2012 News Archive

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News Archive
2012 News Items & Press Releases

NJL Racing Achieve Goals   (31/12)

NJL Racing has been pleased to achieve their goals in their first season with the knowledge of bigger success to come in 2013. It will be the start of a great New Year for NJL Racing as they move forward in a big way next season after some great results in 2012 competing in S1 and Rotax with their drivers. With race programmes in Formula KGP, Rotax, TKM and Cadets to be announced in 2013 any drivers interested should contact the team.
 
Nick Leason, former BTCC/GT driver and the owner of NJL Racing commented "The Team has made great progress this year and now looking to achieve more for the 2013 race season. We have already tested various chassis in the last couple of months to see what we will use for 2013 and have 4 drivers confirmed which will both be announced shortly".
 
"We still have several spaces available in our drive programme and are now talking to drivers regards our race programmes in the British Super One Series with Formula KGP and our club race meetings in Rotax/TKM and Honda Cadet, so any interested parties please contact us.. With our vast experience in motorsport we know we can offer our drivers the best knowledge and understanding offering them a complete package for what it takes to be competitive".
 
In 2013 Team NJL Racing will be attending not only the S1 meetings but club meetings at Shenington, PFI, GYG, Whilton Mill and Kimbolton in all classes of Rotax, TKM, KGP, and Cadets for any interested parties. NJL Racing are able to provide exceptional service and packages in their new state of the art purpose built LP Tent awning for the entry level Karter competing at club level right up to the more experienced Kart racer competing in National Championships.

NJL Racing Team Services offer:
- Full Team support
- Kart Storage and transportation facility
- Full Preparation of Kart
- Driver coaching/analysis
- Driver PR & Sponsorship services
- Awning Space (to include use of team's exclusive awning and team equipment, tools, advice and full use of NJL Racing exclusive Hospitality area)

Club Race Weekends and Test Days - for all TKM / Rotax /KGP and Honda classes. National Championships - British Super One Championship.

For more information and your requirements please telephone 07774 891435 or email nick@njlracing.com.

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Rotax World Final Success   (24/12)

KR-Sport senior Rotax driver Oliver Hodgson stamped his mark on the European scene at the Rotax World finals held at the Autodrome race circuit in Portimao - Portugal.

From the off Hodgson looked like he would be a title contender and that he was. Impressive in both wet and dry conditions, the KR-Sport driver was in a good place with the commentator even declaring Hodgson as a "revelation to the event."
 
Qualifying didn't bring the result the team expected explained team principle Ashley Orchard; "Oliver was blocked by a slower kart on his flying lap, such is the nature of the track that it was really important to string together that perfect lap and tow made such a difference that this left us 7th in group and 19th overall."

This left Hodgson with a P9 grid position for heat 1. A good start saw him settle into the race and at half race distance Hodgson made his move, carving through the pack of drivers to take the lead with a lap remaining and pulling a gap to take victory in heat 1.  The other two heats proved to be more of the same committed driving as Hodgson recorded two 6th place finishes in his remaining heats.
 
With a 5th place finish in the pre-final and the all important inside starting slot for the grand final, it was set for a fantastic final and that it was a 21 lap battle with some of the most talented drivers in the world, as the race progressed Hodgson looked to be one of few drivers capable of winning the race and in the closing stages Hodgson was well placed in second, The last couple of laps proved to be a battle and unfortunately the victory slipped away with Hodgson crossing the line in a well deserved third at the flag.
 
Orchard commented "This is a great result for Oliver and for the KR Team we raced for the win and Oliver did a great job he was full committed to winning and deserves to be on the podium."
 
KR-Sport has team drives available for the 2013 Euro Max series commencing in February for the Winter Cup at Campillos (Spain) along with limited space for the UK S1 Series in all Rotax categories.
 
For more information on the team or to discuss options please contact Ashley Orchard on 07921 225 680 or email ash@kr-sport.com, or visit www.kr-sport.com for more information.

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KartPartsUK Update   (24/12)

KartParts UK would like to thank their customers for all of their valued support during 2012 to make this our best ever year, via the tracks which they attend at Fulbeck and SYKC, Internet and telephone orders.  We look forward to your continued support during 2013 from old and new customers and the trade.

We have an ever expanding range of products available with new lines being added all the time.  We are now a distributer for R3 lasers and have the full range of items available with the Kelgate brake system to be added shortly.

We offer a range of karts and spare parts for the OTK, OK1 & Gillard Chassis, along with Rotax, Iame, Comer & TKM engine spares and tyres. All of our products are at quite possibly the best prices available and with free delivery on everything to the UK mainland. Why not give us a try or call us on 01775 712633.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas from all the team at www.kartpartsuk.com.

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New Driving Standards Trial   (24/12)

As part of a further concerted campaign to address driving standards in karting, the Motor Sports Council has agreed to an extended trial that includes the suspension of penalty points in Kart events.
 
The proposals, which come into force on 1st January 2013, have been drawn up in conjunction with Kart Clerks. They are designed to address issues of poor driving by ensuring that Clerks of the Course take action and deal with incidents in a consistent and fair manner, while creating a level playing field for all competitors, clubs and officials.
 
The details of the trial are as follows:
 
- MSA General Regulations (C)2.1.5.(i) Driving and (C)2.1.5. (ii) Failure to comply with flag or light signals are suspended.

- Clerks of the Course are required to:
 -- Issue Penalties via the "Clerks Decision Notification" as issued by MSA
 -- Apply the penalties in line with the mandatory penalty structure via the Clerks Decision Notification and the guidance provided in the "Clerks Decision Notification - Explanations" as issued by MSA

- MSA will:
 -- Monitor the applied penalties and identify drivers who persistently offend and receive recordable endorsements so that they may be referred to the MSA Disciplinary Officer and considered for referral to the National Court under (C)1.2.
 -- Call any Clerk and/or MSA Steward who fails to follow this trial to attend an MSA Clerks/Stewards Appointments Panel.

- Regulation (C)2.3. is extended as follows:
 -- C2.3.3. At kart races a competitor, who after a hearing convened by the Clerk of the Course, is deemed to have gained an unfair advantage or has disadvantaged another competitor by the manner of his driving will be penalised by a Position Penalty of 5 places in the results of that race or timed qualifying.  This penalty may not be substituted by a time penalty nor does it preclude further action under C1.1.5. if deemed necessary after the hearing.
 
"The MSA believes that good driving is fundamentally important, not only from a safety perspective but also in terms of reducing costs and making sure that people have an enjoyable experience," says Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive. "These latest proposals are an evolution of the previous trial and we will monitor the results carefully. We will fully brief our Clerks and Stewards on the MSA's expectations of this new trial, and we will take all necessary measures to ensure that the regulations are enforced with the consistency and transparency that competitors deserve and expect."
 
The MSA is in the process of writing to all officials affected by this trial and the table of mandatory penalties can be found by clicking here (PDF).

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Super One Series 2013   (21/12)

Due to a variety of unforeseen circumstances the Super One Series has had to arrange a revised calendar of events for 2013 as follows:

MSA/TKM/KGP Series:
Round 1 - 18/19 May at Rowrah*
Round 2 - 22/23 June at Glan y Gors
Round 3 - 6/7 July at Larkhall**
Round 4 - 24/25 August at Clay Pigeon
Round 5 - 21/22 September at PF International
Round 6 - 12/13 October at Shenington*

* - Change of date by a week.
** - New date and venue replacing the original first round.
 
Rotax/Cadet Series:
Round 1           6/7 April at Three Sisters#
Round 2           4/5 May at Rowrah
Round 3           15/16 June at Glan y Gors
Round 4           29/30 June at PF International
Round 5           27/28 July at Larkhall
Round 6           28/29 September at Shenington

# - Change of venue.
 
The originally published calendar had all MSA Series dates as provisional pending confirmation of the CIK International calendar. We apologise for the change of venue in the Rotax Series, but the date remains unaltered. Three Sisters are also offering a special Super One Test Day on Saturday 2nd February and for further details call 01942 270230 or go to www.three-sisters.co.uk where drivers can book on line from the 24th December onwards.
 
Don't forget to register on-line at superoneseries.com or download the form to post. Super One Series is now looking forward to a brilliant 2013 championships and it should be noted that the MSA has now agreed that drivers in the year of their ninth birthday is the new minimum age for Comer Cadets. 

Super One wishes all supporters a very happy Christmas and a winning New Year. Hoping to see you at the Autosport Show.

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DR Karts Are Back In The UK   (21/12)

'DR Kart' is named after the owner and 5 times Karting World Champion Danilo Rossi. The karts are made by CRG to the specification of the works team. The latest S97 kart has experienced major success since its introduction in 2012. After a great season, works driver Ricardo Negro won the KZ1 WSK Final Cup. The kart has also enjoyed success in a climate similar to the UK, having this year become Norwegian champions.
 
The first 'S97' landed in October and went straight into the deep end at MSA Super One, racing in TKM Extreme. Despite a disappointing DNF in final 2, in final 1 the kart set a lap time of 43.90, 1 hundredth from the fastest lap.

Tests and club meetings since then have shown consistent performance in all conditions.
 
We will be racing next year at club meetings around the Midlands and at MSA Super One, and are very keen on getting another KGP driver on board as well as TKM drivers.

The Karts are priced at £2600 inc vat or £1900 for used (few races old).
 
For more information visit www.drracingkart.it or email drkartuk@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @DRKartUK.

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MSA Homologation Regulations   (21/12)

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) has confirmed the homologation regulations that will come into effect on 1 January 2013 to govern the introduction of new non-gearbox Junior and Senior kart classes from 1 January 2014.

Rob Jones, MSA General Secretary and Kart Committee Chairman, said: "The recent Karting Review revealed that the existing regulations for the introduction of new kart classes were far too loose, to the extent that the Motor Sports Council suspended them for the past two years while a new structure was designed. That structure is now complete and in essence means that new classes will only be agreed by the MSA on three-year cycles and in accordance with a rigorous homologation process. The new process will ensure stability in the sport, which will of course be of benefit to competitors."

The General Regulations that underpin the new homologation process can be found in the 2013 MSA Yearbook at (U)1.2. The new Kart Class Homologation Regulations can be obtained from the MSA Technical Department by emailing joe.hickerton@msauk.org.

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Buckmore Park Practice   (20/12)

Buckmore Park is offering two additional open practice days for all ABkC non gearbox classes on Sunday 6 January and Sunday 13 January between 10 am and 4 pm.

Sessions will be run (dependent on numbers). All karts must comply with current MSA regulations as must drivers' safety wear.

For further details please contact Buckmore Park on 01634 201562.

