Platt makes the perfect start

Oulton Park March 30th
Rounds 1 and 2 of the MSA British Superkart Championships / BSA F250/450 Clubman Challenge

Report by Gary James. Photo by Nick Purdie

With a full grid of 40 Superkarts entered on the Cheshire International circuit we knew it was going to be an exciting meeting. And we were not disappointed. TV coverage times will be on the BSA web site in a few days.

Reigning MSA British Superkart champion Paul Platt made the best possible start to the defence of his title with two nail biting wins at Oulton Park. Following a seized engine in practice the team were on tenterhooks and not sure if the Honda motor would last the distance. Starting from the second row of the grid in race 1, Platt was down in fifth place during the opening laps while teenage sensation Ben Davis led the race from pole sitter Jason Dredge. Platt slowly picked off the drivers ahead and was on the tail of Davis by the end of lap 5. A smart move on the approach to Shell Oils Corner saw Platt take the lead. But Davis didn't give up the fight and stuck to his tail. Unfortunately with a lap to go Davis got held up by back markers and lost ground. On the final lap Davis put in his quickest lap of the race and halved the gap to Platt but at the flag the effort wasn't enough and Platt took the win. Ben's elder brother Toby secured third place on lap seven when Dredge retired with a broken clutch.

In race two Ben Davis led the opening laps with Platt shadowing him ahead of Toby Davis and Trevor Roberts. On lap three Platt again took the lead at Shell and then proceeded to dominate the race. Initially Ben Davis gave chase but on lap five he dropped back and then retired two laps later with a broken piston. This elevated his brother Toby into second place but he started to suffer with tyre problems and was caught and passed by Louis Wall on the last lap. Championship returnee Lee Harpham had a solid run into fourth place ahead of Dredge who had started from the back of the grid after his race one problem.

Race One:

1 Paul Platt (PVP) 9 laps in 15m19.036s (94.90mph);

2 Ben Davis (Anderson) +0.639s;

3 Toby Davis (Anderson);

4 Louis Wall (Anderson);

5 Lee Harpham (Anderson);

6 Trevor Roberts (Anderson).

Fastest Lap: Platt 1m40.862s (96.08mph).

Pole Position: Jason Dredge (Anderson) 1m40.996s (99.95mph).

Starters: 33

Race Two:

1 Paul Platt (PVP) 11 laps in 15m21.430s (94.65mph);

2 Louis Wall (Anderson) + 3.562s;

3 Toby Davis (Anderson);

4 Lee Harpham (Anderson);

5 Jason Dredge (Anderson);

6 Dan Clark (F1).

Fastest Lap: Wall 1m41.281s (95.68mph).

Pole Position: Platt.

Starters: 34

Other news from the event:

After two tremendous drives teenager Ben Davis was awarded the Castrol Driver of the Day prize at Oulton Park. He is certainly going to be a force this season and was very unhappy with his race two engine failure. « After the second place in the opening race I felt I was in a good position to win race 2. » Maybe the win will come at the next round at Silverstone in May.

Gavin Bennett, runner-up in last years European Superkart Championship, used the Oulton Park meeting as a final 'test session' ahead of the first round of this years Euro series at Hockenheim in three weeks time. He collected two wins and was very pleased with the ways things went. « We have made good progress with the engine and aerodynamic set up of the kart and the victories have given me a great start to the season. I am really looking forward to Hockenheim and confident that we can get a good result. »

More photos on Nick's Pages at http://www.np.rpsys.net/bsa/index.html

Résults Oulton Park – March 31-2012

2012 MSA Champs Points after Oulton