2013-12-09 09:17:19.2
The 2003 Club100 season continued today at Birmingham, with Eddie hoping desperately for a good result after a so far disappointing season, which has been plagued by bad luck.
Eddie was apprehensive before this event, as he felt that his lack of track experience would seriously hamper his performance (Eddie only raced here once at the beginning of last year, having had no track walk).
The day got off to a solid start as Eddie lined up last on the grid for his first heat and made steady progress up to 10th, quickly getting to grips with the circuit. He was less fortunate in his second heat, however. Starting 8th, he made a good start to claim another position into turn 1. He was then embroiled in a fantastic battle, which went from first to near the mid field. Enjoying a battle with Pete Finnis for 7th and 8th, Eddie was tapped by another driver going into the hairpin and took his former endurance teammate with him. Eddie didn't bother completing his final lap and was classified 15th.
Starting from pole in his final heat, Eddie made a good start but was beaten into turn 1. He held his ground for the rest of the heat and the two leaders pulled a nice gap to the third placed kart.
All this put Eddie in 11th for the B final. He made a good initial start but then lost a couple of places going into the chicane. He was lucky not to get tangled up with a spinning kart at the end of the opening lap but, unfortunately, he lost a few places avoiding the wayward driver. After this, Eddie just didn't seem to be on the pace and continued to drop down the order as the race progressed. He was lucky not to be taken out again by Rory Gordon on the last lap and managed to somehow keep it on the track when another driver tried an over-optimistic lunge round the outside of the chicane, although both incidents dropped him further back.
Eddie finished a disappointing and frustrated 20th in the end. He later admitted that he just wasn't quick enough in the final and didn't have an explanation for it.
