Oram-Jones impresses at Buckmore
Samuel Oram-Jones showed outstanding speed and posted two fastest laps last weekend in the fifth round of the 2011 British Super One Rotax Series at Buckmore Park.
Sammy, who competes in the Super One MiniMax class for 11-15 years - and who also contests the same category in the Lewis Hamilton and Bernie Ecclestone Formula One Management-backed Formula Kart Stars (FKS) series, was quickest in his first heat and the second final - his best lap, a 39.87 seconds, just 0.01secs off the new lap record.
Sammy began proceedings with the eleventh quickest time in qualifying after a mistake with the tyre pressures. However he fought back and in the first heat climbed to ninth, setting his first fastest lap of the weekend in the process. Although he had to settle for 16th in the second heat, it was still a great drive especially given he had been knocked down to 30th and last at the start.
The 13 year-old then pushed on in the two finals in his RL Racing Department Ltd-run machine, charging his way up to sixth in the first within touching distance of fourth and fifth.
The second final was also positive and despite a difficult start, Sammy came through to take seventh, recording another fastest lap in the process and only denied P6 on the final lap when he was deliberately tapped wide by one of his rivals. He now moves up to ninth in the Super One MiniMax standings with 372 points on the board.
"I felt confident coming into the weekend," Sammy reflected. "Buckmore is a really good venue and it is a great track to drive - really exciting. It is a real drivers' track and we got some strong results.
"In qualifying we didn't have the kart set up completely right. But in the first heat I did okay and we were fastest.
"In the finals we went from eleventh to sixth in the first one, which was good, and in the second we got seventh, despite getting hit coming over the line on the first lap, something that dropped us back to around 13th. Overall it was a really positive weekend, just what we needed."
Sammy will now continue his campaign in the 2011 British Super One Rotax Series in September, when the series heads to PF International for round six (September 17-18). Prior to that though, he will be back competing in the 2011 Formula Kart Series (FKS), heading first to Genk in Belgium in a few weeks time for rounds seven and eight (August 13-14), before then going to Whilton Mill for rounds nine and ten in early September (September 3-4).
"I am really looking forward to Genk," Sammy added, "I have done well there in the past and in the dry we have been quick."
RL Racing Department Ltd team owner Steve Armstrong meanwhile was delighted with Sammy's speed at Buckmore Park and with a test coming up at Genk is confident the Pro Performance-affiliated youngster will continue to make strides forward.
"I thought Sammy did really well. There were a couple of misgivings in the finals which probably cost him a top four or top three. But the speed was outstanding. Besides you can't have it all," Steve continued.
"His racecraft was a lot better too. We saw some tough racing - and this is a difficult track to really race on - but still he got some promising results and another load of points for the championship.
"We are off to Genk this week now for two days of testing. That will give Sammy a chance to get use to the track again and get some data on the laptop and test the engine.
"It should put him in good stead. I think he will be buzzing now and shouldn't really look back."
"It was a great weekend for us," added Sammy's father and manager, Emil, "We gained a lot of points and Sammy's attitude was spot on. He was significantly faster than his team-mates and two fastest laps is quite phenomenal. He is driving really, really well at the moment."
