KARTING: Metheringham team has two champions

Mark Gellatly is the 2016 Darley Moor 250cc EVO champion and Stuart Haywood triumphed in the 2016 Darley Moor 250cc Honda Championship.

In addition, Gellatly was awarded the most improved driver of 2016. A great result for the Metheringham based team.

With a 35-kart strong field, the track was busy during qualifying but Gellatly capitalised with an early time to secure the pole spot, with Tom Hatfield in a close second. Haywood was 10th fastest and the fastest Honda, posting his own fastest lap of the circuit, whilst Curtis Seymour secured 18th position in only his second long circuit meeting.

As the first race got underway there was a four kart battle with, Tom Hatfield and Mark Gellatly both in the thick of the action, although Gellatly dropped down the field after his kart suffered a misfire. Despite the battery failure, he battled on and was able to bring the kart home in 11th place.

Hatfield had the pace, setting the fastest lap of the weekend, but was unable to transfer it into a win

as he and Paul Platt worked their way through the back markers, finishing less than half a second apart, with Platt taking the win.

Haywood had a fantastic race to secure eighth place and was the first Honda over the line, while Seymour finished in a solid 14th after a great dice with two 450cc Superkarts.

Race two was the Stars of Darley final but as it got underway the race was red flagged due to an incident at the chicane. At the restart, Hatfield got away well and slotted straight into second place. Gellatly got a good start from his mid-grid position and began to make up for his race one issues.

Haywood also had a fantastic start, gaining several places and starting to work through the grid, but the unfortunate Seymour dropped to the back of the grid after clipping the grass and had to work his way back up the field.

Hatfield made a move for the lead on lap one but made contact with another kart which brought his race to an untimely end.

By now the leader had pulled a large gap, with Gellatly chasing him down. But due to the red flag incident, the race was shortened to six laps, and despite his best efforts he could only close the gap to three seconds to take second place at the flag.

Haywood finished in a fantastic ninth place, again winning the Honda class honours. Seymour put in some fantastic laps, working his way back up to 14th, being the second Honda across the line.

The two race results gave Gellatly second and Haywood third in the overall 250cc Stars of Darley standings.

The team is next in action at Pembrey, in the next round of the MSA British Superkart Championship in mid-October.