Marshland St James kart racer Jenson Sayell was in action close to home at the weekend, competing in round four of the Champions Kart Club InterMAX Championship at the PF International track near Grantham in Lincolnshire.
PFI is the UK’s largest outdoor karting track, measuring up to 1.3km long with fast sweeping corners but also one that Sayell has little experience of.
Sayell was fourth fastest in Saturday’s practice but he was unable to get into a good track position in qualifying and subsequently finished a frustrating ninth in a grid of 29 karts.
In heat one, Sayell made a good start from ninth and, after a hectic close race in which he gained and lost places, Sayell eventually finished sixth.
Again starting ninth in heat two, Sayell gained two places on lap one, lost and then regained a place in the middle of the race before moving up two more places on the last lap to finish fifth. He was later promoted to fourth after post-race penalties.
The results from the two heats put Sayell fourth on the grid for Sunday’s two super heats.
In super heat one, Sayell was pushed onto the grass on the first lap, rejoining in 13th. He then mounted a great comeback charge, taking the fastest lap and two places on the next lap, rapidly working his way through the pack to finish fourth.
Super heat two was another fiercely contested race. The team had made a couple of set-up changes which appeared to work. Sayell started well, holding fourth, but slipped to sixth on lap three.
He made up one place on lap five and a last lap overtake – and a personal best lap time – took him to fourth.
The combined heat results gave Sayell a fourth-place grid slot for the big points final.
Sayell made a good start and was into third on lap two. The front three had pulled out a gap when an incident further down brought out a battenburg flag slowing and closing up the field.
Sayell was jumped after the restart dropping to fifth, seventh and then eighth in quick succession in a train of karts. Sayell clawed back three places on lap eight of 12, finishing sixth two laps later but was promoted to fourth and into a trophy place after post-race penalties.
“I was very pleased with Jenson’s results this weekend,” said dad Rob. “We went into the weekend with lower expectations having not raced at PFI much at all and not since last year.
“He handled the weekend with maturity and drove very well, achieving some useful points towards the Championship with two rounds left.“
Sayell thanked TWRacing and Pantano for their support, Force Motorsport for the power and his sponsors without who his karting success would not be possible including local businesses JLK Vehicle Solutions, Ark East Anglia Ltd, Sun Lounge Tanning Studio, and Hall Clean.
Sayell will be close to home again for his next outing, racing at Fulbeck for rounds seven and eight of the Super One Championship.
