Andrew Thompson Racing FKS round one notes

Thompson stars at Raleigh

21 May, 2003 - Making his debut in the Ford KartStars Series 15-year-old Andrew Thompson was simply the star of the show at Raleigh last weekend.

After winning last year's Junior Blitz Series Thompson made the transition into the Ford KartStars vision with the aim of taking the next step in his Motorsport career.

Despite being only 15 years of age Thompson understands what it takes to be a winner, he proved this against a stella field last weekend.

Competing in his first Rotax event aboard the unfamiliar Arrow chassis which he had not raced before and was identical to the other 30 competitors Thompson was nothing short of magnificent from the outset.

The Fuchs Silkolene supported driver was immediately at the top of the time charts from the outset of the opening qualifying session when he was the fastest driver on the track in first flying lap.

He went on to better that time on his fifth lap to set the fastest qualifying time almost 2-tenthsof a second ahead of his nearest rival.

The Byron Bay resident then went on to claim the victory in all three qualifying heats and the Pre-Final to start the Final from pole position.

During the opening half of the final Thompson opened a commanding lead over the rest of the field and appeared as though he would run away with the victory the second placed runner, Wesley May began to close in on him.

Showing maturity well beyond his years Thompson remained cool, calm and collective to hold onto a narrow victory.

"I knew May was closing as I could sneak a peak without turning around on several spots around the track but I just kept on counting down the laps til the finish," said Thompson.

"The kart went off a bit towards the end but you can't get a better start to the series than I've had this weekend."

With a vision for the future Thompson last weekend made a decision to change his direction in the Dunlop Australian CIK Championship.

After competing in the first two rounds of Formula A he will make the transition across into the 6-speed gearboxed 125cc Intercontinental C class when the series heads to Toowoomba next month.

"I think it will be a great challenge for me and I am aiming for the change to help me change gears and also understand all the logic that goes with four wheel braking and stuff like that," young Thompson advised recently.

-atr-