Maloney a winner again on return to Bushy Park

Home for a final break before the start of his second ABB Formula E World Championship season at Sao Paulo in Brazil in three weeks’ time, Zane Maloney returned to Bushy Park where his career began and won the second Cole Clarke Racing (CCR) 3 Hour Endurance Kart Race on Saturday (November 15).
  With changeable weather conditions early in the day, Maloney and Sebastian Thompson were fastest in wet Practice and dry Qualifying, then led the 179-lap race for all but 10 or so laps just after the half-hour mark, also clocking the fastest lap.
  Youngsters Aeden Bruce and Oliver Judd, who have regularly raced against one another in the Barbados Karting Association’s (BKA) Easykart 100cc and OK-J Development classes, finished second, three laps down, with Damien Bourne and Tristan Yarde third.
  CCR boss Andy Clarke said: “We are extremely pleased with the strong turnout for Round 2 of the Endurance Championship and extend our sincere thanks to Zane Maloney for making the effort to return for the event. In our post-race conversation, Zane said how much he enjoyed the endurance challenge. The standout performers of the day were Aeden and Oliver: after a drive-through penalty for a yellow flag infringement, they mounted an impressive comeback to secure second place.”
  Around half the participants competed in the first Enduro in September, including Maloney’s younger brother Calem, who shared victory with Darren Matthews that day, but there was also a healthy list of newcomers. These included Nigel Reece, who returned to rallying this year after a long break from competition, who was teamed up with Kayleigh Catwell, the BKA’s leading female racer of recent years.
  Grey skies hung over the St Philip facility early Saturday, rain creating tricky conditions for the slick-tyred Sodi RT8 karts in the half-hour Practice session, with every competitor required to complete at least three flying laps of the 1.0-kilometre track – shorter than last time. Maloney & Thompson topped the time sheets in 1m 19.012s, 3secs quicker than Dylan Downie and Maloney’s cousin Justin, who had finished ninth in September, with SlipStream Racing’s Jamal Estwick and Dwayne Holmes third.
  By the start of the 10-minute Qualifying session, the skies had cleared, the track dried and nearly 15secs came off lap times. Zane Maloney & Thompson would start from pole (1:05.780), Downie & Justin Maloney second, with September winner Calem Maloney third, this time partnered by Luke Staffner.
  While the former BKA Champion’s pole time was nearly 4secs better than the rest, there were some closely matched groups of three and four karts mid-field, reflecting the varying levels of experience among the 15 teams.
  The race started shortly before 11.15am, with Maloney immediately showing his experience, pulling steadily away from the field over the opening laps, glancing back over his shoulder on the Pits Straight to judge the gap.
  In the early stages, Raj Byer and Shaquille Walcott of Wildcard Racing held second place, soon joined at the front by team-mates Tarik Boyce and Asher Gafor, who had worked their way up from 12th on the grid. After half-distance, both karts were regularly in the top six until Byer & Walcott suffered mechanical issues and retired, Boyce and Gafor coming home to finish fourth.
  An hour into the race, Bruce & Judd assumed second place, battling for position with Maloney & Staffner and Downie & Maloney, holding on for second, two laps up on Bourne & Yarde. While Calem Maloney dropped back with mechanical issues, Downie & Justin Maloney finished sixth, on the same lap and just 40secs behind Catwell & Reece.
  Clarke added: “As we reach the halfway point of the inaugural 3-Hour Championship leading up to the 24-hour event next October, we want to thank all the marshals for their hard work and dedication, not only to CCR but to every event held at Bushy Park.”