Lloyd suffers from lack of pressure

Gamble on tyres doesn't pay-off - but bet with Dad does

Victory looked certain for Daniel Lloyd after he took three heat wins out three, and put his kart on pole for the Final at PFi this weekend (30 June / 1 July). But the changeable weather and track conditions made choosing certain set-up options very tricky.

After two days of testing and believing that a persistent lack of power had been cured, Daniel and his team were using the club meeting at the Lincolnshire track to see if their theory was correct.

In the first heat, the 15-year old powered from 10th on the grid to win by over a second. In his next race, Daniel passed twenty drivers in just eight laps to take another superb win - “I said to Daniel before the race, ‘If you win this from the back of the grid, I’ll give you fifty quid’”, dad Neil had joked beforehand. Then, as if to prove that he hardly needs any additional motivation, the Huddersfield Grammar pupil won the third heat too.

After a long wait before his final, the track conditions had changed. Tyre pressure is all important in kart racing and the team had set them lower in order to give them more grip on a ‘faster’ surface. However, the protracted delay and occasional showers had made the circuit ‘green’ –necessitating higher pressures.

On his rolling-up lap Daniel could sense that his kart’s handling was not what it should be. As the 21-strong field rocketed out of the first corner and towards PFi’s extremely tight hairpin bend, Lloyd knew he’d have a real fight on his hands. Local ace, Nick Wones had slotted into second and was now harrying Daniel’s rear bumper. With Daniel arriving at each corner ahead of the rest, he had no idea of how much grip there actually was. This played into Wones’ hands as Daniel tentatively drove through the chicane leading onto the main straight. Able to accelerate earlier, Wones out-dragged Daniel in the run to the first corner and took the lead. Lloyd immediately responded and pressed the Gillard driver hard. As the two leaders battled, they barely noticed Andrew Richardson shadowing them.

As Wones ran wide to block a passing attempt by Lloyd, Richardson dived underneath the pair of them and established a cushion between himself and his pursuers. Aware that time was running out, Daniel used his trademark late-braking skill to pass Nick and set off after Andrew. The 100ccPR client was reeling in his prey hand-over-fist but simply ran out of laps to complete the job.

“We made a bad call on the tyres but at least the power issue is sorted now. Had the final been longer, I think I would’ve won. And anyway, I won £50 from Dad – which he still owes me!”    

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