NXT GP Round 2
Erftlandring Kerpen, Germany
13 & 14 April 2024 | Track Length: 1,107m | Mechanic: Jimmy Onstenk, Team PitParts
On 13 & 14 April 2024 it was time for round two of the NXT GP Tillotson T4 Dutch Championship kart series at the Erftlandring Kerpen, a legendary track in Germany made famous by drivers including Michael Schumacher, who won the FIA World Karting Championship here in 2001.
The race was originally planned to be held at Raceway Venray on 20 & 21 April 2024 however a long running dispute forced the track to cancel. The NXT team had a lot of work to do to organise a new event - at a time when event calendars were already confirmed and tracks across Europe booked - and they did an awesome job! Not only did they secure Kerpen, a recently renovated 1,107-metre with a long tradition in German motorsport but they also attracted more than 200 drivers (61 Tillotson) to compete.
Saturday | Training (5x 10 minute sessions)
My race weekend started a few days early with the news that I could drive again after a long 3 months off track recovering from a broken collarbone(2x) and elbow.
I spent Friday with my team learning the track and getting used to being in my kart again, but unfortunately struggled to find flow with my kart during training on Saturday despite changing the set up throughout the day. During the afternoon sessions my times were steadily improving as I gained confidence and all was going good until session 4 when I was divebombed and then hit at speed by another driver as I sat on track unable to move. Choice. Thankfully both myself and the other driver were ok but my kart less so - the front end and side were destroyed and chassis damaged.
Sunday | Qualification (8 minutes) – CET 11:05 / NZT 21:05
P17
After breaking in new tyres during the morning warm-up session, I headed out to qualification to work together with a teammate who was faster than me earlier in the day. By lap 3 I was letting him know to let me past as we had agreed and after I got past him in lap 5 my times continued to improve. Without slip stream and passing other drivers my lap times got faster and faster (down 1.1 seconds from lap 3) and in the last qualification lap I set a 52.534 which put me on the grid in 17th (of 35) and 3rd in the rookies.
Sunday | Race 1 (10 minutes) – CET 13:51 / NZT 23:51
P17 -> DNF (Retired following T1 incident under yellow)
After a great start off the line in P17 (of 35), I received a heavy shunt from behind on the entry to T1 and flew into the back of the kart in front mid-corner. As I was working with the other driver to unhook our karts down the next straight, another driver ignored the yellow flag and instead of going around the outside, turned inwards to force other drivers to take evasive action and go off track, and then turned outwards again to drive directly over the top of me at full gas(!). Again, Choice.
From the drone footage and the tyre trail left over the top of my kart and race suit, I am grateful that wasn’t seriously injured. Unfortunately my kart had suffered major damage (again) and I had to retire in lap 1 after limping back to the pits with engine and rear-end damage.
Sunday | Race 2 (10 minutes) – CET 16:27 | NZT 02:27
P29 - DNF (crash)
After an epic job by my mechanic and team to rebuild my kart and get me back out on track, I started race 2 in P29. Within a few laps I had gained 5 positions to P24 before 3 hits in the side from a driver I had just passed sent me flying over the berm at T2 and into the grass (and daisys) up the hill.
The crash damaged the chassis and again gave my mechanics a lot to do as I sat in shock at how the day was turning out especially because no penalties were given … again!
Side note: Thank you to the spectators and marshals on the hill for helping me as I waited for the truck to drive my kart and I back to the pits!
Sunday | Race 3 (10 minutes) - CET 18:32 | NZT 04:32
P33->[P15-P19] P22
After yet another epic repair job by my mechanic and team to straighten out my chassis, and a good chat with my kart dad mate to mentally bring me back, I was ready for Race 3 - a race that I had everything to gain given I was starting almost dead last in P33. Thanks to some sportive driving and battles (finally!), and a teammate who waved me through (no team orders), I was up 18 places to P15 by lap 7 when bad luck stuck – the kart in front of me spun out causing me to spin to avoid a collision. I was able to get back on track after taking hit from behind and pulled out my fastest lap on lap 8 to cross the line in 19th (corrected to 22nd due to a 5 second penalty for the clickbumber gained during the spin).
What a weekend!
Thank you to my mechanic Jimmy Onstenk, Team PitParts, my sponsors and to NXT GP and Tillotson Nederland for the organisation.