but Butterfield leads
Double podium puts McCarthy back on top in Senior Max
Fresh from his debut with Strawberry Racing at KartMasters the week before, Dexter Patterson turned the tables on team-mate Jenson Butterfield to deliver two brilliant victories at Larkhall, last Sunday (14 August). Jack McCarthy overcame a blip in form with a brace of podium finishes to reassert his position at the head of affairs in the Senior category, while Junior star Mark Kimber toiled hard for his top ten finishes.
Jenson was clearly the man to beat in Mini after setting the best time in TQ, ahead of Dexter in 2nd and Lorcan Hanafin, who was 4th-fastest. Butterfield then sealed pole position for Sunday’s first final with wins in both heats. Patterson slotted in behind him on Row 2 with Hanafin going off the outside of Row 3.
With Jonny Edgar and Tom Canning tripping over each other at the start, Jenson maintained his early advantage with Dexter and Lorcan benefiting from the disappearance of the former duo. Bit by bit, the young Scot reeled in the Englishman, with Hanafin now 3rd and keeping a watching brief. Patterson’s pressure paid off and he was able to make the catch and pass for the lead. To the relief of their team anxiously looking on, stalemate then ensued. It lasted until the chequered flag, but at least guaranteeing a Strawberry 1-2-3 finish in the process.
Shortly after the start of the main final, Dexter and Jenson put daylight between themselves and Lorcan. With none of the trio truly challenged, this left the on-track heroics to the charging Canning and Edgar, who duked it out for 4th. Butterfield maintains his healthy lead in the title race and will be aiming for consistently high finishes in the remaining races. The team’s Junior Max pair of Mark Kimber and newcomer Ali Akabi had a challenging weekend. Kimber could not find his customary pace, but was consistently in the top ten. Ali’s inexperience showed, especially against the seasoned regulars and Larkhall is not an easy track to go and get a result at, especially at this level.
Having qualified 9th for the first final, Mark crossed the line 7th in a hard-fought race. Ali gained experience and brought his Tony Kart home 18th. Another tough, highly competitive encounter saw Kimber rewarded with 6th, while Akabi was sidelined in the early stages of the second final.
There was extra competition for the Senior Max front-runners in the form of two guest drivers, Mark Ross and Paul Stewart. Both took the opportunity to shake things up by the scruff of the neck and sent a signal in the time trials by setting the fastest laps.
Ross was unbeaten in the heats; clearly enjoying the home advantage. Strawberry’s Jack McCarthy may have been a long way from his home in Kent, but he accepted the challenge of the flying Scotsman and doggedly chased Ross in the first heat, eventually settling for 2nd. A DNF in the following race compromised Jack’s chances of a decent grid position for the first final. However, from P9 he slugged it out with his championship rivals to pick his way forward and take 2nd.
Ross had been imperious and repeated his earlier victory in fine style in the second final. This time Stewart wriggled clear, to make it a Scots 1-2 with McCarthy upholding English honour by taking the last step on the podium. Vitally, the haul of championship points restored the series lead to him, with two rounds now remaining.
