New KaRo Cars Spotted

Spy photographers were out in force in Northamptonshire recently as an eclectic mix of race cars sporting the now well known KaRo racing colours was spotted on the Southern Circuit at the Silverstone race circuit.

The cars were kept under wraps for much of the session until they were wheeled out for what was believe to be promotional work. Our spy photographers, however, were able to get shots of 4 of the cars, before security prevented further images. First out on track was a real stranger to 'road circuits' as the Oval based Silver Crown ( above ) was scene out on circuit doing donuts and clearly having a bit of trouble with right hand bends.

Next up was another car more commonly seen on Oval tracks as a Streetstock took to the track.

Then the road cars started to appear, firstly a locally produced Radical SR8 sliding it's way through Chapel corner as Katier was clearly enjoying herself.

Finally a Ford powered SRF was out on circuit bouncing through the first few turns Katier was clearly enjoying herself in these cars looking resplendant in purple and black with a splash of pink.

Security sadly interviened before what was believe to be a F1 style car and also a touring car, perhaps a VW Jetta, took to the tracks.

TWF1: Teflon Tyres produce a thriller!!

"They're shocking, they fall apart" mumbled one driver, while Grant Riddall was heard to explain "I can only get 12 laps out of the hards."

"They're like driving on Teflon", muttered another, and indeed KaRo driver, Katier Scott, sported 'Teflon Tyres' sponsorship on her newly painted T4 Ferrari.

As with the modern Formula 1 teams, TWF1 drivers are faced with what amounts to a new tyre supplier this year. With much heavier wear rates, the overall grip levels are reduced, and drivers will have to balance tyre wear against race pace adding a tactical edge to the racing.

On Pole for the first race of the season round the challenging Portimato track was the impressive, hard tyred, Grant Riddall, .4s up on returnee Pablo Flores and 1s up of defending champion Rouke vd Hoek. The gap was perhaps a bit of a surprise, but with a variety of strategies at play, and Parc Ferme rules fixing fuel levels the strategies of different drivers was far from known.

In all 27 drivers lined up for the first race and off the start Grant got too much wheelspin (right), allowing Pablo to get a jump on him and Rouke to challenge for second place.

Further back, Kat Scott, as seems to be her tradition, probably got the best start of everyone. Threading the needle (below) she lept from 21st on the grid to 14th by the exit of T1. At the end of the lap she was up to 13th, while Tallini, Jaka, Nigel and Jef also all made good progress on lap 1.

Sliding down the order, the other way, several drivers made less than stellar starts, Paul Langford dropping 6 places on lap 1, and a further 6 two laps later to find himself with a mountain to climb from 21st place.

Paul's first lap, however, was remarkable in the way he avoided problems. His start wasn't great and he soon found himself battling with Salvatore Tallini.Into T3 the two were broadly alongside, Tallini took the racing line and Paul was forced to brake very hard, only the triple screen setup on Langfords 'car' giving him enough warning to save himself. T4, and again he was having to rely on his situational awareness as Ray Riddall cut the curbing and almost took out the dark green Lotus which at this point was in a Ferrari Sandwich.

Then finally a few turns later Paul has to lift as Kat failed to give him enough room through a fast left hander. All this left the GP Racing driver well down the order.

On Lap 2, Grant lost his nearest challenger, as Pablo spun into the kitty litter and rejoined several places down the order in 8th place and started something of a recovery drive.

On the same Lap, Ray Riddall also spun out losing out when Paul's nightmare race continued and he made a mistake into T3. The collision punted Ray round and down to last but one place, while Paul continued in 15th place, before spinning down to 21st a lap later.

Up towards the sharp end of the field Jaka and Nigel were making steady progress while John Wallace was getting Pressurised by the recovering Pablo.

Pablo certainly had some pace and was soon past the sluggish looking Bous car, and scampering after the Lotus 80 of Costa, which he is initially unable to pass.

Pablo's charge does continue, however, as he passes Nigel on lap 5, Simon Baggett on Lap 7 and finally Costa on Lap 8. Nigel had been holding a solid 4th place but spun, avoiding the McLaren of Baggett as they approached T3, the Lotus pitching right under hard braking and pushing Metcalf down to 8th.

The front 8 seemed to be starting to pull away by now, leaving the battle for 9th behind as the race progressed. That battle was as fierce as any in the race with Ralph Maiph, Tallini, Bret Metcalf and Jan Premuzic all swapping places several times over the first 6 laps before a half hearted attempted at a pass by Jan caused him to collide with the bronze coloured Lotus of Bret, and spin. Ralph had no-where to go and spun into the stationary Premuzic knocking the wing of his car and forcing Jan to pit at the end of the lap. The collision would have a telling effect on the teams results as Ralph would never fully recover from the collision while his team mate, John Wallace, continued.

Bret continued unhindered and soon started to put the latter as they chased down the other Metcalf in as the first pitstops approached.

First to pit, of the scheduled stoppers, was race leader, Grant. He has been serenely pulling away from the second placed, and longer fueled, Rouke but still rejoined in 7th place and was back up to the lead by lap 21 ahead of Wallace and Rouke, who had pitted on lap 16 dropping to 3rd once the stops had played out. Last to stop were the cars of Baggett and Scott who both waited towards lap 20 before stopping for fuel and tyres.

Or so we thought because, suddenly, on lap 24 the leader was back in the pits for his second scheduled stop. This caught Rouke out and he failed to capitalise on the chance to challenge for the lead as the leader exited the pits.

Rouke took a look inside into T3 but it was too little, too later, the 2010 double champion would have to settle for a chase down of Wallace instead.

Meanwhile other drivers were starting their season on a high. Eric Fulghum, who early on had been embroiled with a battle with Rouke's Team mate, Katier Scott, now found himself lapping the RoKa car who was in her own battle with Bous Team driver Ralph Maiph.

Initially Eric got past cleanly but a last corner slide by Fulghum caused confusion as Scott, Nigel, Fulghum and Maiph all careered towards T1 at different speeds. Fulghum's slide causing him to be substantially slower than the slipstream aided cars behind him. Kat Scott summed up the next few seconds by saying "I was caught between a rock and a hard place, I thought Eric and Simon had crashed, didn't know what the condition of Eric was and was concious we had two battles - a lap apart, approaching the turn. I did make a bit of a pigs ear of it, not the way I wanted to start the last lap."

Initially all drivers maintained their places but ultimately the fresher tyres on Nigel and Ralph's cars gave them enough to make up the places.

Grant cruised the last few laps for a superb win ahead of Rouke and the non-stopping John Wallace. 3 different strategies for the podium. Eric Fulghum also ultimately drove an excellent race also non-stopping while Ralph showed how marginal the non-stop strategy can be as he punctured a few laps from home setting up the thrilling last lap.

Newcomer Frank Oreskov, and Tallini, also drove excellent races - battling for 12th down to the last lap when a technical glitch let the newcomer through.

For me drive of the day must go to John Wallace for a superb tactical drive to second place by a team who, last season, also often tended to nail the strategy. Jef Vannijlen also deserves a mention thanks to a great run from 26th to 16th after resetting his qualifying time.