Last Updated on 24 March, 2024 by gokartprix
The new season started with a race at the new quite interesting track 08 Gokart Hall. It’s an indoor, but fast track located in Järfälla. To succeed there a racer has to be precise and smart, because those corners are quite tricky ones. We used HHR as a racing format with one practice session, two qualification heat races and a final race. Drivers were pushing hard to be both the first and the fastest. In QHR1 Berke missed the start and let both Kristoffer and Igor through. Igor showed the best lap time in practice and so he was in the first qualification heat race following Kristoffer and checking every opportunity to overtake. At last he found one and moved to the lead. Mattias who started last was able to gain 2 spots from two championship rookies Mark and Erik. Igor won the heat, followed by Kristoffer and Berke.
QHR2 Mattias and Igor started from row 1. The Swede wanted to make a gap before the Latvian was closing doors on rookies. However, Igor gained the speed and in a couple of laps was already on Mattias’ rear bumper. Behind them Erik felt a slight push and bumped into a wall staying there a very short while until the marshall responded quickly and helped him continue the race. This episode stayed without investigation since there was no video with it, unfortunately. Kristoffer was able to gain 3 positions while Erik lost 2. In the front Igor used a tiny mistake from Mattias and took him over. The reigning champion tried to fight back, but didn’t succeed. Igor won the 2nd heat and earned TQ – quite a rare achievement in his career.
Before the Final race everybody switched gokarts. Igor shared the first starting row with Kristoffer, who launched quicker than a bullet when the flag waved and took the lead already by the first turn. Igor wanted to reach him as he did earlier that day, but instead was trying to find the pace on a new kart. This made Kristoffer feel safe at the front. Berke was unlucky and couldn’t start right away, losing all places. But eventually he joined the race and was able to gain 2 spots back. Tommie, however, became the best overtaker in the final race. He started 5th, but finished on the podium. For 20 laps Igor couldn’t reach Kristoffer, experiencing the deja vu feeling from earlier races. Kristoffer won the race and now leads the season. Igor finished 2nd, but took 3 additional points by having TQ and best lap of the stage. So only 1 point separates them in the season standings.
Thanks to the splendid Järfälla Hyrkart staff for helping with our race! Also thanks to all our participants! The new, 11th season has begun! Race documentation is located here.