The northern industrial town of Wigan is not the first place to think of as a motorsports venue, but the Three Sisters kart circuit is a little gem of a track with multiple layouts.

Safe to say that on the lead up to the event all eyes were on the weather forecast with predictions for yellow storm warnings and a months rain on the day.

Kev Bryant and Ian Prout trailered their TR3a along the M62.  The rain and spray was so bad visibility was down to 50 yards at times. Thankfully, by the time we all arrived it was just a light Manchester drizzle (or a monsoon if you are based south of Watford gap), that progressed to persistent torrential rain.

So with trepidation and in this constant rain, the Triumph class prepared for a wet event and put up a club gazebo rain shelter. Kevin and Ian in the shared TR3A, Shaun Roche in his lovely race Dolomite Sprint, Martin Dyson in his circuit racing GT6 and Hamish Roscoe in his TR3A.

With the Three Sisters circuit having a number of options for a track layout it's wise to walk the track.  Hamish do so early, but before the organisers had put the cones out in the correct configuration.  Kevin and Ian didn’t walk the course. 

Consequently, during the first practice run and with a cold car Kevin kept finding that he wasn’t where he wanted to be on the track and felt his time of 65.59 seconds was far from ideal and left plenty to improve upon (As it turned out this was to be his fastest run all day, but of course as it was practice it didn’t count in competition).

On run 3, Kev put it all together for a great run with a good start breaking sub three seconds for the first 64 feet ( a good wet time ), didn’t mess up anywhere BUT lost power 100 yards before the finish, a short up hill section just managing to coast back into the pits.  Ian found a loose HT lead, the simplest thing can be so frustrating.

By run 7 we were all of the opinion that we weren’t going to get any faster but enjoyed the wet and the slides.  But by now, Ian had had enough of self-restraint and so went rallying across the grass –without damage.

Shaun put in, as usual, solid performances throughout the day to win the event class with a 61.98. Hamish 2nd with 62.37, Kevin 3rd with 65.72, Martin 4th with 69.74, Ian 5th with 71.66. 

Handicap scores are yet to be calculated for the club championship.

pictures by Hamish Roscoe