Ardent Kick Energy Series – Round One
Ardent Raceway is an indoor facility located close to East Midlands Airport and features a permanent carpet track, pitting for around 100 drivers with chairs, tables and power. It has a cafe and a slot car track as well as a shop. The facility is run by John Dawson and his merry band of helpers all of whom do a fantastic job. The series itself has attracted an outside sponsor in the form of Kick Energy Drinks and the first round saw a huge entry of 146 drivers over four categories. Stock, Pro Stock and Modified touring cars and 1:12 with the TC classes all using the Sorex 28JB tyre. The format was three rounds of qualifying with best time to count and then finals consisting of two legs. Qualifying would see John Dawson take TQ in the Stock touring car class from Liam Brooks and Nigel Shaw. Pro Stock TQ saw James Hart on pole from Ryan Edwards and David Hall. In Modified, Olly Jefferies was on pole position with his TC6 from Jonathan Aird and Stefan Chodzynski with Chris Grainger in fourth. The 1:12 TQ would be taken by Mick Farrell with Mark Stiles in the number two spot and Chris Kerswell in third.
Onto the finals and the Modified TC class was quite simply the Olly Jefferies show as he won both legs of the A final with ease to secure victory as Jonathan Aird would finish second and Stefan Chodzynski third. The B final was another formality for the win as Jonathon Robinson won both legs. Tom Watts and Jordan McKulsky had a good battle for the second spot with Tom coming out victorious with a quicker time over the two legs.
In the 12th B final Vince Formosa took the win in both legs to secure the overall win. Chris Blakey and David Saul battled it out over the two legs with Chris taking second behind Vince with a faster overall time. In the A final, Mick Farrell took the win, winning both legs of the final after Mark Stiles retired in leg two after a second in leg one and this opened the door for Matthew Varah and Chris Kerswell to duke it out for second and third with Matthew coming out on top.
In the Pro Stock A final, James Hart drove a blinder to win both legs as Ryan Edwards came in second over two legs with a third and second whilst Luke Hobson took third.
The Stock A final and it was Nigel Shaw who took third with two fourth place finishes, Zak Finlay took second with a second and third, but it was Liam Brooks took the overall win with a first and second in this very tightly fought final.
The full results for the Ardent Kick Energy Series can be found here.
