Some thoughts from the final day of the season where there was joy for some and disappointment for others as the final championship standings for 2011 in all classes were confirmed.
William Taylforth – 1st Cadet
“I feel amazing because I won on the last corner. I was just pushing Dean [Macdonald], we got away at the start and I was just pushing him every lap and then on the last corner I just did him over the kerb so I just feel amazing.”
Jamie Caroline – 3rd Cadet
“In the final I had a strong fight back as I got loaded up at the start and went back near enough to last and then I just came through the pack and got fastest lap and then in the middle double right I got two people going through there and then got another one coming out of the left after the kink.
“If I hadn’t been taken out in the first heat Dan [Ticktum] would have had to do the final and I would have been in a stronger position. I’m a little bit disappointed but I’m happy about a lot of heat and final wins.”
Oliver York – 5th Cadet
“I’m really happy with it. I started 17th on the grid and had a really good start because everyone spun off and that helped me a lot to get up to 6th and then I managed to overtake Thanassi Barnicoat and Hugo Bentley Ellis but then Bentley Ellis got me back into the next corner and that put me down to 5th again but I’m really happy with the result.”
Jack Brookes – 8th Cadet
“I had a really good start. Everyone just seemed to go everywhere and spin but I was back in 17th so I just stayed on the inside and got up to 7th at the first corner. From there I got overtaken by Luke Barker and I tried to make a move on Alfie Brown but unfortunately Alfie caught my back end and we lost about a second and the pack broke away and then I got overtaken by Jamie Caroline so I was eighth for the rest of the race but it was really fun.”
Shanaka Clay – 10th Cadet
“At the start I got lifted up from behind and like most of the people I went off and I was right at the back but I managed to fight back to 9th or 10th so it was OK.”
Cameron Roberts – 14th Cadet
“I got number 10 this year. Yesterday was quite a good day; I got second in a heat and a seventh but today has been OK. I’ve had a 5th and 7th in the heats so I started 8th on the grid. I got knocked off in the final but I came back through.”
Kyle Hornby – 15th Cadet
“Well I got shunted down to the back at the start as there were lots of pileups and I made it back up to about 16th and then got a few more on the last lap. It was a real dogfight at the end and it was really hard. I’m really pleased and it was good points.”
Alex Stott – 17th Cadet
“My kart oiled up because of slow rolling up laps and I had to get it started again, which put me back on the grid in the final in 25th so I was back in the pack and had to get through it as quick as I could. I had a really good first lap and got all the way up 9th and just started battling. But then everyone started battling and it was difficult to stay up there for just one lap when I kept getting overtaken so it was a really difficult race.”
Tom Wood – 23rd Cadet
“Today has been really really good. I qualified 23rd on the grid and made a really good start and got up to 10th but I just drove on and on but Jamie Caroline pushed someone into me and I spun but I really enjoyed the race.”
Tom Parker – 26th Cadet
“I thought I was lucky because my tyres went off. The A Final didn’t go very well. I made a good start but then the kart gripped up from lap three so it went downhill from there. But I’m pleased I made my first A Final.”
Ryan Anderton – 28th Cadet
“Well the rolling up lap was good; we were all in a line. The lights went green and my chain came off. But it felt fast going back to the pits at the end.”
Daniel Ticktum – Did Not Start Final. 2011 MSA Cadet Champion
“The day has been quite nervous throughout the whole day. I got through both heats OK. I figured that in the second one I had to finish in the top four but we weren’t entirely sure about that but I came back from last to finish fourth.
“We’ve been working it out for the last four hours or so and we think I’ve won it by one point but we’re not entirely sure but if we have then obviously I’m extremely happy for me and my entire family. It means a lot to my family.
“The season has been really tight but to win is really amazing. There has been lots of highs and lows but to come out on top you can’t really ask for any more.”
Seth James – 2nd Mini Max
“I went round the first corner and overtook Connor [Mills]. Connor overtook me back and I sat there for the whole race. I was going to make a move over the hill but he defended so I couldn’t. If the start line was at the end of the straight then I think I could have had it.”
Josh Cornwell – 3rd Mini Max
“I just didn’t have the power and I couldn’t get up behind them and overtake them. I’m really proud, it’s my second podium but I reckon I could have got a lot more but we’ve had a lot of team changes throughout the year but now we’ve found a good team.”
Matthew Arnold – 9th Mini Max
“It was an alright result considering the starts that we had, we got hit in quite a few of them but we made our way back quite strongly but I think that if we had just stayed where we were at the starts we would have been a really strong contender for the lead. I’m not really happy but I’ll just have to take it now. We tried our best but it just didn’t pay off at the starts.”
Terry Chadwick – 15th Mini Max
“My final wasn’t great. I got a good start but about 5 laps in I got onto a kerb and spun so it was just bad from there really. The end of the season could have been better.”
Sam Marsh – 1st Junior Max
“I’m really happy. I managed to put it on pole again today and win both heats and the final just like yesterday. The weekend has just been perfect and I couldn’t wish for anything more from it. It’s been ideal.
“I was a bit nervous at the end because Jess [Hawkins] was beginning to catch me quite a bit and she’s been the only person who has been able to match my times so I was getting a bit nervous but I just kept my head. Another thanks to RL Racing and Steve Armstrong especially and my mechanic Alex and my dad for supporting me.”
Bobby Thompson – 3rd Junior Max
“I’m really pleased but I just think I could have done a little bit better as my times were quite fast to be honest. But I’m very happy with a podium.”
Dexter Crompton – 8th Junior Max
“I’m very happy with that. I was unlucky in the heats but what can you say, it happens. For the final I got a good set-up and was able to drive through. Good overtaking and that was it really.”
Shaun Arnold – 10th Junior Max
“Friday was quite good but from then all the way up to the final on Sunday it went down hill. We had massive kart problems with not being able to go round right handers so we had to switch from the Tonykart to the Intrepid for the final and that seemed to go quite well. We managed to get round all the corners quite well so we think we might be staying on one.
“The final was quite good, we got beaten up a bit at the start but managed to make our way through. We came into the weekend 8th but with having such a bad day yesterday I think we were 10th or 11th in the championship which is still good for our first year in Juniors and it stands us in good stead for next year.”
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