Media Release - Sunday 29 August 2021
Spin Fuels Kyle Evans to Secure Podium
Kyle Evans competes at QRDA – Warwick 1000 held at Morgan Park Raceway and secures 2nd place Podium
Results: Saturday 28 August 2021 - Qualifying: 5th- 1:19.028, Race 1: 2nd – 1:19.696, Race 2: 2nd - 1:18.872,
Results: Sunday 29 August 2021 - Race 3: 2nd – 1:18.813, Race 4: 6th – 1:19.440
17-year-old Kyle Evans from Kyle Evans Motorsport competed in the Motorsport Australia – Qld State Championships event hosted by QRDA (Qld Racing Drivers Association) – Warwick 1000 held at Morgan Park Raceway on Friday 27 August through to Sunday 29 August 2021. Kyle competed in his Black no 34 EzyStone Benchtops sponsored Formula Ford – Duratec Powered Spectrum. Kyle took advantage of additional track time on Thursday in a three-hour session offered at the track along with a full day on Friday timed practice to fuel his adrenaline. On Saturday Kyle competed in a 5-lap qualifying session and two separate 10-lap races, followed by Sunday with a further two separate 10-lap races.
Wow! What a weekend.
With Covid-19 causing havoc with the Australian Formula Ford Championships racing calendar for 2021. Kyle Evans was overwhelmed to compete over the weekend. With four of the recent AFFC race meets being cancelled due to locked-downs and border closures in NSW & VIC meant Kyle could not compete in four of the seven scheduled race meets for 2021 at Winton, Sandown, Sydney Motorsport Park and Qld Raceway. There was a trend beginning to form with the lack of motorsport events proceeding.
Kyle had not competed in his Formula Ford Duratec Powered Spectrum since his race meet at Wakefield Park Raceway held 21-23 May 2021. By this time Kyle was eager to get back on the race track. His excitement and enthusiasm rising as he prepared his race car in the lead up to the Morgan Park Raceway event. Kyle kept positive and focused on his preparation, and his confidence grew stronger as the days drew closer to the event.
The QRDA – Warwick 1000 is an annual event and part of the Qld State Championship run under Motorsport Australia rules (previously CAMS) event. The annual event is hosted and organised by Chris Donnelly and Brett Batterby for QRDA. There were 180 registered competitors throughout the different categories and spectators were invited to share with like-minded motorsport enthusiasts.
Saturday morning was a chilly 1 degree. The obvious sound of ice crunching under foot and ice forming on the car windscreen was evident it was a crisp start to the day. The Formula Fords were the third group to form on the grid for qualifying. “This is the time I close my eyes and get focused and run through the turns on the track and get mentally prepared for qualifying”. Kyle explained. However, today it was a little more difficult to keep my excitement levels at bay as I had been preparing to race for months. “It is an AWESOME feeling to be back at Morgan Park Raceway”.
With a field of 20 Open Wheelers on the race track for qualifying with varying levels of speed, engine capacity and experience, qualifying was definitely going to be interesting. Colder mornings can sometimes give the opportunity to set some fast times, however, you need to get clear track to achieve fast times and personal bests.
During qualifying on the start of lap five I was driving down the main straight doing approx. 190km per hours towards turn one and I noticed oil on the race line, just before turn one. I thought that I could make through if I drove to the right of the oil. Unfortunately, my rear left wheel touched the oil spill and spun me around into and over the ripple strip and I travelled across the track and into the gravel. I tried to start the car however, I could not. I got out of the race car and gave the sign to the recovery team that I needed to be towed back to the pits. I was absolutely shattered. I could see that the rear left of the race car had substantial damage, my immediate thoughts were “that’s it my weekend of racing was over.” The recovery vehicle tied a strap to the race car and I was towed back to the pits.
My Pit Crew - Dad, Brett assessed the damage on the race car when I returned to the pits and looked at me and said “Let’s get it fixed and get you back out there”. I shook my head in agreement. “Go and get changed and we will work on it together” he said. Dad had convinced me that we could repair the upper and lower wings to get me back on the track. I went to our trailer and got changed out of my race suit in preparation for locating our spare parts to commence the repairs. Everybody at the track was extremely concerned for my well-being as it is very unlike for me to take a wheel of the racing line let along be towed back to the pits. I appreciated their concerns however, we had limited time to ascertain exactly how much damage was caused. We said we are okay and could we discuss the event once we completed the repairs. Everyone was very understanding.
