A recent change in the NKA Guidelines for operating a safe circuit now state that hire karts and owner drivers ( OD ) should not make use of the circuit at the same time. While I personally do not agree with this decision I am uncomfortable with continuing to operate in a way that contradicts the national guidelines. Consequently I predict that, as from the first January 2006, we will no longer allow OD’s to test on a Saturday. In a normal week I would expect that we can accommodate both hire karts and OD by using separate sessions for the two types of kart. This arises from the fact that hire karts and OD are incompatible from the point of view of safety i.e. the lack of wrap rounds on OD’s karts.

As a circuit operator I am uncomfortable with OD’s attempting repairs to their kart on the circuit. A stationary kart with a driver out of the kart, focusing on the repair, is not acceptable. As a result both the MSA club and the Fun meetings are introducing a rule that prevents repairs being attempted. Leaving the circuit at scrutineering to effect a repair e.g. replacing a nose cone is fine……putting a chain back on during a race is not. As always we will assist Cadets at the Fun meetings (by using a trained member of staff) but in all other instances once the kart is stationary it is out of the race.

Fuel testing and tyre testing goes on at both MSA and Fun meetings. Our approach will be to identify fuel / tyres that is / are outside the normal range as tested and ask the driver to change fuel / tyres before the race. We will not attempt to
prove what has been done …..we will only identify those drivers whose fuel / tyres are “unusual”. I guess it will be somewhat embarrassing! While professional engine builders carry most of the responsibility for engines that are found
to be modified (often when the driver is unaware) the driver is the only one responsible for doctored fuel or tyres.

Byker Grove - For those of you who were involved in the filming the following dates should be of interest. So far the coverage I have seen has been excellent!

Dates - Tuesday 27th Sept & 18th Oct and Thursday 20th Oct & 10th Nov at 5 pm

Finally we will be stopping caravans staying on site next year on reserved bays. If you have a caravan with us please remove it as soon as possible but certainly no later than Christmas.

Fun Meeting
A record entry for a KNE Fun meeting with 105 drivers turning up. Driving standards in the Cadet and Junior Max classes were excellent but driving standards in senior Max were poor. Peter tells me that, despite a second drivers
briefing standards were still not good for the final. As a result we may use an automatic black flag in senior Max next month in an attempt to re-establish safe but competitive racing.

Apologies from Peter Knibb to Bob Shipman for failing miserably to acknowledge Bob’s achievement in finishing second in the Senior Rotax race. Peter’s oversight was due to the fact that Bob races a Biland so was left off the results sheet. This does raise the question of opening up the class as a Libre class next year i.e. Rotax, Bilands and Iame!

The views of our regular Senior Max drivers would be appreciated.

The accident in World Formula involving Julie Wright resulted in an arm injury which is now in plaster. The good news is that Julie is on the mend! On the issue of Zoom vouchers, since Zoom changed hands they have been a little disorganised. I am told by Sam at Zoom that their problems are behind them and that they will continue to accept vouchers from the World Formula class.

MSA
The WLKC committee have decided that next years membership will be £40 and is due in December or January. Any new members can join now for 2006 at a cost of £ 45 to include Oct, Nov and December 2005.

A new lap record in Junior Max of 52.69 seconds was set by Jordan Mackrell ( Trulli ) in the September meeting beating Adam Christodoulou’s record of 52.74. Congratulations also to Lee Bourner and Andrew Lawrence who now
jointly hold the lap record for Mini Max with a time of 54.18 seconds. The rain washed the circuit giving excellent grip with many drivers setting personal bests. The RAF Karting club enjoyed their visit having a 4 hour very wet
Endurance race on the Saturday evening with the Sprints on the Sunday. Congratulations also to the Collinsons who entered a family team of four drivers which included 2 of Ray Collinson’s daughters. They won the 4 hour race with a
massive 26 lap lead over the nearest RAF team. I hope that they drive Harrier Jump jets and *******in the wet better than they drive Pro Karts!

The Rookie Challenge is still wide open in all three classes, with points for the leaders remaining very close. We anticipate some excellent racing for the final rounds with a brand new kart up for grabs for each class!

Do not forget that there is a bonus of 50 points for (just) entering the October and November rounds of the WLKC Championship. Judging from the scores in some classes this is an excellent way of boosting your position.

In this month’s Karting Magazine there is an excellent article about the Little Green Man or WTP Challenge. WLKC member Dominic Wheatley has been highlighted in the article as one to watch next year. Max Coates is going well in the Challenge so good luck to both of them. The article makes good reading.

KNE Fundraising Event
KNE are hosting a fund raising night for the WLKC and the Headstart Charity by way of an Endurance Race. This is the Saturday night of the Club meeting on the 15th October. It is in the Biz Thunderkarts which will be drawn by lot on
the night. Each team needs four drivers with one female driver and no more than 2 MSA licence holders / Fun meeting regulars. It is a short practice followed by a 3 hour race at a cost of £180 per team including a BBQ. Please let Emma
know if you wish to enter a team and provide us with the names of the team members (please note that all drivers must be at least 16 yrs old). KNE will be entering a dream team captained by Emma with Don Whetstone, Quinton Drake
and A N Other.

Congratulations to HRS following a fantastic weekend’s racing. Tristram’s exceptionally high points tally from the penultimate round of Super 1 puts him in a very strong position going into the final round of the Rotax Max British
Championship. I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone in wishing them good luck for the final which will be held in Lydd next month. 2005 has been a superb year for HRS, with Tristram achieving the title of 2005 Rotax Max European Champion which has earned him a well deserved place at the World Championships in Malaysia in November.