rather than forwards.

Regaining 4th before snatching 3rd from the off line kart ahead

Remaining focused and hopeful of a way back through, I pressed on and thankfully squeezed back into 4th as the karts ahead squabbled into hairpin 2. I was even able to steal 3rd from of the out of position kart in front, as he ran wide after a failed attempt at taking 2nd. I suddenly found myself on the tail of 2nd place; this was my chance to snatch the place and break free of the pack, in the same way the current leader had managed to do early on.

Sat on the bumper of 2nd, despite every attempt at carrying momentum and getting that good exit onto the straight, I couldn't quite match the straight line performance of his kart. Almost losing sight of 'Alonso's consistency philosophy', I had a couple of fairly ambitious lunges over the course of the following laps.

Tight squeeze: lunging for 2nd

Thankfully I saw sense when a late braking manoeuvre almost saw both of us out of the race. As we crossed the line for the last lap, I decided to defend my position rather than jeopardising points in trying to steal 2nd. Still, 3rd was far from safe as I had to defend from a late onslaught from behind. To my relief I managed to hold on and grab that final podium position, but more importantly I'd secured a healthy sum of 124 points.

No wins, but 2 podium finishes, Rye House was good to me that day. To top it off I was the highest points scorer of the day, so even though the silverware didn't display it, I felt good as I had come home as the number 1 driver for the day.

I now find myself leading the Championship as we head into Round 4 at Ellough Park. I won't be racing then however, due to getting an exciting chance to drive the Spa Francorchamps F1 circuit in Belgium that weekend (a very valid reason to miss a round I'm sure most will agree). Thankfully though, the Club 100 Championship allows you to drop rounds, so through default that missed round will be one of my dropped days. My Championship hopes are therefore very much alive.

Check out my onboard footage from Race 2 at Rye House:

Unfortunately due to a lack of funds, I had to withdraw from the 2013 Championship despite being the leader at the time. I hope to race in a Club100 kart soon.

Better Late Than Never: Round 2 Of The 2013 Club100 Sprint Championship

The title above applies to not only my days racing, I'll explain why shortly, but also the publish date of this post. Not my most prompt piece of writing, but here it is; an update of my day's racing the weekend before last, better late than never eh.

Bayford Meadows, the circuit that gifted me my first win, as well as my first Championship way back in 2003. A place with some great memories, most of them very vivid and seemingly far more recent than a decade ago. I wish I could have said the same for the racing lines however, as I quickly realised my on track memory was far from anything useful. But never fear, the sun was out and the afternoon's racing was about to commence, so I was feeling excited to jump into a kart and back onto what was very a special track to me.

Back on track at the place of my first win

QUALIFYING

My feeling for the circuit in qualifying was actually better than expected. My previous evening's YouTube research had meant I had a good understanding of the basic layout, which enabled me to pick up the racing lines fairly quickly. I completed several clear and smooth laps so was hopeful to have secured myself a grid position at the sharp end of the field. Unfortunately, much to my disappointment this was not the case, as I lined up in 11th for Race 1. Apparently, despite my initial thoughts, there was a lot of work to do.

Fighting up from 11th on lap 1

RACE 1

Sitting towards the front of the midfield and rolling up to the start line, I was thankful to be on the inside as the karts muscled together. Immediately I was able to gain 2 places before I'd even approached the first corner, followed by another 2 as we approached the infield. I was now in hot pursuit of the leading 6 drivers with every intention of winning the race; funny how things can change so quickly.

A couple of laps in, the leading pack had begun to space out but the pair immediately ahead began tussling   quite heavily. I was able to take advantage of their fight and nudged my way past them both into 5th, placing me a second or so off the back of the 4th placed driver. The following few laps saw me trying my utmost to latch onto the leading karts, where I was also still learning the racing lines and details for that perfect lap every step of the way.

Thankfully I began to 'click' with the circuit, and before I knew it I was driving up to the back of the 4th placed kart. Stealing a tow along the start/finish straight, I nosed ahead of him into turn 1. The leading trio had a slight edge over me, something I knew I could decrease if I had the race time, but unfortunately the chequered flag was shown too soon for that to work. Still, I crossed the line in a surprisingly strong 4th; if you'd have offered that to me before the race, I'd have certainly grabbed it with both hands.

