Hardgrave’s switch proves to be a good one…

After a recent downturn in Callum Hardgrave’s results, Callum and his father Matthew decided to switch to the Gillard chassis for the rest of the season’s racing, under the watchful eye of Patrick Smith at SSR Motorsport.

After a bad round at Formula Kart Stars at P.F.I. Callum and the team decided that a new direction was required and after much discussion decided that they would put a new Gillard chassis on the ground for rounds 6&7 at Genk, Belgium.

Callum arrived in Genk on the Wednesday having done no testing on the new chassis. In the afternoon the pedals and seat were fitted and Callum was ready to start testing on Thursday.

Callum appeared to get used to the kart very quickly and was on the “race pace” by the third session.

Before long race day had arrived and qualifying was about to begin, “on the Saturday I qualified fourth which I was very pleased with, but I still knew there was more to come.” Callum quoted after the morning’s session.

In the Pre-final Callum had a hard-fought race as he and Danny Sweeney broke clear from the rest of the field, “I pushed Danny all race, and planned to make a move on the last lap” he said, “but as we came out of the last hairpin Danny defended and as he came back across he caught the front of my kart, and I went on the grass but I was able to regain control and still take second place.”

This put Callum on grid 2 for the final “as we came round the first corner I felt myself getting pushed wider and wider, and on cold tyres had no control over where I was going and was on the grass on the outside before I knew it” he explained after the race “and then as I rejoined I was again forced on to the grass on turn 3 as well” but when Callum finally got back on track he was back down the order and after a strong race moved his way back up to seventh.

On Sunday Callum found “that bit more” as he had predicted on Saturday and pulled out all the stops to gain his first stars pole position, after only three days of driving the kart. “It couldn’t have gone better” he said, “The kart was easy to drive and was set up perfectly.”

So as the lights turned green for the final Callum lead into the first corner and the first four followed him through, but there was a huge crash behind and this was now a four horse race. There was excellent close racing with the front four karts were constantly swapping places. On lap 15 of the race Callum went for a move and the third place man did not see him and as they collided, they both lost a lot of time to the front two karts. This meant that Callum had to settle for third place. “I went for the move and I think he just wasn’t expecting it.  I had then lost a lot of time to the leaders, third is still a great result and I would never have been able to do it without the help of Patrick Smith at SSR Motorsport, Jon Stilp, my Dad who is my mechanic and the help and support from my family. I would also like to thank Rehabilitation Manufacturing Services Limited, Project One Properties, Horizon Consulting and Mr & Mrs P, for their help and support throughout the season.”

Callum is now looking forward to the final two rounds of Formula Kart Stars at Whilton Mill at the beginning of October.