UK Karting - MSA Super 1 Series Race Report

Results & Reports
MSA Super 1 Series

MSA Super 1 Series
Round 6 - Larkhall - 12th September 2004

Formula A

Litchfield Provisionally Declared Champion

Without even turning a wheel over the weekend during the final meeting of the BTE Lawline/Renault MSA British Kart Championship at Larkhall, Scotland, Staffordshire ace Mark Litchfield (Rocester) has been provisionally crowned 2004 Champion.

The 21-year old, who put the title out of the reach of his rivals at the previous round of the season at Shenington, knew competing in the last two races of the year at Larkhall would have potentially jeopardised his points lead, with the outcome of the Formula A championship decided using a double ‘drop-score’ ruling.

Under the rules of karting’s blue riband class, the points-scoring system sees drivers ‘drop’ their two worse results of the year but competitors aren’t permitted to count exclusions as ‘drop scores’. This meant, had Litchfield taken part over the weekend he would have risked relinquishing the title in the event of an incident, which later led to his exclusion.

Litchfield’s victory is well deserved as he has been in dominant form this year, taking five Finals wins and three other podiums. However, during the first points-scoring Final at Larkhall it was former champion Chris Rogers (Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire) who took the headlines with a stunning performance to win from 12th on the grid. Jason Parrott (Crowland, Peterborough), crossed the line in second position after a last-lap overtaking manoeuvre on Jason Edgar (Cleator, Cumbria) relegated the later to third place at the chequered flag.

In a rain-soaked Final Two, David Gregory (Sheffield) climbed from fifth on the grid to take the lead by the end of lap two and he retained his position at the front all the way to the flag with Edgar crossing the line in second place and Rogers completing the podium in third.

In the provisional championship standings, Mark Litchfield takes the 2004 Formula A title with a total of 478 points, 24 points ahead of David Gregory with Jeremy Metcalfe (Fleet, Hampshire) in third on 445 points. Rogers’ fine season-ending performance saw him finish the year fourth overall in the standings ahead of Jason Parrott and 2003 Champion Gary Catt (Thruxton, Hampshire) in fifth and sixth positions respectively.

Formula ICA

Lamare Provisionally Claims Title By Single Point

In one of the closest title battles in Formula ICA history, Worcestershire’s Chris Lamare (Inkberrow) has provisionally come out on top as the 2004 BTE Lawline/Renault ABkC ICA Champion – edging his nearest rival to the crown by just a single point!

During the final meeting of the season at Larkhall, Scotland, at the weekend, 21-year old Lamare finished second during the first of the points-scoring Finals behind title rival Freddie Martin-Dye (Shamley Green, Surrey) before going one better and taking the decisive victory in Final Two.

With Martin-Dye finishing in fifth position during the second Final, Lamare’s win moved him to the top of the driver standings by a mere point. In a further twist, it was Martin-Dye who - during the opening round at Three Sisters Circuit - chose to allow Lamare back past him after Freddie felt he himself had been too forceful with an earlier overtaking manoeuvre.

The net result shows the honesty and sportsmanship of the 15-year old Surrey ace, who is in his first year of senior karting, may well have ultimately cost him the Formula ICA title victory to a driver six-years his senior. Nonetheless, Lamare is a worthy champion with four Finals victories to his credit this season.

With the ruling all competitors must ‘drop’ their two worse scores at the end of the year, the championship showdown at Larkhall over the weekend had drivers and teams reaching for their calculators to work out who would come out on top after some hectic racing, run in damp conditions.

Martin-Dye led from start to finish in Final One to ensure the title fight would go down to the wire while Lamare finished an excellent second, after starting eighth on the grid, and Tom Brown (Irchester, Northamptonshire) rounded out the podium places in third.

For Riki Christodoulou (Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield) and Danny Cruttenden (Wilmington, Kent), however, their title hopes were dealt a severe blow after finishing in 14th and 16th positions respectively. Christodoulou, the 2003 Formula JICA Champion, certainly drove his heart out in Final Two though, finishing an excellent third after fighting his way through from a lowly 14th place at the start.

Martin-Dye, who, as he crossed the line in Final Two thought he had done enough to seal the Formula ICA title, finished in fifth position one place ahead of Cruttenden. Second position in the race, meanwhile, went to Charlie Bruce-White (Salisbury, Wiltshire).

Lamare’s victory ensured he provisionally took the championship by a single point with Martin-Dye a valiant and highly sporting Vice-Champion. Cruttenden and Christodoulou, meanwhile, jointly end the season two points further adrift.

Formula JICA

Copeland Provisional 2004 Champion

Dorset ace Craig Copeland (Sturminster Marshall, Wimborne) has been provisionally declared the 2004 BTE Lawline/Renault MSA British Junior Kart Champion after sealing the prestigious crown during the final round of the season at Larkhall, Scotland, on Sunday.

The 15-year old, who has enjoyed an excellent year in the UK’s premier junior karting championship, finished second in the first of the weekend’s points-scoring Finals and then opted to sit-out Final Two so as to protect his position in the driver standings.

Under the rules of Formula JICA, the points-scoring system sees drivers ‘drop’ their two worse results of the year but competitors aren’t permitted to count exclusions as ‘drop scores’. In this case, therefore, Copeland would have risked losing the title in the second Final if he had been involved in an on-track incident, which later led to his exclusion.

Having started off the season with three Finals victories to his credit, Copeland also took one other win and four other podiums to clinch the championship by nine points from nearest rival Adam Christodoulou (Shenstone, Lichfield).

The rain-affected final meeting of the year at Larkhall saw Adam Batch (North Ferriby, East Yorkshire) and Matthew Bell (Morpeth) share the victor’s spoils with a win apiece in the points-scoring Finals. In Final One, Batch took an early lead from second on the grid but was passed by eventual champion Copeland at mid-distance. As the conditions worsened, however, Batch managed to pass Copeland on the last lap to seal his first win of the season. In Final Two, Bell – who finished third in the first Final – took the win but he was pushed hard all the way by Batch, the pair providing superb entertainment as they fought for the lead. Lap 16 proved to be decisive when Bell edged ahead and Batch’s comeback attempt failed, the youngster running wide and losing ground. Christodoulou, meanwhile, finished third to take his seventh podium of the year.

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