Racing through the last corner

RACE 2

After my strong showing of pace in the closing stages of Race 1, I went into Race 2 expecting to at least be a contender for the win. Accelerating over the start line on the outside I unsurprisingly fell back to 5th into turn 1, however I quickly snatched the place back in the next corner. The following laps saw me chop and change position, fighting with the group immediately behind the leader. Our tussling caused the leading kart to begin to break away slightly however, and to my annoyance instead of focusing on trawling him back in, the surrounding karts seemed more focused on fighting for the 2nd best place. During this hard fought tussle I did manage to work my way up to 2nd, but quickly fell back to 5th after an opponent had what can only be described as an optimistic lunge and 'hung me out to dry'.

Instead of doing the natural thing and acting out on my anger through over driving, I had to calm my emotions and focus on dragging myself back into contention. Thankfully, everything began to fall into place and as my pace remained strong the karts ahead continued to battle. This helped me to claw my way back towards them, quickly dive past and then break free from their ongoing conflict.

Crossing the line in 1st

After the 2nd placed kart came off whilst fighting for the lead, I was faced with just 1 kart in front, albeit a couple of seconds down the road. Driving some of the most immensely focused laps of my life, I was surprised to find myself on the bumper of the leader far quicker than I had expected. As we crossed the line for the last lap, I glanced back and saw that there was a small cushion between my bumper and the still bickering karts behind. The leader defended into turn 1, as well as into turn 2. However he left the door ever so slightly open into turn 3, and acting on impulse I lunged alongside him. Squeezing him on the exit he clung on and proceeded to lunge back into the following 2 corners. I gave him room but carried momentum, meaning he not only wasn't able to pass, but was also pushed back to 4th by the pursuing karts who'd now arrived on the scene. Defending and parking my kart on all the apexes for the remainder of the lap, I happily crossed the line for the win despite leading for less than two thirds of just 1 lap. I think it is safe to say that this one was very much better late than never!

So thanks to the day's successful racing I went home with not only a winners trophy, but also a bundle of points that propelled me up to 2nd in the Championship. And with at least another 6 rounds to go, it's all still very much to play for.

Check out my onboard footage for Race 2:

Round 3 of the Club100 Sprint Championship will be held at Rye House in Hoddesdon on the 28th April.

Need To Tame The Racing Itch? Limited Funds? Arrive And Drive Karting Could Be The Answer

Being one of the many victims of motorsport's tendency to eliminate those without a thick wallet, I've become a bit of an evangelist for affordable racing. So in the following post, I want to mention what I think is one of the best value for money racing championships in the UK.

Motorsport is a rich mans game. All the way from the 9 figure budgets of F1 teams down to the hundreds spent each weekend for club kart racing, drivers are often restricted not by their talent, but their wallet.

A season in a professional championship like British F3 can cost something in the region of £400,000. Even at rookie level a championship like the Mini Challenge Club Class can easily cost in excess of £10,000 per season, and that doesn't include the cost of repairs after a visit to the barriers.

Motorsport can be very expensive

But racing addicts do not despair, there do exist some far more affordable ways to get out racing in some fully fledged competitive championships.

Kart racing is amongst the most affordable form of competitive racing, and thankfully is also one if the closest, driver focused forms too. You might be thinking karting is for kids, but remember every single driver on the current F1 grid cut his teeth in karting. Some still do in the off season, with non other than 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button saying "there is no purer form of racing than karting." So it's not something to be dismissed before having a go in a 'proper' kart first.

Jenson says karting is the "purest form of motorsport."

One of the easiest ways to do this, is in 'arrive and drive' championships. They exist in great numbers across the nation, but perhaps one of the most competitive of them all is Club100. This championship uses machinery that has little resemblance to your average fun fair lawn mowers. Instead these karts are powered by full racing TKM Extreme engines, as used by British Championship drivers in TKM Extreme Super 1. Of course these Club100 engines are no where near as highly tuned, but they still offer some exhilarating performance characteristics that take skill to manage. Being direct drive they cannot start from a standstill, but once rolling they can achieve a 5-60mph sprint in something around 6 seconds. And they'll keep on accelerating up to about 75mph, which I can assure you feels much faster when you're sat an inch off the tarmac, bumper to bumper with some aggressive budget racers.

