The Wigan circuit brought with it some demanding weather conditions
Kart racer Marcus Hudson is currently competing in the Northern Karting Federation Super 4 British Championship, so far achieving impressive results to see him sitting highly in the standings.
Hudson entrusts EBC’s Green kart pads and BF005.1 silicone fluid for his fiery ABKC 250cc National kart.
The most recent round of the series took him and the team to Wigan’s Three Sisters Circuit, where he instantly gelled with the kart to achieve more impressive finishes, as you can read below in the team’s own words.
Heat 1 (Grid: 15th)
“We made a good start from the inside of the 8th row, gaining five places and overtaking a couple more karts in the Valley section of the circuit, putting me into 7th place after the first lap.
“Myself, 6th and 7th were being held up by 5th place. In the battle we were having, I lost a place, but on lap 6, I got a good run around Lunar corner and slipstreamed down the straight to then send it up the inside going in the first corner up the hill (we were entering this at 97mph with a slight lift).
“The kart felt good making the pass as we were strong in that section; at that speed, you have to have trust in the fellow racer to give you the room. If not, we could both end up off the circuit. This moved me back up to 7th and back onto 6th, who was struggling.
“Because we were all so close in this battle, I knew I had to get past him quickly before I got overtaken, so on the following lap, I sent it underneath 6th on the left hander (off Camber corner, so as you turn left the circuit is angled away, pushing you to the right). This leads up into the Valley with a quick S-bend. After the overtake, I was up into 6th, but the gap to 5th at this time was too big at 8.2 seconds with four laps to go, but at the finish the gap was down to 4.7 seconds and we were 5.3 seconds ahead of 7th. The kart felt strong throughout the race.”
Heat 2 (Grid: 6th)
“At the start, I was stuck behind a slower racer and thought I would need to get by him quickly otherwise be stuck and struggle to improve. As we came out of the left hander before going up the hill into the Valley on lap 1, I made the pass and was in 6th place. I was right behind 5th and tried passing into the 1st corner and the left hander into the Valley but couldn’t make it stick and finished 0.1 seconds behind them. We finished 11.2 seconds ahead of 7th.
Heat 3 (Grid: 9th)
“As we were on the dummy grid the storm clouds were approaching the circuit and suddenly the heavens opened soaking everything. All 17 racers rushed to get the wets from the paddock and swapped the tyres over, normally we would change the setup of the kart for the wet but had no time so we went out onto the circuit in the unknown.
“On the formation lap, the kart felt good and I tried different lines in the corners to see where the grip was. On lap 1, I picked off three karts and the kart felt great in the conditions.
“On lap two, we moved up another position and were right behind 4th – there was nothing to separate us and we caught 2nd and 3rd within three laps as we were so much quicker than them. Unfortunately, as we entered Lunar, 4th and myself span together going off the circuit onto the grass. As we re-joined racing each other to get back onto the circuit, 6th and the rest of the pack were nowhere to be seen – I couldn’t believe the gap we had over them. We finished 5th which was good but if I hadn’t spun it could have been 3rd, but that’s racing!”
Final (Grid: 8th)
“By the time the final came, the track conditions were mixed. We put the wets on for the final and were the only ones who chose that option. Off the start, we made two places in the 1st corner going on the inside of them.
“On lap 2, we had made more passes in the Valley and were up to 4th and had caught 3rd. I then passed him all the way around the outside of Lunar. I thought this might just work the as the first three laps were brilliant.
“Unfortunately, on the following lap, the bloke I had passed around the outside came past me with ease. It was then I realised the slicks had now come on and were the better tyre to be on. I knew I was a sitting duck but I tried my best making them go off line onto the wet hoping for a mistake but I finished in 7th place. We took a gamble and it backfired.
“Over the weekend, we got faster and faster in the sessions and in the races which again was encouraging. The kart felt great straight out of the van which we have never had and our good starts are back.
“Next stop is my favourite circuit: Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire on July 8-9. Thanks to all my sponsors: Maxview, Silkolene, Studio 11 Architecture, Charmed Interiors, NGK Spark Plugs, EBC Brakes, HairStyles, Carter Haulage and Lister BMW.”
