The Johnny Herbert Karting Challenge

The 2009 Johnny Herbert Karting Challenge is now over; I’m beginning to think it should be called the Johnny Herbert Weather Challenge instead! In 2008 we had the first snow of the winter and this year saw a deluge second only to The Lake District!

My ride in to The Raceway Docklands Circuit in South East London started at 6.00am and I encountered gale force winds, driving rain and hailstones………. an eventful journey. Arriving at the circuit was a relief and on entering the Raceways spacious reception area it was a sea of tranquillity in comparison to outside.

Preparations soon got underway and with the drivers registration desk set up my colleagues Simon Wheeler and Neil Morphew eagerly awaited the first arrival, it wasn’t long before the first of the early birds were there and were keen to get signed on and suited up………. The weather did of course play it’s part in disrupting the traffic flow and it wasn’t long before I was getting phone calls and texts from those who faced lengthy queues on the M25 and M11, not to mention the infamous Blackwall tunnel !! [Read the rest of this entry...]

What fantastic news we had from Silverstone that they will run the British Grand Prix for at least the next 17 years !

The fact that it is there for next year will be good news for three lucky winners of our sealed bid auction for pairs of tickets that will take them to the Johnny Herbert Suite at Woodcote corner on the Friday and Saturday of the Grand Prix …. Thanks to MonacoKool for donating these tickets.

I just could not ever see the race going to Donnington, I feel that it was just a ploy by good old Bernie to raise the stakes ! My feelings are that because the first ever World Championship race was held there that is where it should stay………..Roy Craig

The results of this years karting challenge were;

1st place ” PACHA REBELS ” 248 laps
– fastest lap = 0:41.88

2nd place ” EVO 6 “ 245 laps
– fastest lap = 0:42.43

3rd place ” MADE in ITALY ” 244 laps
– fastest lap = 0:41.65

Fastest lap of the race was set by Sarah Playfair = 0:41.62

Total race time = 3:00:4.64

Full report will follow soon ………..

Thanks to Dan and Dave for the pictures – http://www.ddslr.com or  http://www.motorsportmedia.co.uk

Read a report by Ed Foster of Motorsport Magazine here!

“Yes ! for the first time in the events history I will be going head to head with my two daughters, Chloe (19) and Aimelia (17), I will do all possible to keep them from stealing my chance of winning for the first time in a long while……. Bring it on Girls” ! !

Glamorous racing star Tiffany Chittenden will be swapping her latest steed, a 420 bhp Porsche 911 GT3 that she drove brilliantly at Rockingham in the Porsche Carrera Cup ………… in the Porsche UK VIP car no less …………… for a kart as one of the celebrity drivers in our – yet to be named - Ladies team. I’m sure the boys will be at the front of the queue for autographs of the ex karting champion.

Sam Bird the GP2 driver has confirmed he will be joining us at The Raceway on the 29th, as with all these top flight racing drivers he is a very busy man and will be racing in Macau the weekend before our event then hotfooting it back to the UK………. Sam, who will be driving in the “Cars International ” team No. 22  has been on the podium more than once at Johnny’s previous events and I’ve no doubt he will aiming for it again.