Marcus Hudson uses EBC’s Green kart pads as he competes in this British Championship class
Young kart racer, Marcus Hudson is once again competing in the Super 4 British Championship for another season.
EBC’s Green kart pads and BF005.1 silicone fluid is the brake setup of choice for Hudson and his fiery ABKC 250cc National kart.
The latest round took the roadshow back to Oxfordshire’s Shenington Kart Racing Club, where more favourable weather conditions than the previous round saw Hudson once again achieve some impressive results, as you can read below in his own words…
Heat 1 (Grid: 13th)
“We made a place up off the start before the first corner which is straight after the pole grid slot. Straight after the first corner, the Café Corner follows, where I kept it tight and managed to pass five karts all in one move. At the end of lap 1, we were up to 8th. The kart was handling well, especially through the first three corners, and at Grandstand Corner which leads onto the long Stratford Straight. Here I got a good run on 7th and out-braked him into Stratford Corner, moving up to 7th. Half-way through the race and we moved up another position due to a kart ahead retiring. Unfortunately at this stage of the race. the kart’s handling fell away slightly in the Café Corner, which meant we were vulnerable on Stratford Straight. With a couple of laps left, we were overtaken by two karts down the Stratford Straight and eventually finished in 8th position.
“Back in the paddock, we altered the kart slightly to address the handling issue half way through the race which we experienced. On the Saturday practice sessions, we couldn’t dial in the handling as we had a front sprocket failure in session 2 and then a misfire. We solved the misfire by session 5 but that left us only one session to set the kart up. It was better to have those issues on the Saturday practice instead of Sunday race day!”
Heat 2 (Grid: 9th)
“On lap 2 I dived underneath 8th and later in the lap moved up to 7th. Unfortunately, the way we went with the set up to improve the handling issues we had in heat 1 was the wrong way and it was actually worse than heat 1. We were passed with two laps left finishing in 8th again.
“This time back in the paddock we went in the other direction with the setup hoping it would be better for heat 3.”
Heat 3 (Grid: 2nd)
“Made a good start and maintained 2nd position until half way around the second lap. The kart’s handling was brilliant and the changes we made this time worked very well. On lap 4, I passed 2nd going into Stratford Corner. I was keeping up with last season’s champion which we hadn’t been able to do until now! Half way through I was over driving and made a mistake in Café Corner and lost 2nd down the Stratford Straight. I was running in third but on the last lap I caught a back-marker as we went into Grandstand Corner, which couldn’t have happened at a worst place. This meant I had to lift through it to stop from hitting him and meant I was slower onto the straight. I knew I was going to be vulnerable into Stratford Corner so I placed my kart on the inside forcing the other kart to go round the outside but as he didn’t have to lift for the back marker he was much quicker down the straight and passed me before the braking zone. We finished 4th which was a good result but also frustrating as it should have been third if it wasn’t for the back marker.”
Final
“With three positive heats, we lined up 6th and made up 1 position before Cafe Corner, we then lost out in Stratford Corner and were hung out and lost another position on exit. We were stuck behind a slow kart; in the braking zone for Stratford Corner he was weaving and blocking every move I was trying which isn’t allowed (only one move in the braking zone is permitted). As a result on the exit of Bruno I was overtaken and the competitor who had just passed me was in the same predicament. A lap later he was pushed off by the weaving kart and I retook the place leaving me behind him again and on next lap coming out of Stratford Corner he weaved to block me. A lap later I went to the inside on the exit and he weaved to block it after looking behind him, I then went to the left and he moved again so I went to the inside and he moved again this ended just before Bruno. On the last lap he swerved again putting me wide and lost a position we finished in 9th.
“It was frustrating final as we should have been ahead of the battle and finished in 7th but due to the poor driving of 7th weaving all race we didn’t. The driver who he pushed off and I gained the place back complained to the stewards but nothing was done.
“We are back at Fulbeck in Lincolnshire for the next round of the British Championship at the end of June.
Thanks to all my sponsors: Maxview, Silkolene, Charmed Interiors, NGK Spark Plugs, EBC Brakes, HairStyles, Carter Haulage and Listers BMW.”
