Round 2 of the SG Petch Abarth Championship took place today at the Tees-side kart track, where James made his first appearance of the year for Karting Magazine and Hayden-Media, in dry and sunny conditions.
It started well with grid 3 after timed qualifying out of an enormous grid of 36 drivers and karts, but as the pack powered into the right-hander at the bottom of the hill on the International circuit, James was hit from behind and spun through 180 degrees. Fortunately the pursuing drivers parted like waves as they avoided contact, leaving James to re-start 36th and last. From that moment on though he 'flew', impressively carving his way from the back to 7th place, to within a few seconds of the fight for 4th position, but perhaps more importantly, setting the fastest race lap in the process!
Up at the sharp end Simon Marshall initially indulged in a tough fight for the lead with Scott McNicholas. Once they got within the back-markers though around mid-distance, it allowed Simon to break clear, leaving Scott to fall back into Craig Brock's clutches, in what was a nose-to-tail finish for 2nd place.
The next round of this impressively supported championship will take place on the first Sunday in April.