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Maranello Kart UK   (19/12)

Awning space at PFi, Shenny, Kimbolton: We are offering awning space, including, light, heat, worktable space and technical assistance at PFi, Kimbolton and Shenington club meetings. It is open to any brand of chassis in every class including cadet. We know best the karts made by CRG including DR, Zanardi and of course, Maranello!
 
Free chassis tests at PFi: Throughout January and February, we are offering free chassis tests on the Maranello Kart. Chassis tests are free of charge if you provide your own engine and tyres. We can have the karts ready to go with an exhaust and loom fitted for Rotax or KGP, or the necessary supports fitted for TKM. Available to test are the RS7, RS10 and the RS12. For more information on which chassis in the range may suit your driving style, go to the karts page on our website: www.maranellokarts.co.uk. For tests at PFi then contact laury@maranellokarts.co.uk.

Chassis tests are also available at Larkhall. For more information please email sales@lptent.co.uk.
 
MSA Super One 2013: We are delighted to welcome Matthew Booth into the team for our 2013 MSA Super One campaign. Seeded 12th in Formula KGP 2012, Matthew showed throughout the year that he has the hunger to win, with a massive turn of speed at Kartmasters and solid results in the Super One races after that. Denis Gorman has confirmed that he is shooting for the title again in 2013. This is after the highs of the Super One and V Plate wins and the extreme lows of being denied the title purely because of mechanical gremlins at key races. The 2012 season is where Denis again stamped his authority on being among the top calibre of drivers in the UK.
 
KF3: We are very keen to get a KF3 driver in the team for Super One so would like to hear from any Junior drivers out there who are as hungry to compete and win in KF3 as we are. Attractive packages are available for the right driver.
 
We wish all our friends and customers a very happy Christmas and a successful 2013!

For more information visit our website at www.maranellokarts.co.uk or contact us on 07903 623 348 or email laury@maranellokarts.co.uk.

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Four Brits On F1 Grid   (18/12)

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is delighted by today's announcement that Max Chilton will race for the Marussia F1 Team in 2013, becoming the fourth British driver on the Formula One grid alongside Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta.

Chilton, aged 21 from Surrey, came through the UK's famed karting ranks before graduating to cars in 2005. He joined the British F3 International Series in 2007 and progressed to GP2 in 2010. This year he finished fourth in GP2 with two wins, four podiums, two pole positions and one fastest lap, while also undertaking duties at selected Grands Prix as Marussia's testing and reserve driver.

"It is excellent news for the whole of British motor sport that we will have another driver in F1 next year," said Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive. "Motor sport is one sector in which this country really does lead the world, both on and off the track, delivering some £6bn and 40,000 jobs to the UK economy. Max is the latest in a long line of British drivers to make the step up to Formula One and there are others following closely behind, further underlining the strength of UK motor sport.

"Having successful British drivers on the international stage is essential to the future growth and development of the sport, especially at amateur level where the majority of motor sport takes place in motor clubs across the country. That is why we have established the MSA Academy which is currently assisting more than 50 of the most promising young British drivers from the age of 14. We are investing in their future and also in the future of the sport."

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Colombia's Fine Performance   (17/12)

Gary Rolfe of Team Vital UK congratulates their International Senior Max Driver, Nicolas Morales from Colombia, on his recent fine performance at the PF International Circuit during the weekend of the 2nd December.

With strong performances during testing prior to race day for Nicolas, the heats on Sunday would prove challenging although strong pace clearly showed and luck prevailed to give him a starting position of 7th on the grid for the Final.

The final saw Morales make a commendable start and by the end of the first lap he was leading the race with a two second gap. During the final he completed several fastest laps and opened the gap to three seconds at the flag after challengers failed to hunt him down for first place in what will no doubt be the Colombian's first of many victories to come here in the UK.

Gary Rolfe, Race Team Manager of Team Vital UK commented; "I am sure we will see much more of Nicolas at the front of the field, in less than the 3 months of Nicolas being resident here in the UK with the Team, we have turned this driver in to a serious front runner achieving our main goal that we set out of winning races in a much shorter time frame than was originally anticipated especially considering the fact that Nicolas has not stepped on to the podium as yet, but this weekend saw him win by a serious margin at one of the best circuits in the UK, this is a feat that Nicolas can be very pleased with."

The Team Vital UK race team also had Daniel Wood present, lining up in the Junior Class after recent strong performances at PF & Whilton Mill. A strong result looked likely for Daniel, especially after his strong heat finishes, although unfortunately a faulty spark plug on the rolling up lap put paid to his chance finishing his last race of the 2012 season on a high. With Dan's strong performances over the last 3 months an exciting 2013 season will certainly be in store for the ever-improving Junior Max driver.
 
The Vital Race Team now set their focus on continuing their pace and podium results at forthcoming races through the hectic winter schedule. If you are interested in being part of the Team Vital UK success story, with their strong form and track record in being able to turn drivers in to serious-front running contenders, please do not hesitate to contact us. Team Vital are now taking signings for 2013 with limited drives remaining in the UK Super 1 Championship, Winter Cup, Euro Max, International Open, Pan-American & Florida Winter Tour Championships.

Contact Gary Rolfe to enquire for a sensible quote or an informal chat on 07725 367043 (mobile), 01525 211874 (office), or email Gary@Vital-Motorsport.co.uk.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Junior TKM In N. Ireland   (17/12)

The Junior Formula TKM class is being re-introduced to Northern Ireland to meet the need for a class that offers excellent value for money and close, equal racing.
 
The North of Ireland Karting Association has agreed a plan with Tal-Ko, owners of the Formula TKM category, to launch the class over the next two years and then continue its development.
 
A Tal-Ko Veloce kart complete with V-clutch fitted TKM BT82 engine will be used at a variety of motorsport shows and kart racing events in Northern Ireland. The kart will also be used to give potential TKM Junior drivers a taste for the class at various test days.
 
The class will run to normal TKM rules subject to two changes. First the karts must all make use of the clutched only TKM BT82 engine, and secondly initially karts must be pre 2011 year models. It was decided to exclude direct drive and TAG version engines to keep the class simple and even.
 
Explaining the reasons for the initiative NIKA Secretary Keith Wilkinson said: "We have become aware that we are losing young drivers because there is no suitable class for them.
 
"We have a strong Cadet category with emphasis on the Honda and its low running costs. But then the next step is to Mini Max with very high costs and many technical issues to be understood. The result is many young drivers and their parents simply move away to some other sport.
 
"We see Junior TKM as the way to stop that loss of drivers away from karting. It offers very close and equal racing - and at sensible money. It is the logical way forward."
 
Tal-Ko boss Alan Turney welcomed the move saying: "We are delighted to work with NIKA in re-establishing Junior TKM. We have always worked at ensuring the TKM classes offer the best value racing you can get for your pound, and that it gives an even playing field for everyone. We are seeing a move right across the UK back to the TKM class."
 
Former Northern Ireland top TKM drivers include 2009 BTCC champion Colin Turkington and Adam Carroll a former champion in A1 GP.
 
NIKA are planning to run a number of Junior TKM events in 2013 before stepping up to a full championship in 2014. Further details can be obtained from NIKA at www.nikarting.com or TKM at www.tal-ko.com.

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Stunning Debut For DCM   (14/12)

Shaun and Matthew Arnold had their first race in Senior Rotax at Kimbolton last weekend, and what a stunning start it was for them both. Both drivers were instantly on the pace, with Shaun registering the fastest lap in the 1st heat, 3/100 of the fastest lap in the 2nd heat, and fastest lap in the final. Matt was very close to Shaun's pace all weekend.

With a strong grid of 29 drivers, the team were pleased with boys 6th and 9th on the grid for the final. Shaun got a good start and was 4th on the first lap, Matt was not so lucky and got taken out at the start, and had an amazing drive back through the field, to take a very respectable finish.

In the final Shaun, using one of DCM own Rotax motors, had fantastic pace and was easily the quickest kart on the track, but a slight tangle while moving from 3rd to 2nd place, opened a big gap to the leader, with Shaun finishing a superb 2nd place, and getting fastest lap.

At the last Shenington club meeting DCM was running a talented young mini max driver named Ed Tansley. Ed showed blistering pace all weekend taking pole position for the final and getting a result that secured him the club championship. Danny thoroughly enjoyed working with Ed and can see great prospects for him next year.

DCM have mega quick motors, available for hire in all Rotax classes, and Iame cadet, all motors are personally owned by DCM. All motors have been dyno tested and more importantly track tested by Danny.

DCM will be carry out an extensive testing program over the winter months working to bring together a championship-winning team.

Contact Danny to be part of this special team on 07852 971040 or email danny.cruttenden@gmail.com.  You can also visit our websites at www.dcmkarting.com and www.howtogofaster.co.uk.

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Need A Christmas Present?   (14/12)

With Christmas nearly upon us, and everyone trying to think of what to give, what better than setting up the Super One Series registration for the racer in your family.

It's so easy now with on-line registration and that will secure the competition number of your choice. Just go to the Super One website http://superoneseries.com and click on "Register now for 2013".

There is a discount for on-line registration, otherwise download the registration form and post with a cheque or credit card information.

According to our representative on the CIK Commission, our Super One is the envy of many countries, producing as it does kart champions in all the top international series, not to mention two Formula 1 world champions. So don't delay, book today.

Super One will be exhibiting at the Autosport International Racing Car Show, held at the NEC from 10-13 January.

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Hall Signs For Strawberry   (13/12)

Connor Hall has joined Strawberry racing for 2013 in his bid to take the Super 1 and Euromax titles.
 
After finishing 5th in 2012 he will be the highest ranked driver in the 2013 minimax championship.
 
After testing last weekend it was evident that Strawberry Racing was the way forward.
 
With the level of knowledge and passion throughout the team it was an easy decision for 2013.
 
Connor will be testing over the next few months before competing in the Winter Cup in Campillos Spain.
 
Check out www.connorhall.co.uk for lastest updates.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Cadet Performance Restrictions   (13/12)

The MSA has confirmed the performance restrictions that will be imposed on existing Cadet karts - those powered by the Comer W60 and Honda GX160 - from 1 January 2013 in order to ensure parity with the incoming IAME Parilla Gazelle 60cc UK, the new power unit for the MSA British Cadet Kart Championship.
 
Having carried out extensive testing and data evaluation in conjunction with Zip Kart (representing Comer) and the ABkC (representing Honda), the MSA has concluded that introducing the following restrictions from 1 January 2013 should ensure performance parity across the Cadet category:
- Comer: additional ballast of 4kg, taking the Class minimum weight from 99kg to 103kg (equivalent to the IAME and Honda)
- Honda: insertion of a 16mm inlet restrictor between the carburettor and cylinder.

Note: the restrictor is now available, priced at £7.75 +VAT. Please contact Dartford Karting at www.kartstore.co.uk or ask your local trader.
 
