by Russell Atkins
BRDC Stars of Tomorrow’s first parents, mechanics and officials’ Pro-Kart race at Llandow last weekend has received the thumbs-up from all concerned, and was so popular it is now being tipped to become a regular fixture at all championship rounds.
The two-hour endurance – pitting ten teams of six against each other and comprising drivers of wildly varying levels of ability – witnessed spills and thrills from beginning to end, with contact, spins aplenty (including four from yours truly) and some debatable on-track moves all under the watchful eye of Llandow’s own ‘Mr Angry’, an increasingly stressed Paul ‘Tooty’ Saunders.
“I think everyone enjoyed it enormously” commented Stars’ director Carolynn Hoy. “It was super, a great idea. It was a bit of a break from the intensity of the normal racing, and the cheerleaders were fantastic!
“I had a few whacks and I’ve got a few bruises. I managed to collect a water bomb as well, but it was all good fun. We are trying to negotiate the same thing for Genk too, but I think they have some reservations because of who is going to be driving the karts!”
The ‘Old Stars’ team comprising Carolynn, clerk of the course Nigel Edwards, deputy clerks Pip Playforth and Peter Jones and tyre officials Tony Clifton and Robert Gilmour (the former of whom would be well-advised to watch his back next time after rather unceremoniously punting a certain journalist out of the way during the race…) wound up second at the chequered flag, with our team down in eighth.
Following the race it was suggested by my team-mate, colleague and series commentator Henry ‘Legend of Llandow’ Beaudette that I stick to the day job… Should the event run again at Genk, I will certainly be out to prove him wrong!
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