Heavyweight Clubman Sprint Round 6

Introduction and Qualifying

Llandow circuit in the Vale of Glamorgan played host to Wales’s premier motorsport event, round six of the 2011 Club 100 Sprint Championship, or the Welsh Grand Prix as it has become known. The circuit itself is fast, technical and fairly easy to defend on, unless of course, you are Jamie Jakins. Another feature of the track is the famous Russ Pittingales Sausage, which is feared by experienced drivers who know how uncomfortable it is to ride.

Grabbing pole for Final 1 was Geoff Symonds with 3rd and 11th place heat finishes. Mike Bodnar joined him on the front row. Jamie Bird and James Childe were on row 2. James Taylor and Tom Foy made up row 3.

Jose Soler secured pole for final 2 with a stunning laptime set in the second heat, which would still stand at the end of the day as a new lap record for the class. Jamie Bird underlined his good form at Llandow by taking 2nd. Harry Landy was another on good form qualifying 3rd with James Childe 4th. Geoff Symonds and Henry Jones were on row 3.

Final 1

Symonds used his advantage well to lead into the Hook from Bodnar, but it was Jamie Bird and Tom Foy providing the entertainment, the fast starting Foy making contact with Bird, which meant Foy was up to 4th while Bird slid down to 6th. Over the line to start lap 2, and Symonds led from Bodnar and Childe. Foy crossed the line in 4th, but a typical late and hard move from James Taylor at the Hook saw slight contact made and Foy lose the position. While Symonds and Bodnar edged away at the front. Taylor was on the move, taking 3rd from Childe with a move on the brakes at the last corner. At the halfway stage, Symonds still led from Bodnar who was now under pressure from Taylor in third. As Symonds appeared to lose some of his pace Bodnar and Taylor closed right up behind him, the top three nose to tail with Taylor looking the most threatening of the trio. Taylor was soon past Bodnar and into 2nd with a move up the inside at the sausage corner, Bodnar losing momentum and giving Childe a chance to close in. Going into the closing stages and Symonds was doing everything he could to keep Taylor behind, James appeared to have taken the lead at the Hook only for Geoff to get the better run out and hold on to the lead. Next time round and Taylor got a run out of the last corner and tried to pass Symonds on the inside of the fast entrance to the Hook, having to abort the move and somehow not taking out Symonds or a cone. Taylor was in a rampant and aggressive mood by now, launching another attack on Symonds at turn 4, which caused Symonds to wave his arms indignantly. At this stage it was clear Taylor was in a win or bust mood and he finally managed to pass Symonds at the last corner and take the lead. Symonds wasn’t going to give up without giving everything he had, and on the next lap drafted Taylor along the back straight forcing Taylor to go narrow into the last corner giving Geoff the better run off the corner and the line for the first part of the Hook. Symonds was ahead as he turned into the slow left hander only for a desperate and somewhat crazy move by Taylor who T boned Symonds out of the way, allowing Bodnar into the lead as cones flew and the luckless Symonds was shuffled down to 5th behind Bodnar, Taylor, Childe and Bird. Bodnar's spell in the lead didn’t last long as Taylor hunted him down and took the lead again on the penultimate lap. As the chequered flag Taylor crossed the line first, but the win went to Bodnar after Taylor was hit with the inevitable ABC penalty. James Childe took second and Taylor third. Jamie Bird finished fourth just ahead of an angry Symonds in fifth. Mark Oliver and Dan Underhill were sixth and seventh with Stephen Jennings, Tom Foy and Harry Landy completing the top 10.

Final 2

An on form Jose Soler maintained his advantage to lead away from pole, and as he led the field round to begin lap 2 it was Bird still in second from his mate James Childe who had jumped Harry Landy for third on the opening lap. As the pack came back into my view at the end of the second lap it was Bird leading from Childe with Soler down to third. Landy in fourth just about held off an attack from Henry Jones at the hairpin and continued in fourth. With Bird and Childe at the front streaking away and Soler giving chase there was soon a massive gap from sixth to the rest of the pack. Landy, Jones and Symonds were all fighting over fourth well clear of the rest. By lap five and Childe was into the lead from Bird and Soler, the leaders with a massive advantage over the pack behind. In contrast to the spaced out top positions, the midfield action was frantic with ten or more karts in a train barging and banging their way around. For the remainder of the race the front six positions were unchanged and after 12 laps Childe took a popular win from Bird and Soler who took his first Club 100 sprint podium. Next up was Symonds and Henry Jones. The gap from Jones in fifth to Landy in sixth a staggering 5 seconds. Barney Langley took seventh ahead of James Taylor. Mike Bodnar and Andy Cowell rounded out the top 10.

Driver of the day – James Childe – Great performances in both finals, taking a solid second in Final 1 and then a classy win in Final 2.