The Cadet Class regulations are detailed each year in the MSA Kart Race Yearbook; the 2013 edition will confirm that the MSA, at 28 days' notice, can vary the performance restrictions of any Cadet Class.
 
Rob Jones, MSA General Secretary and Kart Committee Chairman, said: "In terms of understanding the performance parameters of the new IAME engine in contrast to the existing Class engines we feel that we have now achieved all that we can outside of a competitive racing environment. The full performance picture should therefore become clearer once the engines are run in anger for the first time next season. Obviously there may be a need for further performance managing measures and the MSA will continue to monitor performance. We therefore anticipate carrying out a review by 1 March 2013.
 
"I would like to reiterate that a key philosophy of the tender process has been that controlling speeds is essential to the risk management process and the maintenance of our excellent safety record. We must recognise the fact that Cadet lap times are now up to 2.5 seconds quicker than they were when the Class was first established, which is why the tender process required an increase in lap times."

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Shenington Kart Racing Club   (13/12)

Shenington Kart Racing Club has been named the 2012 JLT MSA Club of the Year following its nomination by the Association of British Kart Clubs (ABkC).
 
Shenington KRC is one of the most popular, well-run and respected kart clubs in the UK, with around 300 members. The club works hard to introduce cost cutting measures, including links with sponsors and traders, and also strives to improve and develop so as to attract more members of all age groups, especially Juniors.
 
The club has benefitted from MSA Club Development Fund grants to aid venue improvements, and has also introduced modern timing equipment and displays to achieve better engagement for officials, parents and spectators alike. The club has also successfully raised funds for local charities, notably the Chiltern Air Ambulance.
 
Mike Coombs, Chairman of Shenington Kart Racing Club said: "It is an immense honour for our kart club to win this award, especially considering the amount of effort so many clubs have put in this year to keep numbers up. Thanks to our committee's initiatives we have had some success in attracting drivers with small budgets to carry on or start  racing."
 
Representatives of Shenington KRC will be presented with £1000 and a JLT Rose Bowl Trophy at the MSA Night of Champions in London on 19th January 2012.
 
Magherafelt and District Motor Club was awarded second place and will receive £500 and a trophy, while third-placed Chelmsford Motor Club wins £250 and a trophy.

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TKM Club Championship   (12/12)

Tal-Ko Racing has confirmed provisional details of its midlands based TKM Club Championship for 2013 - and thrown the idea open to drivers in the South and North.
 
The TKM Club Championship had more than 70 registered drivers in 2012 - its first year in operation - and saw strong grids at Kimbolton, Shenington, Rissington and Whilton Mill.
 
A post championship survey among drivers showed full support for the series, which is aimed at introducing less experienced drivers to new circuits and to the principle of racing in a multi-circuit championship.
 
Says TKM boss Alan Turney: "We have had overwhelming support for the championship which seems to be an ideal format for drivers and clubs alike. It has created more club level racing at a time when many are struggling to fill grids.
 
"The key elements that drivers like are the limited amount of travelling to other circuits, the low cost of competing with no mandatory fuel etc, and the friendly nature of the racing."
 
For 2013 the same format will be used with registered drivers scoring from rounds at each of the same four circuits. However for 2013 the last round at Whilton Mill will be a double header with two finals for each class to give a real sting in the tail.
 
Competitors will enter as normal for each club event and their positions within the finals used to establish their scores in the championship disregarding those who are not registered in the series. Just one final can be used as a dropped score.
 
The only additional cost to drivers to compete in the series will be a registration cost of £55. At the end of the year there will be quality trophies and TKM vouchers for the top five in each class - Juniors and Seniors.
 
The provisional 2013 dates include two prestige meetings - the Superpix at Shenington and the Midlands Champs at Rissington. They are:
 
May 12 - Kimbolton
June 15/16 - Shenington Superprix
Aug 31/Sept 1 - Rissington Midlands Championships
September 22 - Whilton Mill
 
Further details and registration forms are available from the www.tal-ko.com/icc.
 
Meanwhile TKM is encouraging drivers and clubs in the North and South to look at establishing similar events in those areas. TKM Co-ordinator Grahame Butterworth says: "There is certainly interest from drivers in setting up equivalent series in their own areas.
 
"The key to making it happen is to have clubs grouped together who race on different weekends in the month, and of course sufficient drivers. Even if we cannot run a full championship for next year it would be good to get some 'challenges' going which will build for the future."
 
Drivers and clubs in the North and South interested in the idea are asked to email TKM at their special address - ideas@TKMdriversclub.com.

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Vega Tyre Pressure Gauge   (11/12)

Sole UK Vega tyre importer, ACR, now have the Official Vega Tyre Pressure Gauges in stock!

With a dual display in PSI and BAR you can be sure of an accurate reading of your tyre pressure, plus a clip-on valve hose and pressure release button to adjust your tyres pressure.

The Official Vega Tyre Pressure Gauge is priced at £82.00 + VAT.

To order yours call the ACR office on 01527 889595 and select option 2.

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PF International & JM Racing   (11/12)

The PFI circuit is open throughout the festive break on the following days, with the legendary stock clearance sale at the JM store starting at 7am on the 28th December.
 
21/12 - Open testing 2 stroke
22/12 - Open testing 2 stroke
23/12 - Pro-kart sprint meeting
24/12 to 26/12 - Closed
27/12 - Arrive n drive rental karts
28/12 - Open testing 2 stroke, and the JM shop sale starts at 7am!
29/12 - Open testing 2 stroke
30/12 - Sunday 100 event
31/12 - Arrive n drive rental karts
01/01 - Closed
02/01 - Arrive n drive rental karts
03/01 - Open testing 4 stroke
04/01 - Open testing 2 stroke
05/01 - TVKC club practice
06/01 - TVKC club race

For more information on JM Racing visit www.jmracing.co.uk. 

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Brand Is Vice Champion   (11/12)

Protrain and Formula K drivers Ed Brand and Thomas Preining joined a host of elite drivers at the famous Grand Final of the Rotax World Finals which was held at the Kartdromo Circuit in Portugal from 28th November to 1 December 2012 with both drivers looking for victory.
 
Whilst early wet weather made on track conditions very tricky this proved no obstacle for Preining as the Junior driver immediately threw down the gauntlet taking fastest lap in his first heat. However his early promise was denied when he was taken out of third place on heat two by a driver who was subsequently excluded, heat three saw him finish sixth in wet conditions.
 
The young talent found himself in a tussle at the start of the prefinal with a resulting eighth place finish still giving everything to play for.  The final proved to be a disaster though for Preining when a driver side swiped him on the straight and then another tapped him and took him out, his determined drive back to 23rd did not do justice to the promise of this young driver.
 
The highly competitive Seniors field promised a display of superb driving with Brand determined to take a place on the podium.
 
Brand was hoping for better fortune than his team mate but fell prey to changing conditions in timed practice when although finishing third in his timed practice the high winds had whipped up between session slowing his heat so that he only secured 14th overall.
 
Despite not having the advantage of team mates to work with solo driver Brand came through the field to fourth place in heat one and third in heat two biting the tails of the second place driver on the last lap.  Heat three saw many changes up front as these top drivers all jostled for position realising the importance of a good grid for the prefinal, Brand's sixth place kept him firmly in contention.
 
The start of the prefinal was disappointing for Brand as a competitor made a move, for which he was subsequently penalised, which pushed him back down the field. Driving back to 7th wasn't the finish he hoped for but Ed is always a driver to be feared and his talent and determination is a force to be reckoned with.
 
With all drivers filled with adrenalin and nerves the start the start of the final was relatively tame but a delay caused by another driver meant that Brand had to fight hard to get back into the slipstream of the leading group.  Just as it looked unlikely that even Ed would be able to pull it back his experience and determination was put to good use as he dug deep and with a drive of immense talent he picked off a driver every lap until he was on the tail of leader and former Formula K team mate Charlie Eastwood who was forced to defend down the long straight. A last lap move to take the lead almost came off in a double left hander with Brand taking the position but Eastwood taking it straight back as Brand went wide. They crossed the line in those positions with Eastwood taking the title and Brand finishing second.
 
Speaking about his amazing drive back Brand said "I said to myself you just have to try harder, so I did and I started to catch them and then once I got the slipstream it was easy!" 
 
The team is preparing for next years European and UK Super One series and invites all interested drivers to contact Martyn Smithers or Gary Chapman on 01280 814774 to discuss working with Protrain in 2013.
 
If you want to see what extra you could find on a Formula K chassis give Gary Chapman a call on 07802 966064 and organise a no obligation test drive. For more information on FK please see www.formulakeurope.com or www.protrainracing.co.uk.

To support growing national demand for Formula K products, Protrain Racing are looking for UK agents; if you are interested in working alongside us with this impressive marque please contact Gary Chapman on 07802 966064 or email him at protrain@karttraining.co.uk.

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Historic Grand Finals Double   (11/12)

Harry Webb and Charlie Eastwood won the Junior and Senior Max Grand Final title at Portimao in Portugal last weekend (1 December), maintaining the team's extraordinary record of success in the competition.
 
Strawberry Racing drivers have now won four Rotax Grand Finals titles, adding to their tally of four Euro Max Challenge victories.
 
In the Junior category, reigning Euro Max champion Harry Webb narrowly avoided missing the cut-off point for timed qualifying - taking to the track after a last-minute engine change, with seconds to spare. Unfazed he posted the 2nd fastest time overall, with team-mates Guan Yu Zhou 28th and Jessica Backman 43rd out of a total of 72 entrants.
 
With each competitors given three qualifying heats to race in, finishing in each of them and as high up the order as possible would prove crucial. Once these preliminary races had been completed, Guan Yu was ranked 8th and Harry 9th. Jessica in 51st would have to compete in the Second Chance heat, if she was going to make the pre-final grid. She did, after a strong drive to 6th saw her qualify for Saturday's big races.
 
With so much at stake, some of the driving standards left a lot to be desired, as Harry attested. He crossed the pre-final's finishing line down in 22nd, behind Guan Yu in 7th but ahead of Jessica in 28th.
 
Despite his poor fortune, Harry's confidence was buoyed by the fact that he had been the fastest driver on the track and he knew that so long as his pace maintained itself in the Grand Final, he could pass and move his way to the front.
 
This he did with aplomb, and with seven laps remaining Harry was already leading. He went on to win by nearly four seconds, whilst Guan Yu finished a creditable 8th with Jessica - the Swedish champion - in 25th.
 
Strawberry's delighted team bosses, Warwick Ringham and Paul Spencer, said: After the pre -final we were a little disappointed with Jessica and Harry's results. They had both been caught up in first corner incidents that had put them down the field. We knew we had the speed with all our drivers, but Harry had been so much faster than everyone else in the pre-final that we believed he had a chance, even from that far back on the grid."
 
