Southern Go Kart Club – Bolivar  – 18/6/2016

This is a weekend where we learnt a lot of stuff – So let’s just frame this as an educating experience…

Lesson No. 1:  Technology is wonderful thing.  I jump in the car, and it automatically turns on the headlights, it automatically adjust the temperature to where I want it, and it also automatically turns on the windscreen wipers when it rains.  It does have limits though, and unfortunately it won’t put your wallet in the car.  This does present a problem when you fill up with petrol at the service station.  Luckily for me, Paul Pittam was there to lend me some money, and save me from lot’s of embarrassment.  Just goes to show there are some great people in the karting community.  Thanks Paul.

Lesson No. 2:  We are starting to get on top of things.  Jim did OK in the couple of practice sessions, but when it came time to qualifying, he managed to put together a decent lap, and put the kart in 3rd for the first 2 heats plus the pre-final.

Lesson No. 3:  But something can always go wrong.  Jim got a decent start in heat 1, but he was involved in some contact in the first corner, dropping him back to 6th.  It took a few laps for him to get into 5th, and he caught up to the kart in 4th, but ran out of laps to try and get passed.  Heat 2 went pretty much the same way. with Jim briefly moving up to 4th before finishing in 5th.

Lesson No. 4:  There’s no such thing as ‘a bad time for some furious mechanicking’.  Saturday night brought a break, and with it some time for solemn reflection.  This led to many ideas about things to try, and therefore a few changes were made to the kart on Sunday morning.  Jim then produced one of his best drives, battling with kids right at the front.  He managed to come away with second place, and proof that he is capable mixing with the best.

Lesson No. 5:  Like lesson 3, but worse – something can always go wrong.  In the final, Jim started from 4th.  Unfortunately, Jim was involved in some contact in the first corner (again), and dropped back to 7th.  He quickly got back to 6th, but the kart didn’t seem right and Jim’s pace was way off.  He never really got going, and ended up finishing in 6th.

Lesson No. 6:  This is great fun.  Yet again we had a great fun weekend.  Jim has learnt a great deal, we have have some really good data, and we now have a few things to try to improve Jimmy’s pace.

It’s always good to meet new people and to catch up with people who travel around Whyalla and Mt Gambier.  Thanks to Jason Fewins who leant us his copy of “KartOz” Magazine because it had a great picture of Jimmy in it.  Thanks again to Jason for letting us keep it after I forgot to give it back to him before he left to head home to Mt Gambier.

Thanks go out to Jim’s sponsor Iocane, and to CRG.  Jim would also like to thank his mum for all her support, and all the officials and volunteers.

Score Check.  Christine (possessed kart, trying to hurt me, read previous blogs) was well behaved this week.  This has me concerned she is planning something far more sinister in the coming weeks.

Current score: JP 1 (survived 2 weeks without hurting himself) – Christine 3 (Burn by exhaust, Degreasing of the eye, Magical Goggle Piercing Metal bit).