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On the podium with Wigan peers
Lloyd takes 2nd place at prestigious meeting
The 15-year old was competing in the prestigious, annual ‘Gold Cup’ meeting at the Three Sisters circuit, near Wigan. Unfortunately heavy rain had made the circuit more appropriate for power boating than top-flight kart racing, but eventually it eased enough to allow racing to begin.
In Timed Qualifying a mysterious lack of power put Daniel down in 15th place (out of 24 drivers) – meaning that he’d have to start from this position for the Pre-Final. Lloyd is a master in wet conditions and - using his superb kart control to compensate for his engine’s lack of grunt – managed to get up to 6th place by the time the chequered flag was waved.
With 6th place on the grid for the Final, Daniel (who won the Gold Cup in 2005) felt that a podium position was possible - “The track was mostly dry by the time we went out but was still very damp through a tricky part of the circuit called the ‘Valley’. On our warm-up lap I could see that a lot of drivers were very slow and nervous through this section and I knew that I could make up places through there”.
The Three Sisters circuit boasts one of Britain’s longest main straights, where karts are capable of nearly 100mph before the driver has to brake hard for a right-hand corner, which then flicks left before going uphill, and then downhill. This is the notorious ‘Valley’ section that Daniel referred to – and through it he was peerless.
As the lights flicked to green, he muscled his kart from the outside line to the inside and set about putting in a stunning drive. Despite his lack of power down the straight, Daniel carried more speed through the Valley section and - as he’d predicted earlier - passed his opponents. Though he got into 2nd place, and ironically set the fastest lap of the race, the Huddersfield Grammar pupil was unable to catch the eventual winner, Alexander O’Sullivan.
“Alex did really well today. He’s a bit of a Wigan specialist and put in a faultless drive, so fair play to him. I’m happy with 2nd because it proves that even when my kit’s not 100%, I can win trophies.”
The race is scheduled to be shown on Motors TV from Monday 6 August and repeated throughout the week. Before then, Daniel’s back in the hot-seat this weekend at PFi, Lincolnshire (1 July)
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17.07.07 - Lloyd valiant effort in the valleys 02.07.07 - Lloyd suffers from lack of pressure 26.06.07 - On the podium with Wigan peers 17.06.07 - Lloyd downbeat - despite taking 3rd place 14.06.07 - Unkucky 13th for Lloyd 13.05.07 - Dan's parade rained off |