He added: "To say we were amazed by his drive in the Grand Final would be an understatement! To finish the year like he has; as European Champion, World Champion and to take 2nd in his first ever senior race at the International Open at Zuera, is amazing. Guan Yu did really well to take 8th place. For a 13-year old racing against the likes of Harry and a host of really good drivers in their last year as Juniors was a great result. Jessica again got caught up in a few incidents and should really have finished better but she has learned a great deal again and will use the experience to her advantage."
 
Charlie Eastwood and Harrison Scott represented the team in the quality-packed Senior class and delivered solid performances; from qualifying through to the last heat. Charlie started the pre-final from P3 on the grid with Harrison directly alongside him, making it an all Strawberry row two. 
 
When they crossed the finishing line, Harrison was in 2nd position with Charlie 3rd but the officials deemed Scott to have left the tramlines too soon at the start and was subsequently given a three-second penalty, dropping him to 6th spot in the results.
 
The Grand Final, as could be expected, turned into a huge scrap for supremacy, as Charlie explains: "It was a hard race. The tail wind pushed the ones behind me and helped them to run faster, so I had to overtake and re-overtake several times. I needed to keep in first position and stay fast to the end. I was given a small advantage when the guys behind me had a bit of an incident between them but that was enough to seal the victory."
 
Harrison was the victim of a first corner incident which left him a long way down from the leaders and subsequently spent the entire race chasing down the front-running pack. At the start of the last lap he had finally caught them but it was too late to mount a challenge for the podium.
The race had required Eastwood to produce a special performance in order to snatch his first international title, leaving Spencer and Ringham happy and impressed: "Charlie had a plan and stuck to it once he hit the front," explains Warwick. "He kept his head down and drove a perfect race. Harry's win was fantastic because he came from so far back on the grid, but Charlie's win was every bit as satisfying because he had to contend with seven of the fastest Rotax drivers in the world who were all trying to take victory from him. Once he'd hit the front, the pressure to not make a mistake and cover all the moves from the drivers behind must have been huge. Team Ireland did us proud!"
 
Andreas Backman's last-minute entry for the DD2 race was both a surprise to him - and the team. Having never raced in the class before it was a big challenge, but his speed in testing put him amongst the ten fastest runners. A conservative effort during timed qualifying put Andreas down the grid for his heats. However, three strong finishes meant that he qualified automatically for the pre-final. Having achieved this, he appeared to relax and this inspired excellent performances in the two finals. His eventual 14th place finish in the Grand Final left Paul Spencer with a big smile on his face: "Andreas' week was really hard, so what he achieved was fantastic for both him and Strawberry Racing. We had no expectation at all to begin with, so to come away with a top fifteen result in the Grand Finals, in an unfamiliar kart, was a great result and completed a great day's racing."
 
Reflecting on the event and the season as a whole, Paul said: "Warwick and I would like to thank all the drivers and their families for making this a really special week. To Tomas Backman for pushing us that bit further. Without him, we would not have tested beforehand and I think this was instrumental in the team achieving such fantastic results - so a big 'thank you' to him for that. Also, we'd like to acknowledge Team Ireland for the best craic and for throwing what was - without doubt - the world's best party on Saturday night! To Steve Webb, John Harrison and their families for sticking by us through thick and thin and for providing some of the year's most magical moments. Finally, we are grateful to the Zhou family for being 100% behind the whole team and giving us Guan Yu, who is not only a fantastic little pilot but is now our team mascot!"
 
For more information about the brand new Tony Kart EVR chassis, OTK products and Cream Racing Engine's preparation services go to www.strawberryracing.co.uk. Or call 0114 269 6215 / 0114 288 9933.

Photographs courtesy of Bas Kaligis.                                     

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RS At The Autosport Show   (10/12)

Following on from our success at the Kartmania show RS Racing will now be exhibiting at the Autosport Show in January at the NEC, come and find our stand on the Kart Pavilion where we will be launching the exciting new 2013 Wildkart and Lotus racing karts along with a range of high quality components.
 
Visit our website at www.rsracing.org to see the continued construction of our new online shop which will be completed with the whole range of products from Wildkart, Lotus and Gillard racing karts ready for the official launch at the show with special discounted prices for the whole of January.    
 
Specialising in the Rotax Max classes the RS Race team has continued to develop and grow over the last few seasons competing in the French Euro Endurance Series, 24 hour Le Mans, S1 Series and various club championships and are now preparing for the coming 2013 season and will be competing in the European BNL series, S1 series, Forest Edge, Clay Pigeon and Whilton Mill Championships.

We can tailor packages to suit your requirements starting from awning space right up to full arrive & drive using our own top spec race equipment, please call John Parsons on 01256 760633 to discuss your requirements or come and talk to us at the show!

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Promising Winter Warm Up   (10/12)

After finishing the season on a high, the results have been rolling in after Gunn and Mcauley winning at the finale of the S1 season. Three top 10 seeded numbers were secured including the number 1 plate of Gunn's for the second year on the trot.

A few weeks after Shenington S1 the team travelled to Wigan where the promising youngster, Cameron Roberts was testing with the team. Jordan Brown-Nutley was also competing that weekend and was looking good all weekend, Jordan put in a stunning performance for his first time there in wet conditions, grabbing the final place on the podium. Roberts enjoyed the test with the team and amazingly, on his first outing on the tony kart, was fastest come the end of the day on Saturday.

The team then moved on to PFI with another 2 mini max out, Brown-Nutley again was performing well with team mate Zelos proving why he was seeded number 9. Jordan was on the pace in the dry and the wet, but after being black flagged for 'passing someone' and nudging them, not putting them off track, or spinning them he then finished at the back of the field. Zelos went on to win the final by a comfortable margin after being dominant in the wet, and being one to watch in the dry.

Rowrah was next on the agenda, with Skelton competing in his first meeting with the team fresh from cadets, Baxter finishing his junior max career, Roberts testing, Steele looking for a podium and Macphereson coming down for his first English race in mini max. Roberts again adapted well to the new track in mini max and proving to be one of the quickest all day, Skelton was competing for the win throughout the Sunday and got so close to it. After closing down the leader very quickly he then made a move, pushing him offline where it was slippy, resulting in overshooting the corner, this dropped Josh back into second losing time to the leader, a very good drive though and Josh will prove himself at the next meeting. Baxter dominated winning all heats and the final, ending on a high before going onto senior max. Michael and Jake were up there in the top 5 throughout the day, but Michael had a DNF due to a severely bent trackrod, on the other hand Jake put in a good comeback drive after a crash to get 5th
 
The big preparation was in hand, the team were getting ready for the world champs with Gunn, but before this we had Whilton Mill club meeting with Skelton, Roberts, Brown-nutley and Zelos. The full mini max outing proved that Tooley Motorsport will be a force to reckon with in the up and coming season. Zelos seemed to be on the wrong end of the stick once again at Whilton Mill, having a black flag for passing under a yellow flag whilst spinning, and oiling up in the other heat, he then proved his pace whilst winning the last heat. Skelton struggled to get to grips with whilton in mini max, but for the second heat Josh got 7th and really looked to be making progress. Jordan also performed well throughout the weekend, he was quickest when it was dry and was one of the quickest in the wet. Roberts had consistent heats putting him on 2nd for the final, for his first race in mini max this would be a lot of pressure to cope with, but the number 3 seed comer driver converted this into a win with his team mate Jordan bringing it home in 2nd, Zelos also drove well coming from 21st to 4th. Skelton, after crashing at the start, had an unlucky DNF after damaging the kart.

Brown Nutley and Skelton were also competing at PFI at the start of December, making a front lockout for Tooley Motorsport for the final, with Jordan on pole and Josh on 2nd, after battling throughout Jordan lost the lead on the last lap and was put off the track so ended up 4th. Skelton made one mistake throughout the race which cost him a podium finish, after driving back from 6th to 3rd in mid race, but ended up 5th.
 
The championship winning team has limited spaces left for the Super one season next year. For you free quote or any further information please do not hesitate to contact Andrew on 07851 228619 or via email to Drewtooley16@yahoo.co.uk.  You can also visit our website at www.tooleymotorsport.com.

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Winter Testing In Spain   (10/12)

The winter has arrived in the UK. Don't let the snow, cold or rain be part of your test program.
 
Karting Campillos in the south of Spain offer you excellent testing possibility during this winter. Our track is the venue of yearly Euro Rotax RGMMC winter cup, CIK approved. 1580m with high and low speed corners.
 
Every year the number of European teams that select Karting Campillos for winter testing is increasing. Also for this winter season a lot of teams have already pre-booked their testing days, and the more teams that are together the better the track conditions will be for optimum testing!  So come and join them!
 
Karting Campillos is open 7 day a week! From 10am to 6pm non-stop, this offers a high number of laps per day.
 
Do you have a race team with new drivers, a new chassis, new engines, a new mechanic? This is the opportunity to start the new season well prepared!
 
For more info please call Martin on 0034 661 975084 or contact him via email at info@kartingcampillos.com, or visit our website at www.kartingcampillos.com.

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Gunn's Near Miss   (10/12)

Portugal was the next destination, on the track of Portimao for the Rotax World Championships. Ross Gunn was going out there for a good results, and the team knew he was capable of winning.

Practice went well throughout the week, being quickest overall in the 3rd session. Qualifying was very important, in a field of the best drivers in the world 3 tenths could make a difference between pole and 50th. The tow was the  main aim as the straight was the longest the team had visited, Gunn done the first half right putting him 3rd in session, but losing out on the tow towards the end of session, putting him 31st overall only a few tenths off pole. Due to the mid pack results, the heats proved hard, having to make positions every heat out.

The first heat started with an off on the first corner after being knocked wide, but once again Gunn proved his ability by coming from the back of the field up to 11th. In the next heat he performed a great move round the outside at the start, and one by one picked his way through to 6th but when making a move came off and dropped back to 21st. The next heat allowed Gunn to get another good finish, putting him into the main finals on 23rd. We knew the finals would be hard, and going into the day a top 5 finish from this position would be great. But after Gunn, once again, proved the talent he has, drove from 23rd all the way up to 3rd putting himself in in contention for the win in the main final.

Ross soon hit the front trying to make a break from the pack, but he was then to be passed straight back from the Australian, dropping him to second. After battling for the lead Gunn then made a break and had a few kart lengths lead, after leading for a few laps Esmeijer and the Australian caught him back up In the tow, dropping Gunn back to 3rd, again he battled through but overshot his move to retake the lead, this allowed webb to come through from 4th to take the lead whilst riding Gunn out. He then dropped back to 4th and had to make inroads on the leaders again, Ross got back up to 3rd but was taken again on the last lap and dropped back to 4th, which resulted in Ross Gunn racing for Tooley Motorsport to be rated 4th in the world.

