Nelsons Journey Started
Location: Bayford Meadows, Sittingbourne, Kent.
Track: Bayford Meadows.
Event: Bayford Meadows Club Championship, Round 9.
Weekend Schedule: Quali, Heat 1, Pre-Final and Final.
Date: 17.11.24.
Kart: EKS Chassis, Rotax Inter Engine (Tuned by RPM).
Weather: Bright & chilly.
Track Conditions: Challenging. Air temp 11C.
Karts on grid: 11
Number of laps: 9 for Quali, 9 for Heat and 10 for Pre- and Final.
Final starting position: 1st.
Final position: See RR.
Though much encouraged by his third place at Rye House in early November, Orange 91 was by no means complacent for this weekend. Savvy Racing was back at Bayford Meadows for Round 9 of the Inter Rotax Championship. Nelson’s team mate, Akille, is going to be stiff competition here, given his thorough knowledge of the track.
Sunday was bright, crisp and sunny. Perfect racing conditions if not a little chilly for Quali at 10.17 hours. After 9 laps only a tenth or so separated the fastest 3: with Mr Eden Salvidge in first place, followed by Akille and Orange 91.
Heat 1 was next up at 11.27. After a further 9 laps Nelson improves 2 places to take pole. However, the ever-racy Akille is only a tenth or so behind and manages the fastest lap of everyone: a clear warning this was going to be neck-and-neck.
The Pre-Final comes round quickly at 12.58. This time it’s 10 laps. Nelson makes a little slip, loses his pole position but soon claws himself back into contention. He’s not hanging around and stays in slot #1 to the chequered flag. But his winning margin is hardly comfortable. Just over half a second behind, Akille takes spot #2 and throws in another fastest lap to keep Nelson looking over his shoulder. Mr Salvidge clings on to the coat-tails of Savvy Racing’s ‘Dynamic Duo’ but the rest couldn’t come to terms with their sheer consistency and speed over 10 hard laps.
Team Director, Savvy and his superb race management, was proving decisive.
And now the Final. 12 laps this time. 3 karters in the mix at the sharp end of the grid. Track conditions have improved a little. At 14.33 the Final begins. Racing is clean and fast. Nelson and Akille, seemingly locked in a duel all day long, take their eye off the ball to allow Mr Salvidge to push them back into Spot 2 and 3. For a while.
Within a couple of laps Nelson and Akille drag themselves back into first and second slots and stay there. Hard racing ensues with no quarter given until Akille draws on all his Bayford experience to sneak past Nelson on the penultimate lap, finally beating him by 2 tenths and crowning the day with the fastest lap….yet again. What a deserved win for Akille and a great second for Orange 91.
Next weekend the grid will expand 3-fold …to 34 karts at Whilton Mill to race against British Championship karters. Our Dynamic Duo will need to conserve their energy: the competition will demand every joule they’ve got.
[*Just 382 days of karting under Nelson’s belt and still improving].
