Grampian Kart Club host Scottish Karting Championships
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It was the turn of Grampian Kart Club to host the ASKC Scottish Championships which saw two days of karting action over the weekend.
The weather was dry and hot for the drivers with the Sunday temperatures reaching the mid-20s at Boyndie Drome.
The Bambinos class did not run as there were not enough entrants.
In the Mini Max section Aston Sharp had a tremendous start and led the final at the end of the first of the 23 laps.
After a first few laps the race order settled down being Sharp, Alexander Duffie, Aiden MacDonald, Mattao Palazzo and Alexander Reid.
Duffie was homing in on Sharp and on lap 18 Duffie took the lead and came home a tenth in front of Sharp.
The rest of the field held their positions throughout the race. MacDonald took the final step on the podium with Palazzo close behind.
The top six was completed by Reid and Kyle Smith. Duffie had broken the class lap record to 38.333 seconds during heat one.
In the Honda Cadet class the large grid of 26 drivers took the lights with Ryan White and Leo Massie on the front row.
Massie had a bad start dropping down the field. White led in the early part until Evi Davidson took the lead which she held for the majority of the race.
Ellis Bell, Zane Sword, Euan House all held second at some point. All the action happened into the final corner where there was some pushing and shoving.
As a result a number of karts ran wide leaving a clear run from fourth to the chequered flag for Euan House. Evi Davidson took second with Finlay Smith third.
Fourth home was Ryan White and fifth Ellis Bell within a second of the winner. Leo Massie who broke the lap record in heat two was sixth.
The top 10 was completed by Thomas Jackson, Bella Brown, Max Taddie and Zane Sword. Top novice driver was Calum Gardiner.
In the Senior Max 162kg final the initial leader was Leon Henderson but Les Taylor took the lead and was never headed with a dominate drive taking victory by five seconds.
Chris Miller got to second in the early laps with the close attention of Leon Henderson. Reece Duthie had to retire when he lost his chain guard. Paul Stewart also retired mid distance.
As the race drew to its conclustion Jonathan Edwards was closing in on Henderson but despite a number of attempts, Henderson held third.
John Knox was fifth and Scott Dunsmuir sixth. The top 10 was completed by Keiran Smart, Gary Bird, Logan Blake and Craig McDowell.
In the Junior Max class Steven Duncan opened a gap early in the race. Leon Hastie took up the chase and towards the end of the 24-lap race caught Duncan.
At the end of Boyndie Straight on the last lap, he sold Duncan a dummy and squeezed through on the inside. Attempts by Duncan to regain the lead were in vain. Hastie took the Championship with Duncan second.
On the road Max Taylor was third but received a five-second penalty for passing under a yellow flag which dropped him to seventh.
Rhys Ballie took the final podium position with Sophie Kinghorn hot on his bumper for fourth. Fifth was Alex Hawcutt and sixth Eihli Smith.
The top 10 was completed by Jack Glen, Taylor Thomson and Kyle Cruickshanks. Novice trophy went to Darci Morrison.
In the Senior Max 177kg section Robert Strachan took a comfortable lights to flag victory by a margin of eight seconds.
Alexander Kirkwood ran wide over the rumble strips at the top of the circuit and that dropped him to last.
Initially Jamie Mackay took up the chase and then Stewart McLennan. Kirkwood was scything through the pack catching Scott Maxwell at mid-distance for third.
Kirkwood caught and passed McLennan on the last lap for second. McLennan was a 10th back as they crossed the line.
Fourth was the novice trophy winner Gary Scott. Jamie Mackay was fifth with Ayrton Redfearn sixth
In the KZ2 UK (Gearbox) final pole man Ben MacLeod led the first half of the final from Ally Smith and Alex Mackay.
Ryan Simpson, who started fifth, was on the move firstly passing Adam Barbour, then Mackay, Macleod and Smith, to take the lead on lap 16.
Simpson took the championship by over a second from Smith. The final podium step was occupied by Mackay with Macleod fourth.The top six was completed by Greg Moir and Barbour.
Results
Mini Max: Champion Alexander Duffie (Bathgate); 2 Aston Sharp (Aberdeen); 3 Aiden MacDonald (Woodhead).
Honda Cadets: Champion Euan House (Dunblane); 2 Evi Davidson (Bathgate); 3 Finlay Smith (Stuartfield). Novice: Calum Gardiner (Biggar).
Senior Max 162 kg: Champion Les Taylor (New Leeds); 2 Chris Miller (Lanark); 3 Leon Henderson (Newmachar).
Junior Max: Champion Leon Hastie (Markinch); 2 Steven Duncan (Aberchirder); 3 Rhys Ballie (Broxburn). Novice: Darci Morrison (Insch).
Senior Max 177 kg: Champion Robert Strachan (Turriff); 2 Alexander Kirkwood (Renfrew); 3 Stewart McLennan (Loanhead). Novice: Gary Scott (Elgin).
KZ2 UK (Gearbox): Champion Ryan Simpson (Banff); 2 Ally Smith (Peterhead); 3 Alex Mackay (Inverness). Novice: Ryan Cameron (Thurso).
ASKC Awards:
Over 30 Senior Max 162: Chris Miller.
Over 30 Senior Max 177: Stewart MacLennan.
Over 30 KZ Gearbox: Ally Smith.
Tayside Quaich fastest time of the weekend KZ: Jack Gordon, 32.045.
Tayside Award fastest time of the weekend Honda Cadet: Leo Massie, 43.233.
Maxtrac Award – Robert Smith.
Mike Philip Award – Darci Morrison.
Grampian Kart Club chairwoman Sheryl Borton presented the trophies at the new podium after the meeting.
The next race meeting at Boyndie is on Sunday, August 14.
For more information visit www.grampiankartclub.com or the club’s Facebook page.
