It was an eventful final round of the 2 Counties Club championship for 2018.  The race meeting, held at Clay Pigeon endured all kinds of weather from sunshine through to heavy rain.  Often the conditions changing whilst the competitors were on the circuit.  Continue reading →

Russell O’Neill after a short lay-off, returns for the final round at Clay Pigeon to finish 1st on the day and also take the £ 500 first prize. Continue reading →

It was a race where all weather options ( barring snow) were thrown at the competitors during the weekend.  Hurricane strength winds on Friday reduced the practice option and indeed, for the majority, awnings were not erected.  By Saturday,  the winds had subsided and the awnings went up, just in time,  as the rain almost reached torrential levels.  The knock on affect for drivers that had rebuilt their engines for this race was that there was only a very small window of time in order to run / bed-in their engines. 
The Matthew Percy Memorial Trophy race has been competed for since 1991 ( 29 years), where Ron Shone won the inaugural race and the current holder being Anthony Cleal.  The gold trophy itself was donated by Win  Percy ( father of Matthew)  and has been competed for every year since  in memory of Matthew,  who died tragically in a Motor Traffic Accident.  Matthew was an ardent competitor,  as both a Junior and Senior driver,  in the Two Counties Club Championship and has his name on several of the clubs’ annual trophies.  The  ‘Percy’ trophy itself is the exact one,  won by Win Percy and Tom Walkinshaw in the European Touring Car Championship at Autodrome di Vallelunga
( Italy)  in 1985.  The original inscription is still on the actual  Trophy,  to add to the history and mystique of the event.   
Sunday race day dawned dry and sunny, though the track was still damp. By the time the three lap official practice came round,  most racers were on wet tyres, though a few chose slicks.  With half an hour to go before the first heat,  the dilemma of inters or slicks raised itself.  There was approx a 50 / 50 split on the choice.   As the race progressed it quickly became apparent that even though a dry line was appearing  inters were the correct choice. 
Throughout the series of three heats, the weather would play its part.  In heat two, which started dry,  by half distance, the rain came down with drivers slithering and sliding on their slicks up to  the chequered flag.  
Heat three passed by uneventfully, with the drivers racing to their perceptions of what was necessary to gain a good grid position for the Final.  
By the time of the Final, the track had dried and slicks would be the required choice of rubber.  As it was,  Russell O’Neill secured pole from Anthony Cleal, with Robin Stoddart-Stones and Toby Cook positioned behind on row two.  Ben Pearson and Rob Mortimore took up row three.  
From the lights,  Cleal took the lead followed by Russell O’Neill, and a rapid starting Ben Pearson.  During the opening lap,  David Goode passed Mike Bell for 7th place.  Ron shone accounted for Paul Dible and his daughter Serita Shone.   Paul Dible became involved in an incident demoting him to 15th place,  which in turn caused Graham Dudley to take avoiding actions and slide off the track to re-join a lap adrift.   At the end of lap one, Toby Cook returned to the pits with engine problems.  
By lap two Ben Pearson was in second place and then set about trying to close down Anthony Cleal who was in the lead.  Rob Mortimore passed a struggling Stoddart-Stones,  whose choice of worn slicks proved flawed. Taylor Waldron passed Bell for 7th place. Behind, Robert Dudley was having an impressive start accounting for four drivers as he moved up to 11th spot.  By lap three the situation at the front had stabilised , though Taylor Waldron passed David Goode and moved up to 6th place.   Bell also took the opportunity to retake Goode.   Into lap 4 and Cleal and Pearson were locked together and had eased away from Russell O’Neill, meanwhile Taylor Waldron passed  Stoddart-Stones.   By lap 5 Taylor Waldron continued his way forward passing Mortimore.  Bell followed him and moved past Stoddart-Stones.  The next action occurred in lap 8 where Goode made his move on Stoddart-Stones stick.  Further back Kevin O’Neill and a recovering Dible overtook Nigel Vickery.    Lap 12, and Bell moved up into 5th spot ahead of Mortimore.   Dible,  with Vickery in tow,  passed Kevin O’Neill on lap 14.  
The next dramatic incident occurred on lap 15,  where Ron Shone,  trying desperately to close down Stoddart-Stones,  lost it going into ‘Billy’s blind’.  Daughter Serita,  directly behind, left the circuit taking avoiding action but  Rob Dudley,  who for the past 5 laps had been part of this mini-racing trio,  chose the right line and set off after Stoddart-Stones.  He caught and passed him on the penultimate lap to finish 8th.  A very creditable result from a 15th starting place ! 
On to the flag with  Cleal just holding off Pearson.  A short distance behind Russell O’Neill claimed 3rd on the track.   4th was Taylor Waldron who was demoted to 6th after a nose cone infringement gave him a 10-second penalty.  5th over the line was Mike Bell,  later to be promoted to 4th once Waldron’s time penalty took effect. 
When the dust cleared and the start grid positions were taken into account, it was Anthony Cleal who had retained the Matthew Percy Trophy with Russell O’Neill 2nd overall,  followed by Ben Pearson in 3rd place.   Mike Bell and Rob Mortimore completed the front five. 

