Kart racing: Rotherham's Thomas Turner aims to be first triple winner

Thomas Turner aims to be the first LGM Karting Series triple-championship winner and he did his best to make it possible at the Paul Fletcher international (PFi) circuit.
Thomas Turner (Rotherham) was ecstatic at his hard-fought win, reinforcing his lead in the IAME Senior X30 LGM championship race.Thomas Turner (Rotherham) was ecstatic at his hard-fought win, reinforcing his lead in the IAME Senior X30 LGM championship race.
Thomas Turner (Rotherham) was ecstatic at his hard-fought win, reinforcing his lead in the IAME Senior X30 LGM championship race.

The Rotherham 17 year-old arrived at PFi leading the X30 Senior LGM championship after winning the opening round 1 at the Glan Y Gors circuit.

Even though he qualified on pole position and led the field into the first corner, Turner lost the lead on the first lap.

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With his never-say-die attitude though, Turner was setting fastest lap times on the second lap as he retook the lead, only to be deposed from the lead a lap later.

Thomas Turner [Rotherham number 100] had his work cut out to win the IAME Senior X30 LGM race.Thomas Turner [Rotherham number 100] had his work cut out to win the IAME Senior X30 LGM race.
Thomas Turner [Rotherham number 100] had his work cut out to win the IAME Senior X30 LGM race.

It took him two laps of hard-charging to be back in front, and despite the best efforts of the karts behind to squeeze past on each and every corner, for the remaining 6 laps, Turner just managed to be 0.08 seconds ahead of the chasing pack as he took the chequered flag first.

A somewhat relieved Turner commented post-race, “I have now taken the first and second round wins, but this race was much tougher”, and of course, he still leads the X30 Senior LGM points table.

In the X30 Senior Club race, Barnsley’s Cole Kilner qualified on the front row, in 2nd-place and normally that side of the grid loses out at the start to the ‘odd’ right-hand side karts into the first corner.

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But Kilner made a storming start, getting ahead so he could go around the outside at the first corner to take the lead.

For two laps, Kilner held the primary position until a trio of karters caught up very eager to challenge him.

Trying to defend from three other karts was impossible and Kilner lost his lead. But for the rest of the race’s 10 laps, the four karters were engaged in a constant battle repeatedly swapping places at every corner.

Ultimately, Kilner secured 3rd-position, which he held to the chequered flag, and as his performance continues to improve he is being more self-critical, “I took everyone round the outside of the first corner. Then I bogged down and the others caught me when I went down to 4th. Then my tyres came in and my fight back could start, but there was not enough time or I could have done better.”

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His teammate, Matthew Hudson, also from Barnsley, qualifying rather low down for him in 19th, did manage to advance, finishing in 11th. Finishing just behind was Sheffield’s Jack Bowman in 15th.

For Sheffield’s S8 team, Oliver Greetham put in a phenomenal performance by clawing his way through the field from grid slot 21, gaining 5 places at the start, and taking at least one place a lap, to have an amazing 9th-place finish.

Having finished 6th overall in the IAME Cadet LGM series in 2018, Brandon Carr wants a top-3 finish this year, and he has made the best possible start to his target.

Qualifying in 7th spot for the IAME Cadet LGM race, the Sheffield lad had climbed up to 3rd by the end of the third lap, holding it until lap 4.

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Only he then lost out, and dropped down to 5th by lap 6, but not for long, as he set fastest lap after fastest lap in his pursuit of the four leaders and then joining in a 5-kart dice for the lead.

On the final corners of the last lap, a mighty effort by Carr saw him emerge on to the finishing straight in 2nd-place and taking the flag just 1.1 seconds behinds the leader, the very well-funded Anglo-Japanese karter, Kean Nakamura-Berta.

The post-race podium ceremonies were repeatedly delayed by the Stewards’ lengthy deliberation over the conduct of Nakamura-Berta, eventually they took place, with the IAME Cadet LGM presentation being postponed until the next round.

However, that was a great pity for Carr, as ultimately his runners-up finish became transformed in a victory, when Nakamura-Berta was excluded from the results for dangerous driving, and the results mean that 11 year-old Tyke is leading the championship!

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Qualifying on pole for the Rotax Junior Max race, James Winter from Doncaster held the lead for the first two laps. Although he then lost the lead, Winter set two fastest laps in his chase to take back the lead, accomplishing the task on lap 8, and set another race fastest lap in his getaway as he on to the lead until to the flag. Clutching his trophy, Winter commented with a grin, “I have had good results all weekend!”.

Conisborough’s Joshua Wilby, run by Swinton’s Team Avago, while starting from grid slot 5, he fell back to 7th, but managed to regain 5th-place by the race end.

Barnsley youngster, Oliver Fabricius, is learning the ropes in the Honda Cadet Club race and despite being punted across the grass, and in his recovery drive flying over some kerbs, the 8 year-old did make a one place improvement over hisqualifying into 16th-place.

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