Monday 3 June 2013

Brighton Karting



It doesn’t matter how many times David Cameron tells us that things are improving, the fact is that they are not. The cost of living is higher than ever. A loaf of bread now costs £400. People are homeless and jobless and more importantly, motor racing is really expensive. I have written several stern letters to the PM asking him to address this critical issue, but still it remains elusive from the House of Common’s agenda. Fortunately, one company has seen fit to take matters into their own hands.

Just outside of Brighton and within spitting distance of the A23 is where Q Leisure are starting their revolution. Their outdoor karting facility has been providing cost-effective corporate entertainment for an age now, alongside paintball, archery and various other outdoor activities on the Q Leisure roster.

Recently Q Leisure began its Junior Karting Club. The aim was –and still is- to get kids into motorsport without mum or dad having to break the bank. The club was successful, evolving into a junior championship. The kids got older and needed to make way for the next generation of karters. A senior championship was created to compliment the juniors and accommodate the older drivers. 

Now those original karters are older still, requiring Q Leisure to open a further championship. With Junior and Senior already catered for, the staff at Q Leisure are running out of words. “Senior Citizen Championship” and “Old Gits Championship” have been bandied about. “The Bus-pass Cup” has also been suggested. 

Whatever name they decide on, Q Leisure bringing their organising expertise to the world of arrive-and-drive karting has been a good thing for the sport.

The family run business operates out of the village of Albourne, about six miles from the sunny seaside town of Brighton and Hove. The track is 800 meters long and has several characteristics that make it a unique driving experience. 

The start-line points you towards a right-hand hairpin that goes by the intimidating name of Gurkha’s Revenge. The corner is tight but, surprisingly, provides very few first lap incidents from kamikaze last row starters. The exit lines you up for a left-hand hairpin, the slightly less intimidating Carl’s Bend. Who Carl is, or why he decided that the name Carl’s Bend is a suitable follow up to Gurkha’s Revenge remains a mystery. What we do know is that the two corners are so close together, they can be treated as an “S” bend using one line to link the two apexes. 

You exit Carl’s Bend into a subtle left and right, downhill into Hell’s Drop. This very fast right hander turns you slightly over ninety degrees and straight into Rattle Snake a flat out left kink that sets you up for the dodgily titled William’s Pit Entrance. This is a long 180 degree turn that exits into a tunnel. 

 After the tunnel, it is uphill into a hairpin that goes by the unimaginative handle of The Hairpin. It’s unfortunate that this corner drew a short straw in the name stakes.  It is a tricky little number and worthy of a more valiant alias. It has a slippery curb on the exit and a surprisingly hard wall to catch out the unwary. Hairpin of impending doom may have been a more suitable moniker.

Should you survive the hairpin, you are treated to a fast right-hander over a bridge. Keep the throttle nailed as the track curves left around the pits into Mansell-not the moustachioed British driver who complains about everything. Mansell is actually a very fast right-hander that is enormously satisfying to drive through. A short straight delivers you at Sand Pit a fast left that sets you up for the suitably named Overdrive hairpin. This corner joins the fastest part of the track to the longest straight on the track- the straight you started from- so it is important not to overdrive this corner. See what they did there?

I hate using the word picturesque, but when you arrive at Q Leisure, it is a bit like walking into one of those beautifully photoshopped holiday postcards. Through the big iron gates you are greeted by the main building, which is a quite stunning converted barn. The barn houses a function room, restaurant area and a licenced bar. The barn, with its oak beams and wood floors, gives the feel of an old English pub restaurant. This would actually be a nice place to come, even if you were not racing. 

The barn sets a standard for all the facilities at Q Leisure. Outside there is a neat fishpond complete with a waterfall and a convincing rubber herring. There is computerised signing on, electronic timing, a briefing room, toilets and a viewing gantry all above the standard you would expect of an NKA affiliated track.

The karts used in the Q Leisure Championships are from their fleet of arrive-and-drive Biz Pro-Karts. Each is armed with one Honda GX200 engine and has adjustable pedals and seat inserts to fit drivers of all sizes. 

So there you have it. One company singlehandedly changing both the face of British motor sport and the way our country is run. Ok, so they are not actually doing that, but they are offering the chance to race in a cheap, well organised, competitive championship in the beautiful Sussex countryside.

If you find yourself near Brighton, pop in and give them your support.

As Mr Cameron himself says, we are all in this together.

Written by Kelvin Hassell www.kelvin-hassell.co.uk

Monday 10 December 2012

Qleisure Karting Championship Round 3

The Qleisure Kids Karting Championship Round 3 took place on the 9th of December and once again we had some very exciting racing to watch.

The track was damp throughout the day with some sections of the track proving very difficult to keep a tight line. Some drivers found this out the hard way as it made any outside over taking manoeuvres close to impossible. We had a race incident in one of the grand finals as 2 karts went into a bend side by side and in the wet conditions there was only going to be a good outcome for the driver on the inside line.

