On the weekend of June 22nd/23rd 2024, Newton Aycliffe based kart racer Scarlet Whitaker Dunn attended Teesside Autodrome for round 3 of the Teesside Sprint Series.
She was racing in the highly competitive Honda Cadet 200cc class on what turned out to be a swelteringly hot weekend of racing.
Despite struggling with diminishing grip, due to the high track temperature, Scarlet achieved her best qualifying position to date since joining the Honda Cadet class, a very credible 9th place in a 28 kart field.
What a nail biting 1st race! Scarlet made a tremendous start followed by many track position changes throughout the race. Scarlet was delighted with her best ever 9th place race finish within this class.
Race 2 started well with Scarlet making a great get away from the line. She had soon progressed from 9th to 7th place, where she stayed until a clumsy challenge from a fellow competitor, just 90 seconds from the end of the race, caused Scarlet and her kart to be spun out on turn one. Despite this, Scarlet managed to get going again and to bring her kart home in 19th place, but her disappointment was obvious for what could have been.
Race 3 saw Scarlet make her way through the field from 19th to 15th place before the race was red flagged and cut short.
In the final race of the day, Scarlet made great progress fighting her way toward the front. Although, whilst in 11th place, she was unfortunate to catch up with a much slower back marker in the middle of a double hairpin section (causing her to have to slow her kart much more than she would normally have to) resulting in the driver of the kart following her to be caught out and unable to stop without running into Scarlet. The following kart rode over Scarlet’s rear wheel, launching the kart over her own, skimming over her helmet in the process. Courageously, Scarlet kept her foot down and her ‘passenger’ came off and she was able to bring her kart home in a still creditable 16th place.
Although Scarlet was disappointed to have not finished better, despite her best efforts, there was still much to be celebrated as the team have now got the kart running strongly, giving Scarlet a platform to compete from, for the rest of the Teesside Sprint Series.
“Whilst I experienced some setbacks, I was very proud to be at a better pace during this weekend,” said Scarlet. “It was great to see Scarlet’s race pace and race craft this weekend,” said Mam.
We would like to thank Amaron Racing, PHM (Peninsula Historic Motorsport), Grandad Ron and Rob Storey for their generous assistance and financial support making this possible. To support Scarlet in her journey please email: mail@amandawhitaker.com