CKGB “AUTUMN EXTRAVAGANZA” (Elk Karting & Newark Kit Car Festival) Review 2024
Following a great show in 2023, CKGB was once more invited to entertain the crowds at this years Newark Kit Car Festival. Therefore, for 2024 this was expanded to include a day at ELK Karting on their tarmac kart track (which is adjacent to the entrance of the showground).
Several Cyclekarts had a great time at ELK karting on the Friday, albeit with a couple of breakdowns, which were subsequently repaired in tome for the show at the weekend. This was a great opportunity for many to get their Cyclekarts onto a purpose built kart track.
Regarding the show, and building on last years success, CKGB had a larger display area, which was big enough to introduce a new track layout. Traditionally at shows, we set up an oval track, but as
numbers have increased this means that often there is congestion at each end of the oval. Consequently, for Newark we set up a double-oval, with one straight having an alternative wider route. Subsequently, drivers have a choice of routes for this straight, with the narrow inner loop having priority at the merge point if one or more Cyclekarts are alongside at the merge point.
Judging by the number of Cyclekarts on track and in the queue for the track, this proved to be a significant improvement because it enabled safe and easy overtaking. Fifteen Cyclekarts and 17 drivers attended this event to provide another impressive pit-lane. On the Saturday afternoon we had a sprint which comprised one lap of the narrow oval followed by two laps of the wide oval. We manged to complete three timed runs for drivers in just over an hour. As we have a varied mix of Cyclekarts and drivers, the results were decided on who could be the most consistent over their two best laps.
Once it had got dark on the Saturday evening, the Cyclekarts gathered once again on the track, but this time bedecked with fairy lights, LEDs, torches, flashing lights etc for the “Concours Illuminere”.
A lot of effort had been put into decorating the Cyclekarts and the judges had a difficult time picking the winners. Once the judging was over, the Cyclekarts did two parade laps of the track, followed by a parade around the showground receiving lots of applause and shouts of encouragement form the many owners clubs and kit-car owners camping at the show.
The evening finished off sat around a campfire, socialising, drinking and waffling about lots of subjects and not just Cyclekarts!
Sunday dawned and there had been rain through the night, with more forecast for the afternoon. Consequently, the decision was made not to carry out the planned pursuit racing, but to have just general driving till 14:00, when we would close and dismantle the track before the next bout of heavy rain. The grass track had little grip compared to the previous day, therefore, the narrow oval was moved across so that the back-straight was now on a tarmac road and the other grass straight was subsequently a lot wider. This enabled many to have a go at drifting their Cycklekarts and they were enjoying themselves so much that the track was continually in action and with a line of Cyclekarts waiting for their chance to get muddy and sideways!
Ian Fletcher
CKGB Events