Tooley Motorsport have limited spaces left for the Super one season next year. For you free quote or any further information please do not hesitate to contact Andrew on 07851 228619 or via email to Drewtooley16@yahoo.co.uk.  You can also visit our website at www.tooleymotorsport.com.

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Tal-Ko Tyre Advice   (10/12)

Getting the best out of your tyres is a vital element in racing and often one that drivers fail to fully comprehend leading to a variety of inaccurate conclusions.
 
Interestingly if you watched that last action packed grand prix from Brazil you'll have seen just about every possible complication to tyre performance, from overheating with a track temperature of 50 degrees to struggling for grip in low temperature damp conditions.
 
There are a few golden rules but aside from that then it very much comes down to you the driver (or Dad sorting son) to make the best of the conditions.
 
So the golden rules are:
 
- Pressure makes a huge difference to tyre temperature. So if you have 10psi in your tyres they will heat up far less and more slowly than say 30psi. As a tyre gets warmer the pressure will also increase by a few pounds.
- Softer rubber gives more grip but wears quicker. But there's not much you can do about that.
- The wider/larger/flatter the tyre the longer it takes to warm up.
- Many tyres - especially wets - are directional and it is vital they are fitted the right way round. Check and double check because mistakes can happen even at the highest levels.
- Our tyres (unlike F1) do not give their best performance straight out of the box. They can need some use to be at their best.
- Rubber doesn't like to be too hot or too cold to give its best performance.
- Track surface can make a big difference to grip levels and also to how much the tyres heat up.
- When switching tyres you must take into account gearing which will need significant change to get the best performance.
 
Of all those points there are really three areas that stick out as being of prime significance and in our control as drivers. That's the pressure/temperature element, the wheel rim width size which affects tyre shape, and the gearing required.
 
For most of the year the temperature in this country falls into a mid range of around say 10 - 17 degrees C. And broadly within that tyres will work fine. So with the Maxxis tyres we use generally the slicks should be pressured at around the 12 - 15 psi area and they will work fine. And similar for the new wets.
 
However at extremes of temperature you need to be much more thoughtful in your settings. So if it is a red hot day at say 25 - 30 degrees C ambient and a lot more on track, then you will need to lower the pressures or else you will cook the rubber which will give less grip and maybe even damage the tyre for further use. So as low as 8psi might be needed for slicks.
 
And at the other end of the scale with low temperatures you'll find the grip suddenly drops away like falling off a cliff. And tyre temperature is more important than whether the track is wet or dry. A hot tyre will work on a wet track, but a cold tyre will not.
 
Maxxis themselves do a great deal of research to develop tyres and their insight tells us that for the slicks somewhere between 70-80C is an optimum temperature to work in. Above 90C they lose grip. For the wets you need to be somewhere around 40 - 50C for best results. Much above that and again you lose grip.
 
It is also interesting to note that road tyre manufacturers and car makers suggest 7degrees C as the point at which you should change to winter tyres because the grip will have fallen off so much. Winter road tyres are designed to work at lower temperatures in terms of compound and tread. We don't have different tyres for the cold but we can do things very differently to make our race tyres work.
 
So for both wet and dry tyres you need to use a lot more pressure. It is impossible to be exact because there are so many parameters such as the weight of the kart (Junior or Senior), the nature of the track (some have grippier surfaces then others) and nature of the kart.
 
But the simple rule is that you need more air in the tyres to make them work. How much is the bit you need to experiment on. With wets on a cold wet horrible day you may well need 40psi to get them turned on and working effectively. And with slicks maybe as much as 30psi. 
 
Especially with wets the wheel rim width can make a big difference too. The new wets have a flat profile and need probably a 130mm front rim and a 180mm rear rim for best performance in normal conditions. But when it is very cold maybe a narrower 120mm front rim with a 140 or 160 mm rear rim will help them work harder so they get some heat build up.
 
Gearing for the wet is complex because on the one hand you are going slower round the bends and the straights are shorter because you have to brake earlier, but on the other hand sometimes slightly lower gearing can help give you more traction instead of wheelspin.
 
It is vitally important to note that whereas the old Maxxis wets were smaller diameter than the slicks, the new ones are a larger diameter. That means you have got to put a lot of extra teeth on the axle sprocket to get the same gearing increase over the dry tyres.
 
Typically on the old wets drivers were putting on say 3 or 4 extra teeth. With the new tyres maybe 8 will be needed on the axle sprocket. Or of course you can switch from the standard 10 tooth to a 9 tooth engine sprocket to get roughly the same increase.
 
That's going to be an area where testing and experience are required to fully understand the maximum that can be achieved with the tyres.
 
To get the maximum from your tyres and kart at all times I'd suggest keeping a very careful log of track temperature, gearing, tyre pressure, and the tyre temperature when you come off track. Actual track temperature is more important than ambient temperature so bear that in mind.
 
To do the job properly you need a heat measuring gun which gives an instant read out of temperature on anything you point it at. It is not as accurate as a proper tyre temp gauge which measures inside the rubber but it does give you a very clear picture of what is happening.
 
Use the heat measuring gun to check the track temp. So if you see that with a track temp of 10 degrees you got good grip on 17psi then you know where to start from.
 
Remember match your tyre pressure to the track/ambient temperature. Don't expect tyres to work instantly at their best whether new or old. And make notes on what you do to achieve best results.
 
Finally do remember that new tyres will always have a certain amount of releasing agent on them which gives zero grip. It is so embarrassing to spin coming out of parc ferme onto the track so get them warmed up and bedded in before you start really motoring!

Grahame Butterworth
TKM Co-ordinator

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Fusion Offer 'Magic Touch'   (07/12)

Treat yourself to a bit of 'Magic' this Christmas, as Fusion Motorsport open their doors to the public, offering first class chassis, engine and driver preparation.

To celebrate the launch of our new engine dyno and workshop facilities, we are offering competitors from outside the team the opportunity to give their equipment a winter overhaul in preparation for 2013, adding the Fusion finishing touch for complete perfection.

The winter months can take its toll on karts, but using our state of the art facilities including surface table and corner weights, and our in depth preparation, you can ensure that you start next season with a clean, straight, fully functioning Fusion prepared chassis.

In addition, get your engine (Comer or IAME) and carbs run on our new dyno, to give you comparison graphs and carburation set up in a controlled environment.  For December and January only we are offering the first hour on our dyno FOC (additional time - POA).

Why not tune the driver at the same time as the equipment, with either an exclusive coaching day at Whilton Mill or, to beat the cold weather a one to one training session at iZone Driver Performance, enabling you to learn a new track or simply perfect your technique using our unique driver coaching methods.

Please feel free to contact us on for more information and prices on all of these services, and add the magic touch to your Christmas.

Telephone 07733 011221, email danhazlewood@me.com or visit our website at www.fusionmotorsport.co.uk.

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Protrain Cadets Secure Title   (07/12)

Protrain cadet drivers Kieran Wragg and Joe Turney have certainly been making an impression recently and no one can have failed to notice their impressive form. Over recent months they have been adding to their haul of trophies from various circuits and have just wound up their seasons by securing first and third in the 2012 Shenington Kart Club Championship.
 
Kieran has enjoyed four years in cadet karting and has seen a noticeable uplift in achievements since returning to Protrain taking his maiden victory in May of this year following that up with another in July. He has driven very solidly this season with many podiums and is delighted with his Championship win. Kieran is taking his talents away from cadets and into MiniMax where he is already making his presence felt securing an impressive fifth place at his first race in Shenington last month.
 
Joe is just finishing his first season in cadet, having been snapped up by Gary Chapman who conducted his ARKS test.  The success he has enjoyed this year reinforces the wisdom of Chapman's choice and shows what a talented young driver he is having started this year's championship just off novice plates and taking victories at Shenington and Kimbolton. Unable to make the weight for MiniMax  Joe will be staying in cadets for 2013 but will embracing new challenges by running the new Parilla engine and will be entering the Super One series.

Joe said, "It's been amazing, a real roller coaster with amazing highs and lows but I didn't think I'd finish top three in my first year! Knowing that Martyn and Gary have always been there for me makes all the difference; they, and my engineers, have just been brilliant.  I can't thank the team enough."
 
With several other new cadet drivers joining Protrain recently there is a real sense of momentum in the team with some fantastic new talent emerging.
 
Martyn Smithers, team manager commented, "It has been a pleasure working with these young drivers. Kieran came back to us earlier this year and has made some major steps forward.  Joe has improved incredibly in all areas; his natural ability combined with a willingness to learn and push himself has thrust him among some of the best cadets around, I am really looking forward to next year."
 
Chapman is well known for identifying talent and taking them all the way to major championship success; his team from the training division work with these young divers so that they can maximise their potential whilst guiding and supporting them on their journey through karting. With so many new young drivers joining his team it would be a brave man who would bet against one of his new talents being a Champion driver one day.
 
There is a rarely available opportunity for a Cadet Parilla  driver to join Joe at Super One, if you would like to work with a team committed to success with a proven track record  please call Gary or Martyn on 01280 814774 or email Protrain@karttraining.co.uk.

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Full Time Mechanic Required   (07/12)

A new opportunity has arisen for both us, as a team, and you. We are looking for a full time race mechanic to join the RS race team. We are looking for someone that has the following credentials...
 
- Are available full time (week days and weekends)
- Must have experience working at a high level of karting.
- Suitable for a professional race team at British National and European standards.
 
Specialising in the Rotax Max classes the RS Race team has continued to develop and grow over the last few seasons competing in the French Euro Endurance Series, 24 hour Le Mans, S1 Series and various club championships and are now preparing for the coming 2013 season and will be competing in the European BNL series, S1 series, Forest Edge, Clay Pigeon and Whilton Mill Championships. In order to progress and to be successful in 2013 we are in need of a professional mechanic to add to the team.
 
If you are interested please don't hesitate to call or email us.
 
Email Dave@rs-refrigeration.co.uk or john@rsracing.org, or telephone 01256 760633 or 07795 486957.  We look forward to hearing from you!

For more information on RS Racing visit our website at www.rsracing.org.

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McCarthy Shows How It's Done   (07/12)

Nothing demonstrates a driver's guts, determination and ability better than a drive like the one RL Racing's exciting new signing delivered last Sunday (2 December).
 
Despite the cold and proximity to Christmas, the monthly TVKC club meeting had attracted a full Mini Max grid.
 
McCarthy - racing as RL's sole representative prior to the team's Winter Training Camp at Lanzarote - faced a stern challenge from the outset, after crashing and doing serious damage to his Tony Kart in Heat 1. This prompted team owner Steve Armstrong to call his driver into the pits and retire from the race: "We aborted racing in order to save Jack's engine. The rear axle was bent and could have caused damage to the motor."
 
