Bas Lammers - Eurpean Champion

Ignore the fact that Swiss Airlines are incompetent when it comes to looking after your luggage, which was evident by the fact that they 'lost' my case on both the outbound and inbound flights to and from Nurnberg in Germany via Zurich. So if we ignore that sorry fact, then the European Formula KZ1 and KZ2 Championship at Wackersdorf over the weekend, was really quite an enjoyable event.

In Dutch ace Bas Lammers the Formula KZ1 class European title has gone to a truly worthy driver, which means the Intrepid team for whom Lammers drives, pulled off a major coup when they signed Bas to drive for them. In company with his young and promising 16-year old team-mate Norman Nato, who is clearly a future champion in the making, Intrepid is now perhaps 'the' major force in International gearbox karting.

Hot and humid over the whole weekend, the 80% chance of rain on Sunday failed to materialise, although it is unlikely Lammers would have been affected by the weather, as his skill in the wet is just as good as it is when it is dry.

The only pity, one of two, is that Lammers is not British.

And as for the other pity, where is my luggage please Mr Swiss Airlines..?

Two out of two...

As the Thunderkart Challenge (SodiWSeries) reaches the halfway point at Warden Law near Sunderland, James took his second consecutive win at the track on Sunday, with a conclusive victory from grid 3 in the final.

Series points leader Daniel Laws led from pole position, chased by Simon Levers and Karting Magazine's James, as the three of them pulled away from the rest of the chasing pack. In his bid to get past though whilst James pateintly waited, Simon tried a doomed overtaking move on Daniel, which led to both of them being delayed, as a smiling James, who took a blow to the side of his kart as he swerved to avoid Simon, swept into the lead.

With rain the day before and the day after, Sunday had been perfect racing conditions, with Chris, the man in charge, supported by his marshals, once again ruling like all good officials should. My job as photographer was the easy bit...

John Mills - 50 years and counting...

Next month's Karting Magazine, which is due out on 8 July 2009 (August edition), is likely to have an interview with John Mills, the head man at John Mills Racing based at PF International.

Pictured with is wife Sheila (as shown in pic), John, now thankfully on the mend after an illness earlier this year, and his family team, celebrate 50 years in the karting business in 2009, which is an extremely commendable achievement, especially in what can be the fickle sport of motor-racing.

His brother Roger, who competed for the British Team with former top karter Paul Fletcher back in the 1960's, helped me with the article, and I am grateful to both John and Roger, not to mention the many members of this family run business, for the help given to me with this story.

Here's to the next 50 years guys... Cheers!

Front cover - Karting Magazine (July '09)

Immensely satisfying..!

These are the only words to describe the feeling when a magazine gives you a front cover!

I covered the Anthony Davidson test a few weeks ago when he took three different TKM karting chassis' around the PF International circuit, where the former Honda and Super Aguri F1 driver had a terrific time.

The article and images from that test are in this month's edition of Karting Magazine (July 2009), which is out nw, and taking pride of place as the lead article in the mag this month.

My heartfelt thanks go to the editor Mark Burgess for choosing me over the many others who tend to get the majority of covers, which just makes the photograph that has appeared on the front cover, as shown aside, all the more satisfying.

Ant called me yesterday just after he had covered the obligatory 10 laps at Le Mans, where he has joined the Gulf Lola Aston Martin LMP1 team, and his co-drivers, former F1 driver Jos Vesrappen, and Darren Turner. They are up against the odds with the Audi and Peugeot diesel cars ruling from the front, which Ant reckons are averaging six seconds a lap faster. "I'm not worried", he said, and over 24-hours things can happen. They just need to have the odd problem or two and we'll be looking to beat them".

David Sutton - BARC Renault

David Sutton from Team AVAGO, who is being strongly supported this year by Hayden-Media, had an eventful outing at Oulton Park.

The Cheshire track was the venue for the opening round of the BARC Formula Renault Championship, where David had to overcome a serious front brake problem and worn out tyres. To fight his way forward from a lower than expected qualifying result due to locking brakes though, was a commendable achievement for the teenage karting graduate.

We met up with David this week to find that a full strip and re-build of the car after Oulton Park, had revealed a number of maintenance issues that needed to be adressed, which had not been evident after the Team AVAGO outfit had bought the car. With these problems corrected, and with his first single-seater race start under his belt, it means that David approaches the next two rounds at Snetterton in Norfolk, in a much stronger and more confident frame of mind.