A countdown, a gentle push, and...we're off...
A slow roll over the ramp's edge, and then I drop quickly onto the steepest part: craaaa...oh hang on...she's a beauty. The ramp levels and I'm onto the smooth metal track without drama. The racer's extremely stable. The steering's wonderfully positive, direct and responsive, without edginess. The brakes aren't up to much, but accelerating down the straight-ish, gently sloping course, it isn't yet too much of an issue.
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| Police are clocking karts at 30mph |
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First corner is a mild left, then there's a small right with mini-roundabout. I veer right: left is a no-no because it requires too much steering lock on exit. Straight-lining as best I can, straw bales flash past within touching distance either side. Then the course narrows a bit and there's some more straight-lining between yet more bales, but it's otherwise unchallenging until it splits in two near the bottom: to the left, a straight and fast run to the finish but with a very narrow entrance; to the right, a wider, but curved and slower run-in. The 4Car racer is compact, agile and, at about 25kg, light. So breathe in Prior, take the left, and before you know it, I'm through the finish post, wheels locked to bring me to a halt within the - rather small - run-off area. In the end, it's easy. What was all the fuss about, you big ponce?
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| Matt returns after trial run in one piece |
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DragStars are next down, and I exchange notes with their driver on his arrival: it was pretty un-dramatic, all things considered. The 4Car racer could do with being faster, though - it needs more weight so, ever resourceful, team 4Car uses the time before the evening's briefing to raid a skip on a St. Albans industrial estate for iron bars, as well as nipping home to pick-up a spare back wheel for the unfortunate pilot of
Black Blunder. On our return, we Duck-tape iron to the chassis while the teams are seeded. We'll race in position 70, in heat 18 out of 21, alongside
Racing Whipits, Speed Demons, and Moby and His Dicks. I don't think that means we're 70th quickest, just that karts are seeded quick-to-slow in each heat. We're second. Then it's beer and relaxation with the other teams - every driver I chat with I'll 'see in the final tomorrow'. Yeah, right.
