KARTING - AFTER a serious accident in September at Dunkeswell kart track, when 12-year–old Broadoak School pupil Robbie Gallier of Lympsham broke his left collar bone and right wrist, in his first year of karting, it was thought that was the end of his season.

AFTER a serious accident in September at Dunkeswell kart track, when 12-year-old Broadoak School pupil Robbie Gallier of Lympsham broke his left collar bone and right wrist, in his first year of karting, it was thought that was the end of his season.

Having won the National Honda Cadet championship, Robbie really wanted to win one of the most coveted club championships in the country, the Clay Pigeon championship held at the Clay circuit between Dorchester and Yeovil. This was the first championship Formula One world champion Jenson Button won.

Robbie brought real tension to the proceeding by injuring his collar bone on the Friday before the race weekend, being in pain he was advised to rest it, this meant he had to miss free practice on the Saturday, crucial to help the team set the kart up for race day. This meant that all they had was three laps of practice on the Sunday.

Robbie was still in a lot of pain and knew he had to score points in all the three heats to be sure of the championship which was run over 10 race meetings and he was unable to drop a round as he had to miss one due to his injury.

The team's effort was made a lot easier on set up as Jeff Johnson of Prokart Eng came up to take charge of the set-up. Robbie went out gingerly in the three-lap practice and was soon on the pace.

This helped his confidence a little for the first heat, when not being able to use his left arm properly due to the pain; starting 10th he amazed everybody by finishing third and setting fastest lap at 43.47. Heat two saw Robbie start fourth and there was a first corner incident that made him take avoiding action, this dropped him to 15th, but he staged a superb comeback to finish 10th.

The drama continued in the third heat when he started in third and after an incident in the hairpin on the second lap that dropped him to 11th, again he stormed through the field to finish third, again setting fastest lap.

This just left the final all he had to do was finish as all the hard work had been done in the heats. After suffering all day, Robbie wanted to go out in style and this he did having qualified fourth, while avoiding a first corner crash dropped him to eighth and again made a tremendous comeback to take fourth. In so much pain Robbie could not stay to pick up his trophy. However the applause he got from the crowd when he came in to the pit area was amazing as they appreciated the grit and determination he had shown to win the Clay Honda Cadet championship.

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