Podium finish for karting ace Shield (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Podium finish for karting ace Shield

11:06am Friday 3rd July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

CLEASBY kart racer Robert Shield scored a podium finish at a Gold Cup event in Wigan.

At the extra test day on Friday, with help from Andrew Fairley of Clan Racing, they found a good set-up which had been elusive over the last few races.

On Saturday, the sevenminute timed practice put Shield into sixth place for the first heat on Sunday. A large grid meant a lot of bumping and vying for positions, and by the second lap Shield had been spun off into the mid field – finishing in 11th place, which would be the position he started for the second heat. In that heat he made his way to eighth and for the final heat into sixth.

Starting eighth on the grid for the final, it seemed like an impossible task to get to the front, but Shield made a flying start and was immediately into fourth place. A pack of five karters then exchanged places for 12 laps with incredibly close racing.

Going into the penultimate lap before the flag Shield came from fifth to overtake Mat Grierson and Aaron Mansergh on the outside and finish an impressive third.

Shield said: “What an amazing weekend I’ve had, I felt there was nothing to lose in the final and just thought go for it.

“It would have been nice to do the double after I had won the Platinum cup earlier in the year at the same circuit but I am absolutely delighted to be on the podium.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)