All in all the conditions tested everyone but still some fantastic racing was had by all especially in the senior grand final on the very last 2 seconds of the race. As first place Callum Jee was battling throughout the race with second place Tom Mottram, both drivers had no idea that 3rd place Zephan Powell was sitting comfortably just waiting for a gap to open. Zephans patience payed off and right on the finish line of the race both Tom and Callum pushed into each other slowing each other down and opening a big enough gap for Zephan to cruise past and take first place. Highly entertaining for everyone watching but also a lesson to be leaned for both Tom and Callum.

The Junior Round 3 Results:

  1. James Popple
  2. Ollie Barnes
  3. Lewis Jee
  4. Alex Jay
  5. Max Mooney
  6. Thomas Johnson
  7. Owen Hizzey

The Senior Round 3 Results:

  1. Zephan Powell
  2. Tom Mottram
  3. Callum Jee
  4. Matthew Sleight
  5. Chris Mottram
  6. Josh Bacon
  7. Ben Fozard
  8. Charlie Martin
  9. Andy Spencer
  10. Daniel Francis
  11. Oliver Thring



Thursday 6 December 2012

Winter Go Karting

Who said that you cant race Go Karts outside in the winter? Why ever race indoors when outdoor go kart tracks offer so much more.

In the summer you get the sun beaming down on the tar mac which gets the tyres warm instantly making your race as close to perfection as possible. The feeling of driving around a bend at full speed is something hard to explain in words but once you feel it you just know!

In the winter the track is almost guaranteed to be damp in sections with a very high chance of there being rain! This puts some drivers off but driving a go kart on an outdoor track when its pooring down with rain is actually my favourite.

It is so much fun, the kart slides sideways around bends and if you play with the throttle too much you will end up spinning out of control facing on coming traffic. I think that these conditions really seperate the great drivers from the rest of us. I remember racing at Lydd International with my brother, the race started off dry so all drivers had slicks on and we really couldnt keep up with the grid as there was a lot of illegal engine re building then!! Then without warning the heavens opened the track was soaking wet and you could hardly see what was in front of you. We drove past all the other karts one at a time like a walk in the park, the fact that they were cheating and had extra power in their engines simply couldnt help their driving skills.

Also driving in the wet really makes you improve as a driver and you learn how to controll the kart in all situations, you learn the weight of the kart and exactly how much power there is to play with but most importantly its fun!



Then we have the real winter fun, ice and snow! This is just soo much fun, expect to be smiling from ear to ear as you attempt to get around thetrack and do battle with your friends. Wrap up warm for this kind of race but dont ask me for any driving tips because I simply cant do it ;-)   

Qleisure, the outdoor kart track close to Brighton open all year round in all conditions.

Monday 19 November 2012

Qleisure Karting Championship Current Standings

 

Junior Karting League

Position Name Surname Fastest Lap Total Points
1st Max Mooney 43.538 58
2nd Ollie Barnes 43.482 57
3rd James Popple 44.199 56
4th Owen Hizzey 43.588 51
5th Lewis Jee 46.87 48
6th Jack O'Brien 46.54 28
7th Cameron Pugh 44.584 27
8th Thomas Johnson 46.493 25
9th Josh Fozzard 46.16 24
10th Xavier Jeanne 46.323 24












































































Senior Karting League

Position Name Surname Fastest Lap Total Points
1st Callum Jee 41.229 57
2nd Andy  Spencer 40.925 56
3rd Tom Mottram 41.473 56
4th Zethan  Powell 41.34 53
5th Matthew Sleight 41.513 50
6th Ben  Fozard 42.387 49
7th Oliver Thring 42.042 48
8th Charlie Martin 41.695 47
9th Chris  Mottram 41.927 47
10th Daniel  Francis 42.468 42
11th Alex Skinner 42.39 40
12th Joshua  Bacon 40.902 30


























































































Qleisure Championship Round 2 Results

Another fantastic day of racing at the Qleisure Kids Karting Club, the track was very greasy throughout the day and the sunshine just wasn't enough to dry all the tarmac.

The senior final was extremely close in the battle for 3rd position but as Zephan, Tom, Matthew and Charlie were doing battle this gave Callum a great opportunity to break away from the pack and take a comfortable 3rd place.

The junior final ended up being a dramatic end to some great racing. Current championship leader James Popple was struggling to keep the kart on the track throughout the heats as he was pushing slightly too hard in the greasy conditions but still did enough to grab a poll position start for the the grand final. Unfortunately a coming together with another driver dropped James to 5th place. This gave a great opportunity for some of our youngest drivers to grab a podium finish.

 Round 2 Results

Junior Final


  1. Ollie Barnes
  2. Max Mooney
  3. Owen Hizzey
  4. Cameron Pugh
  5. James Popple
  6. Thomas Johnson
  7. Josh Fozzard
  8. Lewis Jee
Senior Final


  1. Joshua Bacon
  2. Andy Spencer
  3. Callum Jee
  4. Zephan Powel
  5. Tom Mottram
  6. Matthew Sleight
  7. Charlie Martin
  8. Chris Mottram
  9. Oliver Thring
  10. Ben Fozzard
  11. Daniel Francis
  12. Alex Skinner
Congratulations everyone!

