“The lights are green and its go, go, go for the LiviCruise Grand Prix 2009” I heard Murray Walker say over the loud speaker as the sound of engines roared around me with the lights giving the all clear to drop the foot to the floor and start the race. This was it, this was my chance to shine and to bring the championship home…. Come on Jenson you can do it. Well maybe not exactly true but Sunday the 2nd of October saw LC’s first excursion out to Racing Karts in Deans and as always with our lot it proved to be yet another eventful night with banter, black flags and tyre print tattoos all flung into the mix.
The suggestion was first put up to go karting by LC member and Racing Karts staff member Shugged, who thought it would be a great idea for us all and no doubt his boss was happy of the additional income that we were to bring even after site haggler Koma managed to get the price down from £30 to 25 (the boy is from Newmains what do u expect). So there it was set, Date: 2nd October, Time: 8PM, Price: 17.66% off.
On the night of the “big race” everyone slowly turned up to the track, all anticipating a good night. Numpty nuts writing here didn’t believe that it would be that cold so opted for just a t-shirt and despite jumping around like a puppy on a pogo stick realised this was a bad move. Thankfully Nurse Toots was on hand to lend her CA hoody, otherwise the Deans track may have witnessed its first death due to pneumonia.
Once everyone was there it was time to gear up, be given the low down on the rules and hit the track. The race was a sprint Grand Prix, 3 races of 20 laps, fastest time first, then the top 6 after the 3 races going to the final for a winner take all situation. As we took our starting positions most were confident of a win, some more vocal than others, by corner 3 many realised that they were more button moon than Jenson Button on the track. There were some rather impressive front runners leading the way with CupraR setting a good early pace along with karting workers Bozza and Shugged. Propping up the back were the likes of Derek, SeanieP and yours truly.
Out on the track, everyone was pushing their driving capabilities to the limit. While the regulars to the circuit were flying round while hardly touching the brake pedal, many others slowed down through various other methods including going sideways, spinning out and for 1 PR girl careering not only into the barrier but under it and causing a nasty mark that would no doubt have hurt in the morning. She blames a certain site owner for the accident, he denies it, the steward’s enquiry is still ongoing.
Of course with any form of sport a competitive edge comes out which can sometimes boil over into rage and anger. Everyone thought that Stevie was going to throw his helmet clean through the pit window for getting black flagged and Halesy went on what appeared to be a record long rant about his ticking off, even at one point offering free advertisement to the karting if he could “stick that flag up that hippy looking c*nts *rse”
Once all the toys had firmly been put back in the pram it was time for the final which consisted of Bozza, Shugged,CupraR, Stevie, Jay and Urbany from front row to back. This may have been different however if Jay hadn’t had “engine problems”, Shugged hadn’t arsed around for the majority of it and Jenni had realised that the big shiny pedal next to her left foot was actually a brake. In the end CupraR came through to take the chequered flag with Bozza and Urbany finishing second and third respectively. Congratulatations to you guys, even if you didn’t receive a round of applause from us sulking losers. With a re-race planned for the start of next month no doubt everyone will be getting in the practice laps to try and come out on top this time. Roll on the 1st of November.
Writing: Jaffa
Photos: Shugged
Video: DaVy
Livicruise at RacingKarts Livingston from Dave Greig on Vimeo.