Both ex pros and novices can compete in full Club 100 grids

Add this impressive machinery to a field of proper racing enthusiasts, including some ex National level drivers and single seater winners, and you have a championship that offers some of the closest racing in the UK. Competing on circuits also used in the British Championships, you could be forgiven for thinking this championship will resemble the money pit that is modern motorsport. But in actual fact you can compete on each race day (comprising 2 rounds) for just over £160, which in motorsport terms is an absolute bargain. With 3 levels of championship, each tailored for different experience levels, ex pros and beginners alike get to mix it with drivers of the same level. Endurance and sprint championships also suit different driving styles. And with 16 of 22 rounds counting, there's flexibility to minimise travel costs and avoid racing at the inevitable couple of events located too far from home.

This championship can really force a driver to hone their skills, with all karts being (almost) identical, barring inevitable battle scars from earlier races. Kart consistency is amongst the best in the UK, so race results will almost always reflect driver ability entirely. And when it rains, there are no wets to find usable grip. Instead slick tyres are used in all conditions, so rainy days really sort the men from the boys.

Slicks in all weather - separating the men from the boys

But probably the best thing about this championship is the fact that it is an arrive and drive series, meaning as a driver all you have to worry about is driving. No maintenance costs, no place to store the kart is needed and most importantly, there are no bills if you bend it. In my opinion, there really are few better ways to race in a competitive championship at such affordable prices.

All things considered, I do want to emphasise that for many this Championship won't scratch all of the racing itch. With no chance of adjusting kart set-up and maintaining your very own machine, racers may feel a little disconnected from the whole experience. And more significantly, these are go karts and not cars on proper car tracks. But when you're counting the pennies and don't fancy entering a bottomless pit of service and repair bills, Club100 is the perfect answer to tame that racing itch. And for me it at least keeps me from taking out my anger on my poor little Clio....most of the time.

Taming the itch

I'll be racing in the 2013 Club100 Lightweight Sprint Championship this year, the progress of which you can follow on my Club 100 Race Days page. Round 1 is at Buckmore Park on the 24th February.

Can a road car really handle like a go-kart?

“My car feels like a go-kart”... “Go-kart like handling”...Phrases often coined by car enthusiasts about performance and sports cars. But can cars ever really handle like a go-kart without serious modification?

Scraping the floor; sat mm off the tarmac

Over 6 years of competitive kart racing, plus 5 years on the road, and I'm still yet to drive something from either side that bares significant resemblance. I drove a whole host of karts with several engines during my karting career, and have had the privilege of driving more cars than most 22 year olds. These cars have ranged from a Porsche Carrera, to a Lincoln Navigator right down to a 3 cylinder Vauxhall Corsa. I can safely say that none of them, have had any resemblance in performance and feel to my karts. Yet time and time again, I frequently come across car reviews and forum junkies who claim their bog standard cars handle like go-karts.

Karting is so pure, that during my career my ribs were repeatedly cooked by the engine, whilst my butt took whacks when I rode kerbs. The brakes felt like an extension of my leg, with even the minutest adjustment having drastic effect on speed and even the angle of entry into a corner. The steering was so direct, even a stone could be felt through the wheel.

Body roll in my car

Of course, there will be cars out there that are so raw they’re blue by steak standards, but for the most part, road cars will always be compromised in their ability to be pure. The challenges presented in ensuring a good ride quality, mean certain areas of cars, such as the suspension, have to be softened. As a result this can compromise their ability to perform effectively at speed and can contribute to a lack of feel. By no means is that a total negative, as I can vouch by saying I’d much rather be sat in a Diesel Mercedes than my old TKM 115cc go-kart in a traffic jam in the city. For one, speed bumps would be a nightmare, as having to lift the kart over them could become just slightly annoying.

Many of us modify our cars heavily to essentially push them towards that ‘pure’, direct feel of a go-kart. I've recently modified my car, by fitting performance springs and replacing rubber bushes with solid versions, in order to maximise feel and responsiveness. Despite noticing a slight improvement, it’s a miles away from a go-kart. The car still leans under fast direction change, the nose still ducks under braking, and minute steering inputs are still significantly suppressed when compared with those of a kart.

Now I haven’t had the pleasure of driving an Ariel Atom or McLaren F1, but for most of us that isn't something we will ever experience. Therefore it is safe to say, Mr Mini Cooper S, I'm sure your car handles fantastically, but it’s a far world from the pure handling of a go-kart.