- and a title contender
Crawley creeping ever-closer to podium with burgeoning national form
Harry Crawley believes ‘the podium is in sight’ after his second national outing in the Junior Max class to which he has graduated this year in the hotly-fought Super 1 Series – one during which the highly-rated young Dartford karting star firmly established himself as the championship’s leading ‘rookie’.
Having finished fourth in Super 1 and second in the Lewis Hamilton and Bernie Ecclestone-backed Formula Kart Stars last year at Mini Max level, and off the back of an excellent debut to his Junior Max career with third on the grid and fourth and sixth at the chequered flag at PF International, Harry travelled to Rowrah bidding to make further solid progress.
“The aim was to keep up there and score some more good points towards the championship,” explained the 13-year-old. “I’ve always been consistent around Rowrah, and I set a new lap record there in Mini Max. It’s one of the best tracks in Britain in my opinion, with loads of uphill sections and one of the scariest corners in the country – the first turn heading up towards the chicane, which because it’s blind means you really have to hold your breath!”
What’s more, in FKS last year at the Cumbrian circuit, Harry was looking all-set for a clean sweep of pole position and a brace of victories in the pre-final and grand final until his chain flew off on the way to the starting grid for the latter. This time around, despite a few early issues during practice, the Hawley-based speed demon was there or thereabouts once more from the off and encouragingly within striking distance of the outright pace. Until qualifying, at least.
“In qualifying we struggled,” he related. “We had no power coming off the corners, and the engine was popping quite a bit. In the circumstances I thought I did the best I could have done, though just a little bit more time would have got me a lot further up the grid, because the competition was immense. It was much harder than PF had been in that respect – at Rowrah half the field was on the pace!”
A whisker under four tenths off the pole position time equated to only 14th in the 50-strong field – the very crème de la crème of young home-grown Junior Max talent – and in evidence of his conviction, at PF the same deficit would have put Harry seventh.
Two top six finishes from his heat races, however, kept the Evolution Racing ace in the hunt and earned him P11 on the starting grid for the pre-final, prior to which it was discovered that some rubbish and dust that had worked its way into the fuel the previous day had been the culprit for the qualifying difficulties. With that issue now resolved, Harry was primed to charge.
“I got a good start up into fifth,” he recounted, “but the kart then didn’t really come on until a few laps in, so that cost me some early positions. After that I managed to get my head down and come back through to seventh. It was quite hard work, but I did the best I could and I was pleased with how I drove. It was a solid result and more good points.
“That left me all fired-up for the grand final, but unfortunately I made a bad start and got put onto the grass, which dropped me down to the bottom of the top ten, and then because I lost momentum from that it cost me two more places at the second hairpin. I got my head down and fought my way back up to fourth – but then I got driven over by someone trying to overtake me. That meant I fell down the order again, but I got my head back together and came through to seventh in the end. It was certainly action-packed – a mad race!”
As many around him lost their heads in the chaos, Harry maturely and impressively kept his, and the reward for his impeccable consistency – as one of only three of the 69 entrants in 2010 to have finished inside the top seven in all four finals to-date – is fourth spot in the title standings heading next to Whilton Mill in Northants, a scant two points shy of the defending British champion. Everything remains very much to play for.
“I was a little bit frustrated with the grand final, but that’s racing and these things only make you stronger,” mused the Wilmington Grammar School for Boys pupil in conclusion. “I still got two good results and some good points, and I moved up a position in the championship too. I’m just 17 points off the leader, which is nothing to be honest – I can make that up in just one meeting – so fingers crossed I’ll be a bit further up the table again by the end of the next round. Being top rookie is really good and a bit of a confidence boost as well.
“I’ve had a lot of wins at Whilton, in FKS and club meetings. I like the circuit and have always been quick around there. It will only be my third time out in Junior Max in Super 1 so it will be difficult to repeat that, but I’m feeling confident and hopeful of getting another good result this time. I’m learning a lot with every race in the class – and I’m getting better every time I take to the track. I reckon the podium is in sight...”
