Team Green Racing carefully considered its tyre management for the longer distance, especially in light of the overheating problems experienced as a consequence of running too high tyre pressures in the previous races. Ultimately it was decided to stagger the tyre pressures across all four tyres to have consistent performance throughout the race distance and to take a further four pounds out of the base pressure to minimise the chances of overheating.

Starting from grid position six, Robert Green knew he would need to defend his position into the first turn to prevent losing a place to John Schofield who was starting from seventh. At the start, Robert blocked the anticipated move and then watched in disbelief as the karts in front of him seemed to inexorably head for the same patch of tarmac into the first turn. The resulting incident saw Geoff Reading and Dale Madden eliminated on the spot. Steve Crocker escaped unscathed in the lead and after having to take evasive action to avoid the carnage Robert emerged to find himself in second place.

Steve opened up an immediate thirty metre lead as a result of the incident, and Robert soon realised that he was unable to close the gap. With both Chris Price and Peter Rogers emerging from the incident close behind, Robert decided that the best strategy was to run a conservative pace and be absolutely sure that he did not make any mistakes, especially on the runs up to the three main passing zones on the track.

For sixteen laps the plan worked to perfection, with the second to fifth placed karts running nose to tail, but with Robert maintaining second place. Then, into Musketts' hairpin on lap seventeen, Chris executed a perfect block pass on Robert which he had been planning for a number of laps. "It was the only place I could get you" Chris said to Robert after the race. Robert was left wide and Peter made the most of a better run out of the corner, executing a forceful but fair overtaking manoeuvre up the hill and into the bus stop on the same lap.

All of a sudden the dream of a podium finish in our rookie year looked to have gone. With nothing to lose, Robert set back after the two drivers who had passed him, setting his fastest lap of the race on lap nineteen and quickly closing up on the back of Peter and Chris.

Heading for a podium finish

The three karts were nose to tail and on lap twenty with a lap and a half to go Robert made his move into Musketts'. In what was virtually an identical move to the one Chris executed three laps earlier, Robert out braked Peter into the hairpin and held him wide on the entry to the corner. After having unsuccessfully tried the same move in earlier races, Robert this time ensured that he made a good exit from the hairpin and was able to defend his position into the bus stop.

With one lap to go, the Team Green Racing kart was back into a podium position. Chris had drawn clear during the jostling for third place and Robert knew he would have to defend his position as Peter and John Schofield were still right behind. Into the first corner Robert held a tight inside line and Peter saw this as an opportunity to execute the classic over and under manoeuvre. Unfortunately, he drifted a little wide and John was ready to pounce.

On the run down to Musketts' for the last time, Robert was expecting an attack, but when he looked over his shoulder there was a surprisingly large gap to his pursuers. With third place seemingly there to be taken, he eased up as much as he dared and crossed the line just 1.6 seconds behind Chris Price, with John Schofield only half a second behind in fourth place.

Third will do very nicely, thank you!

Congratulations to Steve Crocker for a great drive to win the state title, and you can guarantee that we are also over the moon about taking a podium position in our first state title appearance.

Three very happy old fellas - Chris Price (2nd), Steve Crocker (1st) and Robert Green (3rd)