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Warrior Run Coming to Sussex

Warrior Run is taking place at Qleisure in April 2013. This is a mud run event with obstacles that takes place on a 6km route, you can do more than 1 lap so if your tough enough and don't mind attempting the gruelling obstacles more than once you will become the ultimate warrior.

Mud runs are very popular across the country but sadly there haven't been any in the southern area. Warrior Run approached us and we thought it looks like fun but also we will be host to the first South Coast tough muddy obstacle run!

So this is just a quick update to let you all know the exciting news, we have attached some photos of test runs that were done by staff earlier this year, this was without any obstacles and it was still a massive challenge!

We will keep you posted with updates but if you want to get involved or even register then take a look at the links below the photos. Warrior Run UK The Toughest Obstacle & Mud Run in the South!






You can purchase tickets for Warrior Run HERE
Warrior Run Facebook Page HERE
Warrior Run Website HERE

Stag Weekend Brighton



I have always wanted to write a blog that is totally dedicated to Stag Weekends in Brighton but until then I thought I would at least start with a post. Hopefully this will be useful to some of you best men out there that are planning a trip to the famous city by the sea for your unforgettable Brighton stag weekend.



So Qleisure was established in 1993, we have been organizing peoples Stag Weekends for years now but only in Brighton. We have never believed in the 'middle man' and have always given our customers good, solid honest advice about our home city Brighton.

So what makes a good stag weekend in Brighton? I believe its very simple, organization and honest prices! We get so many groups that come to us who have booked a Brighton weekend package through an agency and have paid anything up to £30/£40 more per person than if they booked direct. Think how much beer that is lads!

Now I’m not saying that 'all' stag/hen agencies are the same because they're not but the simple fact is that they have to ad chunks of money on top of your activity package otherwise they wouldn’t make any money and they wouldn’t have a job. Lots of activity suppliers will give the agencies a discount but on average this is only £5 per person per activity and once this is hidden in a weekend package that £5 somehow turns into £30 and you, the customer are none the wiser.

There are advantages of booking an all inclusive package and that’s the time factor, you can choose a package, pay for your group size and theoretically it’s all done, nothing else to worry about just turn up and enjoy your weekend.

In my eyes the disadvantages massively out weigh the advantages. You don’t know where you are going to! Will your activity even be in Brighton (I doubt it) will your hotel actually be a 3 star (I doubt it) have your night clubs been chosen with the best intentions for your group (I doubt it). Your Brighton weekend package will be built based on the biggest profit margins for the agency.

Book Direct! Google is the savior! Use Google maps to check all your locations and if you have any questions then ask your activity provider for advice. We are based just 6 miles from Brighton, we grew up here we know it, and we can tell you anything you need to know about it. 

I recently organized my brother’s stag weekend and because we booked everything individually we saved a lot of money, knew what and where we were going to and had a great time. Yes it probably took me a Sunday afternoon to plan the thing but we didn’t end up with any nasty surprises.

I feel this post has turned into a bit of a rant now but I hope I got the point across, book direct, save money and your Brighton Stag Weekend will be a massive hit with all the lads.

Here’s my ideal Brighton Stag Weekend:-

Friday
  • Afternoon - arrive at Brighton train station
  • Drop off your bags at your chosen hotel
  • Belushi's Hostel / Brighton City Pad / Travel Lodge / Journeys Hostel
  • Book a table at the Komedia comedy club to include dinner
  • Do a pub crawl around the lanes and end up in the funky fish night club
Saturday
  • Breakfast at your accommodation
  • Get picked up by Ace Travel and dropped off at Qleisure
  • Paintball, Clay Pigeon, Lunch and Karting (all activities at the same venue)
  • Ace travel will return you back into Brighton
  • Book a dinner table at Donatello’s (good cheap food) 
  • Grab a party pass from 'The Door Guy' 
  • Hit one of the strip bars but only for 1 dance as this will seriously eat into your budget
  • End up in a night club of your choice 
Sunday
  • Walk along the seafront until you have chosen a location for brunch chat about your shenanigans and try to work out exactly where you left the Stag last night ;-)
You don’t need anything else, all of the links for everything listed above can be found below. Everything listed is good quality & stag friendly but most importantly everything is in Brighton or a stones throw away.
  
Activity Centre - http://qleisure.co.uk/weekend-stag-hen-parties.php

Hostel - http://visitjourneys.com/
Hostel - http://www.st-christophers.co.uk/brighton-hostels

Brighton City Pad - http://www.brightonselfcatering.com/

Restaurant - http://www.donatello.co.uk/

Comedy Club - http://www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/

Mini Bus - http://www.acetravelsussex.com/

Pub Crawl and Club Tickets - http://www.thedoorguy.co.uk/

Club - http://www.funkyfishclub.co.uk/