The SAKRA Academy is such a wonderful organization. It is an academy for children who can not afford to race. So kids who are really interested in racing get interviewed and then accepted accordingly. The academy is based in Cape Town and I feel so blessed to have met the students and am so happy for them.
The SAKRA (South African Kart Racing Academy) Academy invited me to help one of their students, Chad Bell with some set ups for his kart as he, like myself, struggles to get the kart set up to absolute perfection as the two of us carry a lot of ballast on the kart to make up the minimum weight of 165 kg.
I arrived in Cape Town on Thursday and spent the day plus the whole of Friday to set the kart up and help Chad. It took me a couple of laps to get used to the kart as the seat, steering and pedal position is set up for Chad. Then, World Champion Claudio Piazza – Musso and my engineer got stuck into Chad’s Kart and started making some set up changes on Thursday. We carried on, on Friday morning before Chad came from school. We made some very good progress. Chad arrived, jumped into the kart, and improved his time by about .5 of a second from the day before. I then showed Chad how to do the one left-right corner complex.
We then we put new tyres on, the race engine and I was so happy and pleased that Chad was brining his time down and he improved once again. When he got out the kart, his smile went almost right around his ears. We did one more change for the day and ‘voila’… Chad was on pace! I could not believe my eyes! I was so happy that I, together with my team of engineers could help a driver get onto pace.
He is still very new to the sport, so I think more help is going to be needed as he learns and walks on his path of racing.
I also had a little fan, Savannah. She was so adorable and was so happy to personally meet me. I felt so grateful to have such a big fan! I appreciate all of my fans out there! I hope to meet all of you one day!!!
Thank you so much for your support!!! You guys ROCK!
Please keep the voting up for the Shootout!!! Your VOTES are much appreciated!!!