“I was happy about the fact it was my best result in Stars this year,” she reflected afterwards, “but a bit annoyed at not winning too because it was so close.”
It would not remain her best result of the year for very long. Sunday's weather may have presented the drivers with a considerably different challenge to the previous day, but Pippa had already shown on Friday that she was comfortable and quick in all conditions.
“It was really wet,” she recalled, “and we hadn't really had much testing in those conditions. When it was damp in morning practice the kart felt really good, but as the day wore on and it got wetter we lost a bit of grip and engine power. I managed to win the first heat again, though, which gave me the confidence for the rest of the day.”
Indeed it did, with a brace of second places following – one incredibly from the penultimate row of the grid – to earn the Market Drayton ace a supremely well-deserved pole position for the final. Though victory would once again narrowly elude her, this time Pippa would not be deprived of the runner-up spot and in so doing cemented what was irrefutably her finest Stars meeting of the year, as well as vaulting up the drivers' points standings into eighth position at the close.
What's more, she also received not one but two awards for her performance – the
Lewis Hamilton ‘True Grit' trophy and the coveted
Crash.net Driver of the Day accolade, seeing off more than 100 rivals to clinch the prestigious honour. Not a bad weekend's work, all-in-all.
“It was one better than the day before,” she acknowledged, “but I was still annoyed at not quite having managed to win one of the two finals.
“Looking back at the year, it didn't start off too well, but after that it just got better and better. Now I'm ready for next year. I'm staying in Mini Max, and the plan is to win everything!”
It may be a brave vow, but on current form, who's willing to bet against her?
![Leading Mini Max ace Pippa Coleman presses on during the prestigious 2007 '0' plate meeting at Whilton Mill [pic credit: Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/367052.jpg)