For more info. and results please see the results page on this website  www.planetkarting.uk  or  CLICK HERE 

TYRES & SPARES FOR CLAY PIGEON ON 9th, 10th & 11th NOVEMBER INCLUDING
THE FINAL ROUND OF THE 2 COUTNIES CLUB CHAMPS AND THE MATTHEW PERCY MEMORIAL RACE FOR FORMULA BLUE.
Tabor Karting will be in attendance, as usual,  with their mobile shop at the Clay Pigeon Circuit on   Friday pm, Saturday and Sunday 9th, 10 & 11th November 2018, for  the usual monthly  race meeting and the 2 Counties Kart Club Championship , final round.
This Meeting also incorporates the Matthew Percy Momorial Trophy Race for Formula Blue.
Competitors requiring tyres and / or specific spares for this event, please order and purchase your requirements in advance   (Tel 01305 774074)  by 12 pm on Wednesday 7th November,  for  collection at the circuit on the race weekend. 
Thank you. 

Robin Stoddart-Stones  with a total of 15 points won the penultimate round of the TABOR Championships at Mansell raceway on 28th October.  Despite this resurgence in his form,  where he has  moved up to 7th place and is  closing down Ron shone,  he is still 12 points off the last of the prize fund awards.   Second on the day  was Rob Mortimore who,  as a consequence,  moves up into the £100 win category.
The lead is still held by Russell O’Neill, despite not racing in this round.  The chasing pair,  Anthony Cleal and Ben Pearson, have narrowed the gap.  With one race meeting to go  however, the ultimate prize of £ 500 may prove  just too much.  Prize fund wins of £ 400 and £ 300 are still realistic rewards for their  seasons’ efforts.  Even then, they are not totally secure with David Goode a mere 10 points adrift.
The final TABOR Champs round takes place at Clay Pigeon on November 11th.
For points up-date view  the results page on www.planetkarting.co.uk or CLICK HERE

Time has now run out !   please return your annual trophies. 
Drivers may find it easier to return their trophies to the Clay Pigeon  race meeting on November  9th, 10th & 11th.
Trophies, as listed below,  to be returned to Rob Mortimore (Chairman)

