With three rounds completed, Strawberry drivers top the tables in Mini, Junior and Senior Rotax
Quality - like cream - rises to the top. And Strawberry drivers Harry Webb, Jack Barlow and Ed Brand currently head their respective classes after a successful third round of the Super One Rotax series, at Rowrah last weekend (4/5 June).
In Mini Max, Harry Webb claimed his first win of the season after delivering solid performances in the build up to Sunday’s main final. His delighted team manager Warwick Ringham said: “Harry finished 5th in the pre-final but we felt that the set-up could be improved. We changed a few things and it paid off for him.”
For the first time this season, Harry had a team-mate in the category. He was joined at the Lakeland Stadium by Zhou Guan Yu. ‘Joe,’ as he has been christened by the team, demonstrated a good turn of speed (he was 7th-fastest in the first final) as he adjusted to the British style of racing.
Strawberry’s junior line-up experienced a broad spectrum of emotions at the Cumbrian venue. Early championship leader Nathan Harrison’s weekend ended with a nasty-looking accident. After a trip to hospital with what was initially suspected to be a broken neck, the youngster escaped with severe whiplash - but is vowing to bounce back at Larkhall (23/24 June).
Another newcomer into the squad, Alessandro Latif, also had a torrid time. “He was just unlucky,” observed Warwick. “Alessandro had his nosecone ripped off in the second final and before that he was the victim of some typical Rowrah starts.”
However, Jay Goodwin had every reason to smile after scoring two top ten finishes, his best so far. “Jay’s steadily improving and we’re working very hard to help him get further up the grid with each race. I’m looking forward to seeing him use Rowrah as a platform for even better results.”
“Jack drove for the championship rather than the race win,” Ringham said of Jack Barlow’s maturely taken 2nd place in the main final. “It was the sensible thing to do, even though he had the opportunity to go for victory. It was typical of him really; he was sensible and didn’t do anything stupid.”
Ed Brand has now won three of the last four finals and has been on the podium at every round so far. At Rowrah he was made to fight hard for his first triumph before delivering a perfect lights-to-flag performance in the following race. Starting alongside Ed in the pre-final, Jack Marshall also powered his way up the order to finish 5th and was among the trophies in the second race with a fine 3rd.
Barrie Pullinger’s frustrating start to the season continued in the Lake District. Having put in a feisty performance in the first final – carving his way from 17th to 6th – the Essex teenager was involved in a start-line crash and suffered an injured hand after a kart drove over the top of him.
Strawberry Racing’s drivers use the Tony Kart Racer EVRR chassis and Cream Racing engines.
