Gritty Goodwin regains his edge with dominant Kimbolton victory 17.10.2009: After putting a barren summer run well-and-truly behind him with a brilliant charge through the field in the preceding Formula Kart Stars (FKS) meeting, young Sale-based karting star Jay Goodwin returned to the top step

After putting a barren summer run well-and-truly behind him with a brilliant charge through the field in the preceding Formula Kart Stars (FKS) meeting, young Sale-based karting star Jay Goodwin returned to the top step of the podium in style at Kimbolton, by thoroughly dominating the weekend from lights-out to chequered flag.

Having faced accusations regarding both his driving and his weight as he went six weeks without any kind of decent result at all, Jay disproved his critics’ theories when it was discovered that it was in fact a bent chassis that had been at fault for his lack of pace ever since the prestigious one-off Kartmasters event in August, in which he had finished a highly commendable sixth.

Off the back of a superb drive that took him all the way from 22nd on the grid to fourth place in the hotly-fought, national FKS series at Whilton Mill, the Ashton-upon-Mersey ace entered round seven of the Kimbolton Club Championship ready to firmly banish a recent streak of ill-fortune around the popular Cambridgeshire circuit.

“Obviously I’ve realised now that during the bad six weeks we had it wasn’t down to either my driving or my fitness,” he explained. “It was the kart all along. That took a big weight off my shoulders, because psychologically and mentally it had been tough. Knowing it wasn’t my fault has given me back the edge and all of the confidence I had lost, and I feel much happier now.

“I’ve got a new mechanic too, Lewis Hall, who I enjoy working with a lot and get on with really well. He raced in Mini Max a few years ago, so he’s been in my position before; he knows what it’s like, and I think we can develop a real bond together. My previous mechanic Dan did a brilliant job and I really want to thank him for everything he did for me, but I just think being so much closer to my age, Lewis is more right for me.”

Almost half a second up the road from any of his 20 Mini Max class rivals in wet conditions early on in free practice, as the track dried out Jay consistently retained at least two tenths in-hand over the rest of the field. That left his tail up for race day, and lapping the best part of a second quicker than anyone else in the three-lap morning warm-up was an excellent start.

A grid slot of a lowly 19th for the opening heat was converted into a finishing position of fifth, courtesy of some eye-catching overtaking manoeuvres along the way. Unfortunately, after thoroughly trouncing the opposition to triumph by six seconds in heat two, a jump-start penalty – for having anticipated the lights by ‘next-to-nothing,’ he protested – saw the 12-year-old demoted to second place.

That left Jay needing to win the third heat – with chief adversary Toby Reynolds simultaneously finishing no higher than eighth – in order to secure pole for the all-important final. A breathtaking pass in which he expertly swept from fourth to first in one fell swoop – allied to Reynolds failing even to break the top ten – assured the Matrix and Joe Bloggs-backed Evolution Racing speed demon of the top spot as he took the chequered flag a comfortable 1.4 seconds clear of the chasing pack.

What’s more, he set fastest lap by a commanding three tenths of a second in two of his heats, and missed it by a scant three hundredths in the third. As the final approached, he was sending out an ominous warning to his pursuers – but one of them in particular would ensure that he had no time to relax over the course of the 12 laps.

“I managed to get away at the start,” recounted the North Cestrian Grammar School pupil, “but James Walkington seemed to have found a lot of time since the heats and was able to stick to my bumper. We battled quite a bit, but because I knew he wasn’t quite as experienced as me I tried to play a few mind games with him, and every time he came past I was able to get him straight back again on the exit and run him out wide.

“That must have messed with his head a bit I think, because I managed to pull out a bit of a gap, and when I started the last lap I looked behind and saw that I was far enough ahead not to need to defend. I was pleased to have been able to use the experience and knowledge I’ve gained this year to good use to get the better of James. It was a good race and the result gave me a real boost in the championship – and it’s always nice to win.”

On current form, something suggests that winning is a feeling Jay Goodwin is likely to get quite accustomed to...

To keep up-to-date with all of Jay’s latest career news and results, please visit: http://www.jaygoodwinracing.co.uk/


- RA -  photo Chris Walker kartpix.net