Driver Journal Billy Watts #51

Driver Name

Billy Watts

Driver Number

#51

Team Name

DG Racing / KRM

Facebook

@Billy Watts

Instagram

@billy.wattss

Photography By

Paul Babington

Been meaning to do one of these for a while, finally gave into @Adam ‘s persuading

Introduction - My first year back in karting for 7 years, racing in the 177 rotax class at BMKR and some on off rounds in the LIKC.

Now that we are 4 rounds into the championship at bayford and currently leading the championship by 57 points; nows a good time to update on my progress throughout the year.

With taking the win at the first round was more then successful for my first race weekend back. But the next 3 rounds would find us fighting setups and mechanical issues with the kart, guess that’s the issue with second hand parts . It’s a hard learning curve with it feeling a lot like a full time job at times with all the hours of researching, and looking for parts for a 2013 CRG KT1 then onto the race weekends. But that’s kart racing. It’s the part that a lot of successful drivers forget to mention but the experience comes with time.

Hopefully we going to jump ontop of the issues and come back strong for the 5th round in 4 weeks time.

Not the best journal but it’s a start I guess
Few photos from the past 4 months.

 

[Adam]

Yayyy you got it done!

Mate wicked start, great stuff! Learning on and off the track is such a big part of Karting/Motorsport imo. Hours and hours spent as you say! But, progress is progress mate keep it up If we all had an endless pot of money and time, something tells me it wouldn't be so rewarding.

Thanks for rocking some stickers mate! And the new livery looks

 

[Billywatts]

RD 5 BMKR
With round 5 of the BMKR championship being completed this past weekend can say my luck seems to be on the up, finally !

Qualifying
After setting a personal best lap on the Saturday test day, and with the setup just right we was confident going into Sunday.
Showed strong potential in qualifying with putting it P4 and only just over a tenth separating 2nd to 5th.

Heat 1
Starting on the outside, I knew we had to try and cut into the inside as soon as possible. Good start had moved me up to 2nd by the 3rd turn at bayford. A lack of consistency cost us and managed to bring it back in P3 to where we would start for the second heat.

Heat 2
Starting P3 had a good start and managed to get up into second by the first corner. A bit too much battling for the second place and one too many kurbs taken, managed to sheer all the teeth off my rear sprocket. With it slipping off and jumping on I thought I’d be able to manage it to the finish but unfortunately having to retire towards the last few laps.

Final
On the last row of the grid I knew it was going to be a tough race. Making up 7 places in the opening laps I managed to get into third and started to pull a gap. Unfortunately the leaders had already built enough of a gap by the time I got there to catch, so a consistent drive was needed to keep the last place on the podium. @Gibby with blistering pace towards to end of the race made me work for it but I ended up keeping the 3rd place.

Summary
Honestly I’m so happy with the result from the weekend. Feels like a win to me after the past few rounds we’ve had. I would like to say a massive thank you to the boys at KRM (Ken-Rick Motorsport) down at bayford for helping me on the Sunday as unfortunately my dad couldn’t be there. And as all ways a big thank you to Dave at DG Power for supplying the maximum waft with the engines after blowing mine last round.
On to Round 6 and hoping to further extend my lead in the championship. As the season starts to come to a close it’s getting tighter and tighter after every round. Excited to see the end result

 

[Adam]

Wicked entry mate Even with a bit of bad luck yet again, you battled on through to get some well deserved silverware good on ya!

I can't wait for the next round either

 

[Billywatts]

Wicked entry mate Even with a bit of bad luck yet again, you battled on through to get some well deserved silverware good on ya!

I can't wait for the next round either

A round without a retirement would be nice but at least it wasn't the final this time Thank you for the words and advise at the track though mate, really appreciated

 

[Adam]

A round without a retirement would be nice but at least it wasn't the final this time Thank you for the words and advise at the track though mate, really appreciated

You'll get there mate, every round is an improvement. Last meeting when I got a DNF in the final, what a horrible feeling . And it goes to show even with them sprocket protectors, you still gota be careful of those curbs. You and @Gibby both run a protector and both become curb victims

Ahh don't be silly mate! Don't take too much notice, I've probably got it wrong half the time It's nice all us 177 lads have a chat and help each other out. I'll always help anybody if I can!