With the necessary repairs made back at the team's new garage at the circuit, Jack was able to take the start of Heat 2. However, his trials were far from over. Steve explains "He hit a wet patch and spun! Jack then dug deep and set the fastest lap by half a second as he came back through the traffic."
 
With his DNF costing him dearly, McCarthy found himself at the rear of the grid for the main final, but once the lights had gone to green, there was only direction Jack was headed - forward.
 
"He started 31st and gained twelve positions in the opening lap," Armstrong recalls. "From there he just picked everyone off and was in the lead with two laps to go. The drivers he had passed then latched on to his tail and were able to go faster due to the slipstreaming effect. As the results sheets showed, they did their fastest laps behind Jack on the last tour. It was just a lapse in his defending that they were able to use the tow on the straight and pass into the first corner. He lost two places, but managed to fight back to 2nd place and just missed out on a deserved win by mere hundredths of a second. Still, it was a terrific drive and he should be thoroughly pleased with his own performance. I am and I think he really will be one to watch next season."
 
For more information about racing with RL Racing Department, call Steve today on 07843 586 416 or contact him via accounts.rlracingdept@live.co.uk. For all the latest team news, go to www.rlracingdepartmentltd.com.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Honda GX160 Restrictor Plate   (06/12)

Further to the MSA announcement that the Honda Cadet is to be restricted slightly in performance along with the other Cadet classes, the ABkC has arranged for a 16mm inlet restrictor plate to be made available.  The 16mm restrictor plate, to  be fitted between the carburettor and cylinder,  is mandatory in the class from 1st January 2013. Dartford Karting has kindly agreed to hold all stocks of the restrictor plate and distribute to customers and the trade (at quantity discounts to bona-fide trade and BKIA members).  The restrictor plate is available as a kit with 2 Honda gaskets and the fitting diagram at £7.75 plus VAT.

Please contact Dartford Karting at www.kartstore.co.uk or ask your local trader.
 
The plates will also be used in the Junior Honda class from 2013 instead of the current extra head gaskets.  The ABkC, in discussion with the MSA, was mindful that the restriction required for the Cadet class be easy to fit without recourse to specialist engine builders.  As mentioned in the MSA release here a review will be held by 1st March 2013 http://www.msauk.org/site/cms/newsarticle.asp?chapter=210&nid=1511.

If any further changes are required for any of the Cadet classes, then a bulletin will be issued, as per 2013 MSA Kart Race Yearbook B.4.2.1.
 
For any further queries please contact the ABkC Secretary at secretary@abkc.org.uk.

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BPKC Summer Championship   (06/12)

The final round of the Buckmore Park Kart Club Summer Championship takes place on Sunday 16 December.  Double points are on offer as well as Christmas fayre.

All ABkC non gearbox classes are welcome including Bambino and Subaru.

Open Practice is available on both Friday 14 and Saturday 15 December.

Please contact Chris Pullman/Sheila Rose on 01634 661604 for more details. Online booking is available.

Full details are available at www.buckmoreparkkartclub.co.uk.

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Super One 'World' Champions   (06/12)

Super One congratulates its drivers who gained tremendous success at the Rotax MaxChallenge Grand Finals held at Portimao in Portugal from 28 November to 1 December.

Proving that Super One is the best national series in the world for producing top line racers, out of the 24 current and former S1 racers present we had a win in Senior Max with Charlie Eastwood. Edward Brand and Oliver Hodgson joined him on the podium with Harrison Scott tenth, Harry Webb winning Junior Max with Ross Gunn an excellent fourth place, Ben Cooper champion of DD2 plus David Griffiths on the DD2 Masters podium in third place with Martin Pierce fifth.

Young Josh White was called up with only three days notice and earned a front row place for the finals, his recovery drive was thwarted by a slow puncture.

The British drivers' outstanding success won the Nations Cup for the United Kingdom, ahead of Canada and Australia. 276 drivers from 60 nations competed in what is recognised as the unofficial world championships for the Rotax categories.

With the valued assistance of JAG Engineering, the UK's distributor for Rotax products and Mojo tyres, Super One Series is the official qualifying series for the UK entries, so book your place to New Orleans in Louisiana, USA, for the 2013 finals.

Register now at http://superoneseries.com. You too could be a World Champion.

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White's World Finals Debut   (06/12)

A flat tyre denied Josh White a podium finish at last weekend's Rotax Grand Finals (1 December), but the Coles Racing driver had already proved he can compete with the best in the world.

Having been given a last-minute entry to the prestigious annual event - held at Portimao on Portugal's Algarve coast - White admitted that the experience of appearing in his first ever Rotax Grand Finals was "quite surreal", adding: "Beforehand I didn't even think I'd be there. I thought I was going to be a spectator at home watching it on TV, so to be sitting in my kart waiting for timed qualifying to begin was something else."
 
After another competitor had pulled out, Josh had  been called up as 'first reserve' and was keen to make his  mark - albeit on his debut in what is known as the 'World Finals' due to the global entry list.
 
After the qualifying sessions had completed, he was 5th overall out of 72 drivers, but started each of his three preliminary heats from 3rd place on the grid due to the large field being put into separate groups.
 
"Third was a great position to start from, as it gave me the vital inside line for the first corner," he explained. "I knew I could make good starts, so was really happy with that. I finished 2nd in my first two heats, as thought to myself 'keep it safe'. I could have gone for the lead and therefore the win in the second race, but decided not to risk a coming-together." However, he then threw caution to the wind and won the third heat comfortably to classify 2nd overall in the intermediate rankings and earn himself a front row start for the first of the two finals.
 
Describing the opening moments of the pre-final, he said: "It wasn't my best start. There are painted tramlines on the track, which you have to stay inside as you approach the starting lights, but because I was on the outside row I was picking up 'marbles' (pieces of discarded tyre rubber, small stones and dust) and was slow accelerating out of the last corner onto the start/finish straight."
 
"I managed to come across the track onto the racing line before the first corner, but was hit from behind, ran wide and lost loads of places. I eventually finished 11th but was still optimistic for the Grand Final."
 
Allocated the corresponding grid slot from where he finish in the pre-final, Josh - who is also a Welcome to Yorkshire ambassador - was buoyed to be starting on the inside line again, but mindful that being nearer to the midfield where crashes frequently occur during starts: "I had to watch myself," he said matter-of-factly.
 
"I made a really good start and was up to 6th just after the first corner. I was turning into the second bend when someone caught my rear wheel and ripped the tyre valve out. I felt the puncture straight away, it was instant. Of course, I was disappointed it had happened but carried on. It was getting worse and worse as the race went on and if it hadn't have happened, I could have been challenging for the win. I crossed the finishing line in 26th place. I've had an amazing time, it wasn't the result I would have liked but I've proved I can win and compete at this level."
 
Reflecting further he added: "I'm reasonably happy. The experience has certainly fired me up for next season and I can't to get back out racing."

Photographs courtesy of Bas Kaligis.

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World Title Joy For Webb   (06/12)

Reigning Euro Max Challenge champion Harry Webb rounded off his stunning maiden season of international competition with victory in the Rotax Grand Finals at Portimao in Portugal last weekend (1 December).

The event - also known and regarded as the World Finals due to the global entry it attracts - saw the Norfolk teenager beat over seventy competitors on his way to victory in the fiercely contested Junior Max class.
 
However, he admitted that he had taken "the tough route to the podium". Webb almost missed the timed qualifying session due to engine issues, but a last-minute change of motor saw him able to take to the circuit with seconds to spare before the officials 'closed the gate' and he went on to set an astonishing second-fastest time overall.  
 
Harry had been leading the first of his three qualifying heats when, on the last lap, he was hit off the circuit by a rival. Webb bounced back in style to win the remaining races and qualified 9th on the grid for the first of the two finals.
 
Unfortunately, he was caught up in separate collisions in the first two corners of the first final's opening lap. "I got going again and was in 18th place, or thereabouts but crashed again! This put me down to the back of the field and in the time remaining I could only claw my way back up to 22nd at the finish," Harry explained.
 
With the grid positions for the Grand Final taken from the drivers' finishing positions in the previous race, Harry started from the 11th row - but with just 18 laps of the Algarve circuit, he needed to take every single opportunity that presented itself if he was to stand even the merest chance of a podium finish.
 
He duly delivered a staggering drive and was leading with seven laps to go, having passed all but ten of the 32-strong field. "I was confident I could do it," he said frankly. "In the pre-final I was some three to four tenths of a second faster than most and so I could use my pace to pass people. It wasn't easy but you've just got to get on with it."
 
As he approached the chequered flag, Webb recalls thinking: "I've done it but I can't really believe it!"
 
Harry's father, Steve, himself a former European karting champion, was acting as his son's mechanic but was given some anxious moments in the build-up to the main event: "After the first race he wasn't happy - but he was after the Grand Final! That I came from so far back to win was very special for him."
 
Webb intends to continue his karting career in 2013, but hopes that his Grand Finals and European successes will put him in the motor racing shop-window and attract the attention of major team bosses: "Hopefully people will know who I am now. It was my first go at the World Finals and to win it first time is amazing. So it would be nice if this launches a professional racing career for me."

Photographs courtesy of Bas Kaligis.

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New Magnesium Rims   (05/12)

Kart Components Manufacturing Ltd have again added to their range of Jet Wheels with new Magnesium rims.

Machined and finished to a very high standard they will initially be available in the SE version with the low volume version coming soon.

These new Mag rims will be available in the next couple of weeks.

For more information please email kc@kartcomponents.com or visit our website at www.kartcomponents.com.

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DG Racing Have Moved   (04/12)

DG Racing has recently moved to a new much larger workshop near Brands Hatch.

DG Power is an approved Rotax max sealing and service centre and a member of the BKIA (British Kart Industry Association). so you can trust us to give you a good, honest service.

A successful 2012 season in the UK and in Europe resulted in DG becoming vice Euro Max champions in the DD2 Masters class with driver Tamsin Germain. The team is looking to build on this success in 2013, both in the UK and in the Euro series, including the BNL and BMC series. DG racing offers a wide range of race services from kart preparation, kart storage, transport of equipment and awning space to full arrive and drive packages. Call to discuss your requirements.

We also offer one-to-one driver coaching and with over 30 years experience we know a thing or two about getting the best out of a driver! If you are a novice or junior club driver wanting to improve your technique, or even a more experienced driver, you will get a lot out of the day. We can supply a complete kart from Honda Cadet to Rotax Mini /Junior / Senior and DD2 or you are welcome to use your own equipment. Call us for dates and prices.

We can check your chassis - from Honda Cadet to Rotax your chassis can be checked on our new kart chassis jig. Prices from £35.00 + VAT.