THANK YOU                  

Drivers Driver – Taylor Waldron

With all three Cadet Honda drivers going into the penultimate 2 Counties Club Championships, something had to give.  David Aulejtner achieved pole position but it was Maksy Solarski, from opposite pole, who took the win, thereby promoting himself from 3rd place into the lead with only one more round to go.
Anthony Cleal and Ben Pearson enjoyed a tremendous tussle throughout the heats,  it was, however,  Cleal on pole for the Final,  courtesy of Pearson oiling-up on the rolling lap of heat 2.  From the lights, Cleal took the lead with Pearson never more than a meter away and so to the flag.   Behind, Robin Stoddart-Stones and David Watts were battling it out for 3rd place, which eventually was claimed by Watts.
In the master and Veteran sub-groups Cleal and Stoddard-Stones re-inforced their first two placings in the Club Championship, though it is Ron Shone who moves up to 3rd , one point ahead of David Goode.
Stoddart-Stones, with a light to flag win, moves further ahead in the Legend group.  It is David Goode who puts a little clear air, albeit 1 point, between him and Ron shone for 2nd overall.
In the Top-Weight subclass,  Ben Pearson is now in an unassailable lead ( provided he starts the final round).  Second is Ron Shone although he has been closed down by Rob Mortimore.  Yet again, there is the tightest of margins ( 1 point) between them going into the last round. 
The Championship moves on to the Clay Pigeon Circuit for the Final Round on November 11th,   which carries a 100 point non-attendance penalty!   In most of the Championship classes,  drivers in the top 4 positions are separated by only 1 or 2 points, so racing will be tightly contested.  Throw the Matthew Percy for Formula Blue into the mix  and it promises to be one ‘ Hell of a finale’.
Drivers are reminded that entries need to be in by 12pm on Sat 3rd November.
For points up-date and details please view the results page on this website or
CLICK HERE

Time is running short, please return your annual trophies.  Drivers may find it easier to return their trophies to the Mansell Club race meeting on 27th / 28th October.   Trophies to be returned to Rob Mortimore (Chairman) as listed below    THANK YOU                  

Formula Blue  3rd  – Jake Calvert
Blue Master  2nd – David Goode 
Blue Veteran 2nd  – David Goode
Blue Legend 2nd – David Goode
Blue Legend  3rd – Kevin O’ Neill
Blue Top Weight 3rd – Jake Calvert
Drivers Driver – Taylor Waldron

In the most turbulent of race weekends (Hurricane Callum) where the weather went from totally wet in practice to a dry Final, Anthony Cleal wins the day.  It was round 5 of the Two Counties Club Championship, held at the Clay Pigeon Raceway Circuit.  Cleal  scored a 4^th place start and a Final win.  Second on the day was  ‘new boy’  David Watts,  who scored 5 points from an opposite pole grid and 3^rd place finish.  Third overall was Ben Peason with a 5^th place start and 2^nd place finish.  These results have transformed the top of the table with Cleal in the lead,  Pearson moving up into 2^nd and Duncan McLeod rising up to 3^rd overall.

In the Master and veteran groups it is Cleal,  once again, in the lead,  but it is Robin Stoddart-Stones who takes up the Challenge having displaced McLeod down to third. 

Stoddart-Stones, with a minimum points score,  extends his lead in the Legend sub-class from David Goode and Ron shone.
In the Top Weight section Pearson takes over the lead from McLeod with Stoddart-Stones moving up to 3^rd.

Colin Wazny had a special day in the cadet Honda  class,  with a pole to flag win.  This allowed him to move up from 3^rd to equal 1^st overall, albeit on drop points difference!  All three competitors in fact share the lead with 4 points apiece.  The next two round will be crucial.
The 2CKC Championship now moves on to the penultimate round at Mansell raceway on October 28^th.

For more details and points up-date please view the results page on this website
www.planetkarting.uk   or CLICK HERE

Competitors are reminded that entries for the Final Round of the Two Counties Club Champs,  which includes the Matthew Percy Memorial Race for Formula Blue, to be held at Clay Pigeon on 11th November,  will close at midnight on 3rd November.   Entries received after the closing date may still be accepted but will receive a rear of grid start and pay non-members fees.  The Mattew Percy memorial race is now in its  27 year.  There is a lot of history attached to this event, with 26 previous winners represented on the prestigious trophy – is your name on this Trophy, if not, enter now.  To win it you have to be in it !   As this race is part of the Clay Pigeon normal race day,  they will also be awarding trophies on a  1 in 4 basis. 
For a link to enter online please   CLICK HERE

For more details  CLICK HERE
15.19.18