A few years back Ripon had its own Mitsubishi garage at 30 North Street, it was where the old Ford Mawson and Hardisty garage was. The Ripon Mitsubishi closed down after a few years and then became Ripon Motor Company which has now perished, is that garage jinxed.

Any Batchelors who already own a popular Vauxhall and Suzuki chain have branched out a new Mitsubishi franchise which will be located next to the Vauxhall garage at Dallamires Lane Ripon.

If your in Ripon and want a good sized new family car then your pretty much stuck with a boring vectra, but at least now you’ll get the choice of a Mitsubishi Lancer a close descendant of the Evolution.

Saturday soon came around and before i knew it we where at Teeside Karting.

After the briefing we where all told to jump into karts, there was 5 of us and 10 other people. All the Karts where running or so i thought, i jumped into one and both engines had died, so i quickly jumped into another whilst others where leaving the pit lane. Sods law it only had one engine running with more people slowly leaving the pits i was getting a bit anxious, i manged to get a Marshall over to start the other engine, the thing is i had to wait what seemed a life time while he warmed it up.
I soon got out on track, there was people pussy footing around everywhere and i seemed to be over taking people left right and centre. as soon as i got on to the straight i was weaving around to try and get some heat into the tyres, qualifying soon ended.

When i went through the flag, i could see everyone else lining up awaiting to be put on to the grid. When i joined the queue, i noticed i was pretty much at the back. I was only stanionary for around 10 seconds before i was pointed at, i looked over to the grid and saw 2 karts on it, so i pointed at myself in disbelief and the guy nodded at me and of i went to the front row. Strange that my mate pallister was 4th and hutch 5th, james was around 9th as he was at leas 1 full row behind and jim was even further back.

When the flag went up i saw the 2nd place guy’s kart move forward, so i put my foot on the brake and built the revs up on the cart a bit, revving the bollocks out of them doesn’t always help. Of we shot into the first corner i was on the outside and managed to keep pallister at bay. i eventually let him past on the 2nd lap as i could clearly see that he was quicker than me. Within moments we where lapping the people at the back, over taking them in honest wasn’t that bad as they where so far back they where shit and you could just nip past them. it became more troublesome when your going from 10th upwards as they where all scrapping between them selves and you often find 2 to 3 karts together. I manged to get over take a few easily but some are more aware that your there, and i usually find that hiding behind them is the best option as they cant hear you and they can’t see you, and then just wait till you’ve had a nice tow from them slouch in the seat listen to the engine pick up and pull out.

This was my best karting experience has i had ultimate faith in the cart and had it planted round both big corners. The first one was awkward as i had to let the kart slide out but i knew that i could keep it pined through the little chicane.

Below is a copy of the final results. 81KM/H is 50MPH

Come Saturday morning I’ll be up at Teesside Karting with around 5 other mates taking part in an iron man event. Basically you get a 20 minute practise / qualify so your best lap places you on the grid, and then a 40 minute race.

I’ve been around here loads of times and usually its really good, apart from when i went around 1 year ago and it was an evening race and it was chucking it down. Having never raced in the wet i wasn’t sure what to expect.

As i left the pit lane my first thought was don’t go and bin it on the first corner, i pondered around for what seemed like 5 minutes and i was been over taken left right and centre. As i was busy thinking about this i managed to stick the Kart onto the grass about 15 meters out and the grass was wet & boggy and my feet where wet and sinking quick while trying to drag my cart out.

The flag soon dropped to signal end of qualifying, little did i expect to be at the back of the grid. When we started everyone shot off and i was left chugging along. After a few laps i went into the pit and said there was something wrong with my Kart as I kept spinning on corners. The Marshall told me i was running with my left foot on the brake all the time, i argued i wasn’t and went back out after binning it again badly, i thought i might just be going to slow, so i sped up and people still had more straight line speed than me. So off i trundle into the pit, oh you’ve got a flat rear tire mate, THANKS, i came in and said it wasn’t right in qualifying and you said i was running with my foot on the brake . After about 10 minutes i was back out in another kart and it was so different it handled well it went quick. i Reckon i only had around 10 minutes in this kart as it went so quick time wise, but when we finished i was pulling identical times to my other mates.

Lets hope for fine weather on Saturday when i go.

I Normally take loads of pictures when i’m valeting but it slows me down and one of these cars (the golf) i have done before so didn’t take a before pic but it always comes up so well.

So heres the result of a few hours work.

Golf GTI

Audi TT Before

Audi TT After

Heres the Last lot of pictures from harewood car show 2009

I’ve finally got round to naming all of the pictures so i have decided to post them all here.

More To Follow