DG Power have been a Rotax Max service and sealing centre for many years and know how to get the best out of your Rotax Max motor. Our new workshop has a state of the art kart engine dyno - perfect for Rotax and Honda engines - and can give you a print out of your engines power and torque. It can be used for running in engines and to sort out your best carb / air box and exhaust combination. Dyno prices are from £40 + VAT for Honda and from £50 + VAT for Rotax. We undertake engine rebuilds for all types of kart racing engines and we have most Rotax and Honda engine parts in stock so when you need your Rotax Max or Honda engine rebuilt give us a call.  Labour charges for Rotax Max rebuilds are £145 + VAT for a full rebuild, Rotax max top end rebuild is £80 + VAT and Honda Cadet from £60 + VAT.

Sonic carb cleaning - a must if you want your carb in tip top condition. Rotax carb from £25 + VAT. Honda carb from £15 + VAT. Special offer - get 3 carbs cleaned for the price of 2.

We are also offering special prices on all new Rotax Max (Mini/Junior/Senior and DD2) engines bought in December, plus a 12 month warranty on all engines bought by December 31st!

For more information on any of our services contact Dave on 07710 191028 or email info@dg-racing.co.uk. You can also visit our website at www.dg-racing.co.uk.

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Looking For A Team?   (04/12)

Looking for a team to run with in 2013 - why not consider DND Motorsport?

Although we may be the new boys on the block, with our new race truck we now offer a high level professional service. Having run with teams over the past few years, we have a bank of knowledge to call upon when it comes to engines and kart set-up. For the season ahead we have a range of very competitive and affordable packages available.
 
We as a team are based in the Northwest of the UK, and we mainly race at Wigan, GYG and Hooten Park, we offer a fully equipped awning, and offer a range of packages ranging from basic awning space rite up to full Arrive and Drive and Super One packages. 

Our Services Include Awning Space, Arrive and Drive Packages, Kart Hire, Kart Preparation, Driver Tuition, Chassis Set-up and Engine Hire.

Our prices our very reasonable, with basic awning space starting from just £50.00 per day.

As a team we are able to run all classes, currently we run and specialise in Rotax, and currently we have space available in ALL classes for the 2013 season.

As The North West IPK Agents we specialise in both the OK1 Cruiser M2 and the Praga Dragon, where we stock and carry a full range of spares for the chassis. However we are happy to run all major chassis brands.

For more information visit our website www.DNDMotorsport.com, email us at info@dndmotorsport.co.uk or call us on 07999 979812.

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Christmas Comes Early   (04/12)

The first round of TVKC's Winter Series was held at PFi last weekend. 170 drivers turned out in the challenging conditions and despite a delayed start due to sub-zero temperatures the action soon got underway with competitors still enjoying a full day's racing.
 
As it was the last race meeting of the year (and the last before Christmas) - TVKC, in association with Sports Timing Systems and TAG Heuer, gave away a TAG transponder... a prize worth over £200!
 
All of the drivers present at the meeting were eligible for a free ticket for the prize draw.  All they had to do was bring their ticket along with them to the trophy presentation at the end of the day - simple!
 
This fantastic prize was won by Nicholas Reeve - congratulations Nicholas!
 
TVKC will be introducing the TAG Timing System to all of their race meetings from February 2013.  For more information about the system and its benefits, please visit their website www.sportstimingsystems.co.uk.

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Lydd Winter Championship   (03/12)

Round 3 of the Lydd Winter Championships takes place this Sunday, 9th December, with Practice available on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. We look forward to welcoming you all to our friendly family atmosphere, for our last meeting of 2012 - come along and have a pre-Christmas blast and escape the shopping.

We welcome karts from all classes, with our regulars being Bambino, Cadet Clubman, Cadet, Super Cadet, Minimax, Juniors , Senior Rotax 162 and 177, and ProKarts.  If you own a kart from a different class, why not come and give us a try - we will always find a space on the grid for you.

We also have an Open Practice Day for Owner/Drivers planned for Thursday 27th December.

You can keep up to date with what is happening at Kent's fastest Kart Circuit by visiting our website at www.lyddkartcircuit.com.

Race entries can be made online, via the website, by using the link that appears on the Links page or the one on the Owner/Driver page.

Should you have any query, please call the Circuit on 01797 321747 or 01797 321895.

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Simon Rudd's Renault Test   (03/12)

On Wednesday 24th October 2012, the best of British young motorsport talent came together at Buckmore Park circuit to compete in the Henry Surtees Challenge for a staggering range of prizes to aid them in their race programme preparation for 2013.

The event is organised by former F1 world champion John Surtees OBE, in memory of his son Henry, who was tragically killed whilst competing in the Formula 2 championship in 2009.

The top six drivers were presented with a prestigious Henry 'H' trophy and the twelve top finishers had the choice of the best career enhancing prizes ever offered at a UK kart meeting. 23 year old Simon Rudd from Kent, who is 2012 double champion at Buckmore Parks 'Elite' events, 3 times Karting Le Mans winner and the current holder of a karting World Record, finished 2nd in the event amongst some of Britons highly rated prospects.

Rudd chose the Formula Renault Eurocup test with Manor Competition, who are one of the biggest and most successful names in Formula Renault having had current F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen come up through the Manor Competition ranks, to try and enhance his career. The charity
event is special to Manor Competition, as Henry raced for them in 2008.

The test day took place at Aragon raceway, in Spain, on Tuesday 13th November at a full Formula Renault official test day.

The air temperature was quite cold however the good news is that it was dry. After a quick drive around the track and a briefing from team boss Tony Shaw, it was time to get to work. After a couple of 'taster' laps, Rudd was able to get his head down a nd start pushing the car as the day progressed.

"Learning a new track and new car in a short amount of time was quite challenging but I think the team were happy with how the day went. Adapting to the extra grip and down-force of the car was easier than I had expected!"

"With 2 other cars being run by the team during the day, I was able to speak to the drivers and get some advice on the track and the car. I was able to put their comments into practise and showed it worked as my lap times got faster."

As the day came to an end, Rudd managed 90 laps throughout the day and had a great time. He would like to thank Tony, Sarah, Sander and Davey from Manor for the opportunity and also to the foundation for making this possible

Simon is currently looking for some backing and sponsorship to move into car racing for the 2013 season as he continues his climb up the motorsport ladder and welcomes any contact from interested parties.

Keep up to date with Simon's progress at www.simonrudd.co.uk.

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Rolling Road Arrives   (30/11)

As part of our efforts to keep ahead of the competition, Grice Racing have now taken delivery of our recently commissioned Rolling Road. This is a kart fixed on to an inertia roller and coupled to an eddy current brake to achieve the best of both worlds, and is used widely in the motor racing world.

The purpose of this equipment is to match the ancillaries of your kart to each individual engine you own to maximise it's performance. Whilst the dyno is still recognised as being the best at engine evaluation and development, this new technology is considered better than dyno results alone on carbs and ancillaries. Grice are now unique in the UK for having both state of the art machines at your disposal!
 
In addition, we have upgraded our Rotronics dyno facility, updating the ventilation system and adding air conditioning to help monitor air quality for better accuracy.
 
This engine facility can be hired out per hour, half day and full day for any engines from any builder.
 
Plus, we are still running our recession busting deals for engine rebuilds and carbs preparation.
 
New for 2013 is our development of the IAME cadet engine. After our successful Jica and Super Cadet programme, this IAME is proving very successful - just ask Neil Doran, Dave Bellchambers and Paul Munn who are now testing these little babies.

Lastly, if you think you are still under powered, you can consider hiring an engine for the 2013 season. All are Super 1 spec engines, simply call us for prices.
 
For more information contact Ricky Grice on 01268 727847, email ricky.grice@virgin.net or visit our website at www.griceracingengines.com.

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Win A TAG Transponder   (30/11)

In association with TAG Heuer and Sports Timing Systems, TVKC will be giving away a TAG LS Transponder this weekend at Round One of their Club Winter Series... a prize worth over £200!
 
TVKC will be introducing the TAG Heuer timing system from February 2013 onwards. To help our members in the initial transitional period, transponders will be available at the February & March Club meetings free of charge. After this period, a stock of transponders will be available for hire.

Alternatively, why not try and win a new TAG LS Transponder this weekend to use in 2013?!

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic early Christmas present - simply attend the trophy presentation after racing on Sunday.

Every driver who comes to the trophy presentation will be given a free raffle ticket. A lucky winner will then be drawn!

So stick around... it could be you!
 
Raffle tickets will be available in Race Control all day on Sunday.

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Formula KGP Drivers...   (29/11)

This year's Championship has benefitted from the new collaboration between Formula KGP and the Leeds-based car manufacturer Ginetta cars.

Ginetta and KGP share a similar ethose and goal of providing performance racing at affordable costs. The collaboration is designed to give a connection and route for KGP drivers to potentially progress to the car racing series designed and run by Ginetta.

The top 3 drivers from the Ginetta Formula KGP S1 2012 championship will be invited to test a Ginetta G50 Cup car on Friday 14th December 2012 at the sprint circuit Blyton Park in Lincolnshire. The Ginetta G50 Cup car has 300BHP and has a 6 speed sequential gearbox.

KGP Champion Jonathan Davies, Vice KGP Champion Bobby Game and 3rd place Denis Gorman will test the Ginetta G50 Cup car with prior instruction from the 2011 Formula KGP Champion Michael Simpson. Michael himself has now progressed from KGP to Ginetta and has raced G40, G50 and GT in 2012.

But that's not all. At round 3 of the KGP Championship at Larkhall Ginetta offered the top 10 KGP drivers in Final 2 a tour of the factory Ginetta in Leeds.

Stefan Diresta, Tom Healy, James Gornall, Bobby Game, John Pike, Robbie Dagleish, Denis Gorman, Jonathan Davies, Fraser Wallace and Robert Shield will all be invited to Ginetta HQ on the 14th December at 9.00am.

After a tour of the Ginetta facilities theses drivers will also be invited to watch Davies, Game and Gorman in the G50 Cup car test at the nearby Blyton Park circuit.

For more information on Formula KGP visit www.kartgrandprix.co.uk.

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Highs And Lows In Vegas   (29/11)

In the country that loves winners and its city that can break your heart on the turn of a card or roll of a dice, Forza really did experience the highs and lows of Las Vegas.
 
As the reigning Super Karts USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals champion, George Russell was keen to not only defend his title but also to sign-off his glittering Junior career with a back-to-back victory at the sixteenth running of the annual event, held  this year in Nevada (14-18 November 2012).
 
He dominated the early proceedings; qualifying on pole position for the heats, before winning all three of them and claiming P1 for the Grand Final.
 
A clean getaway from the start line saw George maintain his advantage and he quickly began to look comfortable and assured at the front of the large field. He was further aided by his nearest rivals fighting over 2nd place.
 
