PFI is the largest outdoor karting track in the UK. Think of a junior Spa. It’s very daunting for Nelson, a rookie who’s never seen the place before. Now, he’s got to race here. And race hard. PFI has long, fast straights, high speed corners and multiple hairpins to test the mettle of the best drivers. We counted over 15 top drivers from the British Championship competing this weekend.  The grid is pumped up to 35 karters.

We arrived for testing early Saturday and over a handful of Practice laps, feeling his way, Nelson managed to drop his initial time of 1 min, 4 secs and 20/100ths by nearly 3 seconds. Lap times were heading in the right direction but much more to do.

Quali was that afternoon. Unfortunately, Nelson got stuck in the ‘mid-grid bog’ but he held his nerve and scored 25^th out of 35. Yes, he was a second or so off his best Practice lap but, with new tyres, he was only 1.59 seconds behind the fastest driver (and one of the most experienced racers on the track), Albert Friend. We’re all heartened for Sunday.

Up next morning for Heat 1 at 10.42 hours. Weather conditions remain the same. There are 24 karts in front of Nelson who know the track well way better than him. This time it’s a rolling start which is another first for Nelson. He loses a good few positions but claws his way back through some disobliging traffic to improve by a single place to 24^th. Nelson just about keeps Mr Friend in sight – finishing a chunky 15.64 seconds behind the winner. He also manages to get his fastest lap so far. Still much to play for.

In the post-Heat 1 debrief Nelson knows where he needs to improve. He now feels confident he can find more speed. More importantly, he’s calmer. We’re now good for Heat 2 at 12.50 hours. Our Friend does the business again by finishing in top slot.  Nelson responds by reducing the gap to 12.81 seconds to the winner. Nelson stays consistent at 25^th over the line.

It’s Final time of the TVKC Round 6. At 14:58 hours they’re off. This time it’s 11 laps of hard racing. With some quick laps behind him Nelson has had to learn fast. This time he’s switched on from the start, overtaking on the grid and through the early laps. And he stays there. He’s quick and stays consistent. From 25^th on the grid Nelson finishes 16^th out of 35 karts and only 10.11 seconds off the predictable winner.

It’s been a very encouraging and respectable performance for Nelson as a PFI first-timer. Nelson & Friend have had a great weekend.

*Just 339 days – from starting in karts – Nelson faces up to some of the best in the country and competes well.