Ricky and Ken are getting the numbers up, looking pukka with everybody walking round with their tops on and getting stuck in! That little part of the paddock may get called KRM Corner soon

 

[Billywatts]

Daytona Property Prokart challenge 2021 (PPK)

Introduction
The 24th annual PPK event took place over the 9th and 10th September. A 6hour race which took place on the Friday starting at 11:30 and ending at 17:30. Very well ran event by Daytona Milton Keynes with mixed weather throughout the day posted a challenge for all drivers.
Racing with Team CPG, I was invited by a friend of a friend to come and compete for the team with 4 other drivers.

Practice/Qualifying
Not having driven the track in 4 months and never in the wet. Due to not being able to make the practice day on Thursday, we jumped straight into qualifying on Friday morning. 20 minute session saw a close battle for the top 6, split by 8tenths we put it 5th on the grid.

RACE
After a messy start we jumped up to 2nd by the end of the first lap. A few laps went by and me and 1st place had managed to work together to build a gap to the rest of grid. 45 mins into the race and my first stint, the track started to dry so made the move for 1st place and started building a gap. But with 11 mandatory pit stops we had to start getting stops in. After the pit stop my team mate Hak emerged out the pit lane 4th and went on his way. With little experience between the other 4 drivers we managed to hold a strong position in the now dry track. Team manager/owner decided for me to do a long middle stint at an hour and a half, good pace throughout the stint and despite traffic managing to be within 0.3 tenths of my best lap. (Also fastest lap of the race). Unfortunately due to a lack of luck, 50 minutes into the stint and into the 4th hour of the race the karts engine flooded from a torrential down pour. With having to wait for the kart to be recovered and then waiting for the kart to be fixed we had dropped from 2nd to 14th and 15 laps down to a podium position.
Team mates did their stints and what they could but we was still only 12th.
45 minutes left of the race I jumped in for the final stint. The mix between heavy rain, slick tyres and my experience in the conditions from my early years of karting in junior club at Buckmore park, I felt comfortable and managed to find my rhythm straight away, climbing all the way back to 6th place and 8 laps behind 1st place.

Summary
With all things considered I’m very happy with my driving and the effort put in by the whole team was remarkable, a massive well done to a group of drivers with such little experience. I would like to say a massive thank you to Chris Perkins and Chris Johnson at Clarence Property Group for inviting me to the event, Daytona motorsport for hosting the event once again and last but not least my dad for brilliant work on the pit wall. I very much look forward to the event next year for the 25th event and look to better our position from this year.

​

 

[Adam]

Well done mate! Looked like a good bit of fun

@RichardHolt / Daytona

 

[Billywatts]

RD 6 BMKR

Blown engine but P2 was still achieved.

Qualifying

A tough start to the day. The session would see us struggle to be on the pace, a mixture of incorrect set up and traffic would only put me P5 on the grid for the 1st heat.

Heat 1

Managed a good start from the 3rd row of the grid, being on the inside I managed to work my way to P3 by turn 2. First few laps saw a lot of jostling for positions throughout the field. By lap 5 I had encountered an issue where engine started to get real hot and started loosing a lot of power. After holding on as long as I could I dropped to P4 on the penultimate lap and that would be my starting position for heat 2. Engine issue was a blown water seal and from over heating the engine and loosing all water in the radiator. Motor would now be down on power for the rest of the day and another rebuild is in order unfortunately.

Heat 2

Starting P4 and having to manage engine issues, my best chances to make up places was in the opening few laps. Managed to make a move round the outside for 3rd at the start but was unable to keep up with the pace of the top 2. Had to defend from 4th and 5th for the remainder of the race to start as far forward in the final as I could. Managed to limp home in 3rd and now starting on the inside for the final.

Final

I was able to hold my position at the start and was following 2nd closely for the longest race of the day. A move into the second hairpin is the early laps moved me into 2nd and from here an extremely defensive drive was in order for me to hold position. We Held on to the line; was able to take the 2nd step, take home some silverware and a decent amount of championship points.

Summary

A good weekend all round. Was lacking pace after the over heating issues but really happy with the results at the end of the day. Time to rebuild my engine again, get some testing in and look to improve in pace ready for the next round. Into the closing rounds of the season now. Round 7 will be the last ‘new tyre round’ so looking to bring it home on the top step. I would like to say a massive thank you to my dad for helping on the spanners, Ken and Rick at Team KRM for the spares needed throughout the weekend and Dave at DG racing. Well done to everyone for a great weekend of racing, and no major incidents. On to the next

 

[Adam]

Oi you're getting good with these Driver Journal updates and race reports now ay

Wicked drive yet again mate, despite engine issues. Good on ya!

Really looking forward to the next round already tbh