Elkmann crushes opposition to win Superkart Grand Prix
DONINGTON PARK BARC JUNE 2-3
Prior to the British Superkart Grand Prix at Donington Park, it seemed as though the drivers had privately agreed that whoever should win must do so in crushing fashion.
Nowhere was that more evident than with Peter Elkmann. Already a two-time victor in the event, the ex-formula 3 Euro Series race winner celebrated the GP’S 40th anniversary by reaping maximum rewards.
Elkmann was untouchable during the headline race for 100bhp Division 1 karts, capable of 140mph, and won by nearly 10 seconds from fellow German and Anderson/vm driver Andreas Jost.
Although Jost was quicker away at the start, Elkmann occupied the inside line into Redgate and held on to first. A loss of water that resulted in overheating curtailed Liam Morley’s race, having started third and briefly passed Jost.
Elkmann was as much as 1.3s per lap faster than the rest of the field and he duly cleared off into the distance. “It was absolutely a fantastic weekend for us,” he said. “Maximum points, winning the GP, pole position and fastest lap. There was nothing more to dream about before this weekend.”
His triumph in the blue-riband race added to taking both European Superkart victories during the championship’s opening round. Despite smaller winning margins, he looked just as comfortable as he led home Czech Adam Kout (the 2007 Swiss Formula Renault champion) each time.
Also winning in a bruising fashion, Australian Jordan Forde was a massive
13s clear of Paul Platt in the GP race for F250/450 karts come the chequered flag. That followed on from taking the spoils in the first British National F250/450 race, although his fortunes took a downward turn when a broken ignition switch sustained on the green-flag lap of race two meant he dived into the pitlane from what would have been pole. Second-starting Liam Fox instead claimed top spot.
The only exception in the GP trend of dominant victories was during the F125 Open race, in which just 0.037s separated Chris Needham from nicking champion Liam Morley’s victory, Matt Robinson having won the previous day’s race.
While it may have been the kart races that topped the billing, the Mighty Minis provided the pick of the action with Dave Rees’s brace belying two frenetic battles. In the opening race, he led into Redgate but David Kirkpatrick and Alex Comis flanked him under braking into the Melbourne Hairpin. Rees recovered with a superior run into the final corner and survived further threats to take his first championship race win, which he dedicated to his late mother.
Anyone of the top nine looked in contention in race two, until Greg Jenkins, Mark Ditchburn and Steven Rideout collided at Melbourne and brought out the safety car. Rees led at the restart but a last-lap pass from Comis appeared to have denied him. But Comis was slapped with a track-limits penalty, which relegated him to fourth, although he only learned of his costly indiscretion after returning to the pits.
A safety car called to retrieve bodywork on track allowed Benn Tilley to close and then pass the Van Diemen RF80 of Ben Tinkler in the opening Classic Formula Ford 1600 race. A clean getaway in race two left Tilley unchallenged into Redgate, and from there the Merlyn Mk20 driver added a second win.