A new decade came, and with it a brand new layout of Raceway Karting, Pontefract. This layout is a lot quicker and more free-flowing than its predecessor, hence contributing to a lap time of about 2 and a half seconds shorter. The circuit does of course retain the original karts, and continues to be well-run by the marshals and the management, and as a result a popular venue for members of HUGS.

About half of the track remains the same, starting with the start-finish line, followed by the flat right-handed Turn 1. Turn 2 also remains a right-hander, but instead of a hairpin is now another fast 90-degree turn. Turns 1 and 2 can be taken as one, sweeping move, which can be taken flat, but precision is important in order to pull it off.

Turn 3 is another right-hander, and this time a hairpin. It is wide, and probably the best overtaking opportunity on the circuit, so if you take a traditional wide line into the corner, watch out for others taking a punt up the inside. The wideness allows you to turn and get on the power immediately and accelerate out of the corner. Turn 4 is another hairpin, this time a left turn. You need to drift over to the outside to position yourself for the corner, a quick dab on the brakes upon entry and turn. This is slightly narrower than Turn 3, but again is possible to accelerate out the corner very early.

Turn 5 is a right-left chicane which can be taken flat, but again is narrow and is single-file when going through it. You then have little time to straighten up before turns 6 and 7, rejoining the original layout here, which are very much like turns 1 and 2 in the sense they can be taken as one and flat-out, but is slightly tightly so precision is more important. There is also very little grip going through the corner, so getting it wrong will result in a brush with the tyres. It is also vital you do not slide through the corner otherwise you will compromise your speed all the way down the pit straight and going into the first two turns of the next lap.

Laptimes

Correct as of 15th April 2010

1. Mark Foley              20.371
2. Tom Smith              20.388
3. Josh Overhill           20.393
4. Sam Firth                20.519
5. Danny Carlin           20.562
6. Marcus Stuttard      20.769
7. Sam Jackson         20.815
8. Tom Buxton            20.861
9. Mike Miller              20.890
10. Kevin Gambles      20.93
11. Roger Palmer         21.10
12. Rob Stephenson    21.74
13. James Hancox       21.80