Formula Ford competitors are very willing to assist with parts, advise and suggestions when another competitor has an incident. This was no different in my situation. You never go to a race track thinking you will have an incident. In saying that yes you take spare parts, however damage to the upper and lower wing are not parts that would normally be on your list of spare parts. We are truly grateful to Ryan McLeod from Racer Industries for his assistance with a number of parts we required which he happened to have in his truck for the weekend. To Greg Fahey for his assistance with additional tools so that Dad and I could work simultaneously on removing the existing damaged parts, replacing them with new ones. Along with Tim Hamilton for the use of his vacuum cleaner to remove all the gravel from the cockpit and the side pods and under both radiators. It was all hands-on deck with my younger sister Ursula and Mum Lee-Anne holding parts, locating and passing us the right allen-key, spanner, part etc along with cleaning the race car with literally minutes to spare prior to return to the track for race one.
A huge thank you to all the Formula Ford Competitors and Teams for lending parts and advise after the incident after the oil spill on the track in qualifying in particular Ryan McLeod, Greg Fahey and Tim Hamilton. All valued and appreciated. It showed even though Formula Ford is a strongly competitive group on the track. That the Formula Ford competitors and Teams are also eager to ensure all competitor return to racing we were encouraged to get back on the track to compete for the duration of the race meet.
What a tremendous effort from my entire family and Pit Crew, in particular my Dad; Brett. I was confident that the race car was ready to compete in Race one. With minutes to spare I put my race suit back on and prepared to go out for the next race. Due to the 20 competitors on track, I finished qualifying in 5th for the Duratec category however, 13th out of 20 competitors. However, I was very impressed I was even returning back to the track and was going to give it my all to work my way back to the front of the field. I was extremely proud of my Pit Crew and wanted to prove their time was well spent. I progressed through the field during the 10-lap race to finish 2nd in Duratec and 4th in the field.
This meant that I commenced race two in fourth position on the standing start grid behind two Formula 3’s and second in the field of Formula Ford Duratec. It would take a mountain of concentration, focus and determination to watch the officials in the tower to ensure I had a good start, and I was definitely up for it. We had made some minor adjustments to the car before going out and I managed to hold on to 2nd place throughout the race.
Sunday morning was the last two races for the weekend. We checked over the race car the night before to ensure we were prepared for another day of racing. Race three I managed to hold on to 2nd place in the Duratec competitors.
During race four the final race of the weekend on lap 5 of the 10-lap race my tyres went off due to extreme temperature changes from chilly one degree in the early mornings, it was difficult to keep a consistent heat in the tyres. I was struggled with tyre grip and the car was starting to suffer with handling issues but I managed to keep and hold second place in both races. Then on lap 6 of the 10-lap race I had very little brakes, it was becoming more difficult to hold my position. I had worked so hard during the weekend and all I could do was continue driving around the race track so that I could finish the race. I have a never-give-up attitude and I was disappointed I could not race to the finish line. However, I was pleased that I had the opportunity to complete race four. I placed 6th in the Duratec field in the last race.
The trophy presentations were held in the scrutineering area. I was pleased with my performance during the weekend however, was unsure whether the points accrued during the weekend would be enough to secure a podium position. When Brett Batterby said to the young man with the worse luck for second place – Kyle Evans. I was overwhelmed. We had achieved my goal to achieve a podium place at the Qld State Championships.
With so much uncertainty with the Australian Formula Ford Championship and the borders opening to NSW and VIC I am unsure of the next AFFC event. However, the next Qld State Championship Round 4 is scheduled for 19-21 November 2021 being held at Morgan Park Raceway.
Thank you to all my Sponsors, Partners; EzyStone Benchtops, Velocity Motorsport Magazine, Open Dawes Training and Aus Timing, Spectrum, St Patricks College – Shorncliffe, Autobarn Rothwell and Signarama North Lakes. Along with all my Race Fans for your support and encouragement of my goal to become a Professional Racing Car Driver.