Robbie Gallier started his karting season with a battling second spot at the Clay Pigeon track, near Dorchester.

KARTING ace Robbie Gallier was in action for the first time in 2012 and it was also the first time competing in the new 2012 CRG kart and with Hobzie Motorsport.

It was a cold start for the 14-year-old at the Clay Pigeon track just outside Dorchester, with the temperature at minus five degrees, but Robbie was soon up to pace, setting the fastest times of the day in the Junior Rotax class.

On race day, black ice led to a delayed start for the three heats and a final. In the first of the three heats, starting from fifth he managed to finish third. A wrong choice of tyre in the second heat saw Robbie slip to 10th spot.

Starting heat three in 10th, he made a good start and was soon up to fifth, a position where he finished and also where he started in the final.

In the final, Gallier got faster and faster and on lap 11 of 15 he worked his way into second position. With the pole setter increasing the gap in the early laps, while Gallier was coming through the traffic there were not enough laps to allow him to challenge for the lead.

Finishing second was a great result and he also had the fastest lap, netting him good championship points and a good start to the season.

Gallier said: “It was a good weekend and I now feel with the CRG Kart and Hobzie Motorsport it is going to be a good year. My mechanic for the weekend Conor Hardiman was a great help, I can’t wait until the next race.”

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