As the race settled down however, it was Canadian Lance Stroll who broke clear and began chasing down the English star. At the midway point, Stroll had caught George and was able to find a gap, taking the lead on lap twelve. From there he was able to power away from his rival with some ease.
 
George - driving the new OK1 kart and sporting a special edition FreemUK racesuit - took the chequered flag in a comfortable 2nd place and was ready to be hailed as the Vice-Champion, when the stewards issued an amended results sheet. A wave of excitement immediately ran through the paddock as it emerged that Stroll had been disqualified for an irregularity with his exhaust header, which delivered more power to his engine and therefore gave him a speed advantage over his fellow competitors. However, the team's joy was to be short-lived as Stroll launched an appeal was upheld.
 
Forza team manager Jamie Croxford could not his hide his frustration or confusion: "Having been so dominant in both qualifying and in all three heats, I was fairly sure we were comfortable enough to control the final, especially when George stretched the lead to nearly two seconds. However, Stroll suddenly found a lot of pace, and really started to reel him in. Lance caught, passed and gapped George quite easily. Obviously I'm gutted with finishing second, and was very disappointed that we had not finished the week as we intended to."
 
He added: "The next thing we knew was that Stroll had been disqualified from the result for a broken restrictor or header. To me, this then made complete sense as to how he managed to beat us so comfortably. It is unlucky for Lance as he drove well, but the scrutineers judged the broken header as giving a clear power advantage hence the disqualification."
 
Despite their frustration, Jamie said that he and George always want to win on the track: "This is not the way either George, me, or any involved would ever want to win - and even had Stroll not managed to win his appeal the victory would still have been soured with us not crossing the line first. However, I am now assured that there was nothing more George or the team could have done to change the result."
 
Echoing Jamie's comments, George agreed: "We did everything perfectly all weekend, and to the best of our ability. Unfortunately the result was out of our hands in the final but we can still hold our heads high."
 
On another bright note, George's team-mate for the meeting, Enaam Ahmed, enjoyed a brilliant debut both with the team in the Junior ranks. The newly-crowned Super One Comer Cadet champion made a strong impression from the outset.
 
After the preliminary heats, Enaam had qualified 19th overall - out of over eighty competitors - and during the pre-final warm-up posted the 7th-fastest lap time. His ambition to finish in the top ten was dashed at the first corner in a crash but he had already done enough to prove that he is already one to watch in KF3 in 2012!

Photographs courtesy of On Track Promotions/Gregory Lussier.

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2013 Birel S5 Chassis   (28/11)

If you look it up in Wikipedia, the primary colour "Red" is commonly associated with passion, fire, beauty and in many cultures red is the colour of happiness. Compare this to the colour of Green which apparently is associated with nature, an environmental movement, youth, envy and money - please note - other colours are also available in the rainbow!
 
Luckily the 2013 Birel chassis is indeed RED in colour and has been released under the new model name "S5". The Birel S5 has been developed through the 2012 season by the Birel factory and Birel importers around the world. This work has resulted in a significant improvement over its predecessor the S4.
 
Modifications have been made all around the Birel S5 frame construction, widths, wheelbase and materials have received major changes. Particular development was focused on the braking balance and the lateral grip performance of the Birel S5 chassis. Track testing has been carried out on Mojo, Vega and Bridgestone and Maxxis tyres to ensure that the S5 can deliver the performance required by clients with a standard configuration.
 
Sole UK Birel importer ACR also acknowledges that in the current economic climate pricing is also an important factor when selecting your new kart chassis and if you re-frame your chassis during the season that cost is important too.
 
In the UK, the Birel S5 rolling chassis will be priced at £2395.00 + VAT and comes standard with Freeline black mag rims, UK rear chrome bumper, (rear pod optional extra), Freeline seat, Freeline chainguard, Freeline engine mount, chrome seat stays, adjustable castor and camber, 340mm suede Motorsport Steering wheel, Freeline multi-position steering column, Birel HQ graphics, Freeline Evo pods, Freeline HQ self-adjusting brake system.
 
If during your season you need to re-frame your Birel and you have purchased a complete Birel S5 kart - no problem! A bare frame S5 chassis is available priced at £850.00 + VAT.
 
The Birel S5 can be supplied in KF, Rotax and KGP specifications, there is also a new version for TKM with a fixed torsion bar.
 
Birel are also the Official suppliers to Rotax for the Junior chassis being used in this weekend's Rotax Grand Finals in Portugal - www.maxchallenge-rotax.com.
 
For more information on Birel karts call the ACR office 01527 889595 or visit www.acrbirel.com or find us on Facebook.

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World Finals Joy For White   (28/11)

Josh White is preparing for this weekend's Rotax Grand Finals in Portugal (1/2 December). The Coles Racing star had expected to be at home in Yorkshire, but a surprise phone call means he will now compete in the biggest event of his career.

"It is fantastic news, just incredible!" Josh said prior to leaving for Portimao on the Algarve. "I really expected to be watching the racing at home on the internet, but now I'm making my world championship debut!"
 
Although he finished an excellent 4th overall in this summer's Euro Max Challenge series, the Welcome to Yorkshire ambassador missed the cut for automatic qualification for Portimao by just one place. Similarly, at the European season's closing race, the International Open - held at Zuera, near Zaragoza - a superb performance ended in heartbreak, as Josh explains: "The International Open represented my last real chance to qualify for the Worlds and at first, it was all going well. I was tenth fastest in timed qualifying and took a 4th and 2nd in the two heats. This put me 6th on the grid for the first final, but just after the start I was smashed off the circuit. I managed to get back onto the track at the back of the field and came back through to 16th."
 
Starting from the 8th row for the main final, White knew that he would have to produce a very special performance and cross the finishing line in 3rd place, or higher, to book his place in Portugal - at the event many refer to as the 'World Finals' due to its global entry and status.
 
"I was so elated. I could hardly believe I had managed to do it and I was celebrating like I'd just scored the winning goal that put Leeds through to the Champions League final when an official told me that I had been given a penalty for 'unfair driving'. It felt so wrong because I'd been deliberately run off the track in the earlier race and then, after a slight bit of contact as I tried to pass another driver, I was penalised by ten seconds. This put me well down the order and out of the Grand Finals."
 
It was several days after the event when Josh's father, Nick, received a phone from series administrator Lynn Guidel and the news took him by surprise: "It was great - astonishing really. Lynn explained that Josh's name had been put down as first reserve for the World Finals by virtue of him finishing 4th overall in the Euro Max Challenge and due to another driver unable to make it, would he like to attend? Well, there was a very short answer to that!"
 
Josh says this is the race every driver wants to qualify for: "At the beginning of the season, the Grand Finals was on my list of key targets. All year long I've remained focused on achieving that goal and at times, it has felt like Fate has tried to prevent me. I've had awful luck but never given up. Now I've had an amazing stroke of luck and I hope that it stays with me, all the way to next Sunday afternoon!"

Photograph courtesy of Bas Kaligis.

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Formula BMW Talent Cup   (27/11)

Florian Stüger (DE) won the third and final Formula BMW Talent Cup scholarship shoot-out of the year. At the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valancia (ES), which was exclusively booked by BMW, the 16-year-old driver from Hamburg defeated a field of eight further contenders from five different countries which secured Stüger a scholarship worth 35,700 Euros (incl. 19% German VAT), which goes towards the cost of participating in the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season. Second and third place went to Larry ten Voorde (NL) and Michael Waldherr (DE) respectively.
 
The scholarship shoot-out at the former Formula 1 circuit was this year's tenth try-out session for prospective participants in the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup which aims to comprehensively and sustainably prepare talented drivers for a career in professional motorsport. The entry list for the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season is starting to take shape, with further try-outs planned before the start of the 2013 season. Comprehensive information will shortly be made available.
 
The 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup curriculum, during which participants will receive comprehensive development in a variety of practical and theoretical elements in order to prepare them for the 'Grand Final' in autumn 2013, will commence in early next year. The winner of the final event will receive an extremely attractive award: financing of a full season in a next-level feeder racing series by BMW.
 
Florian Stüger, winner of the scholarship shoot-out in Valencia, said "To be able to take to the track at the demanding Circuit Ricardo Tormo in a BMW FB02 single-seater racing car was in itself a very special experience. To then win the scholarship shoot-out was an absolute highlight for me. Winning the scholarship shoot-out provides very special motivation for my participation in the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season, where I plan to take my knowledge and skill in single-seater to the next level."
 
You can find more information on the Formula BMW Talent Cup at www.formula-bmw.com. In addition, you can also watch video summaries of the 2012 events on the BMW Motorsport YouTube channel www.youtube.com/BMWMotorsport.

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Another Strong Year   (26/11)

ST Racing would like to congratulate all of their team drivers that have been competing in this year's NKF & Super 1 championships.

Kearn Tsang took the Junior Rotax NKF Championship, with Bruno Wray finishing 2nd in the MiniMax NKF Championship and Loui Large finishing 2nd in the Senior Rotax NKF Championship. Stuart Middleton is proving himself, getting stronger and stronger throughout the year in the Junior Rotax NKF Championships. Jay Dale joined us for the last 3 rounds and has already shown very good potential for next year. Congratulations also go to John Stewart for finishing 5th in Senior Rotax Super 1 Championship, which means he has been a seeded Senior Rotax driver for 6 years running! Liam Murphy had a great year finishing 7th in Rotax 177 Super 1 while Daniel Purvis has been proving himself to be very strong towards the end of the year in Super 1 with it being his first year in the Senior Rotax class.

All in all another very strong year for the team!
 
Awning space is available at Super 1, NKF and club championships, as well as driver tuition, chassis straightening, trackside support and all Rotax and general kart parts.
 
We don't place any restrictions on which karts manufacturers are allowed in our awning and we consider ourselves to be the best Rotax team in the North East!
 
For more information contact John Stewart by emailing stracing@hotmail.co.uk or call 07711 314454 or 01207 290331.

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2013 EVK Has Arrived   (23/11)

Strawberry racing are pleased to announce the arrrival of the EVK chassis for 2013.

We also have the new Kosmic, Alonso and Esprit karts in stock.

Retailing at £2850.00 plus VAT for a rolling chassis, the EVK is everything you would expect from the Tonykart brand. Sleek design, top quality componants and, as with all OTK chassis, works in standard form. Suitable for 1st timers right through to world champions.
 
Visit our website at www.strawberryracing.com to check out the EVK's new features.

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Kart Genie For Rotax Max   (23/11)

Have you ever changed a main jet to go 'leaner' but been convinced that you actually went 'richer'? You were probably right and it leads to confusion and loss of valuable testing laps.

I have thought this many times throughout the years and decided to investigate further.

I consulted a company that manufactures high performance components for F1 applications to carry out some testing on jet sets used by one of the top Kart drivers and they found that their main jets varied in size to a very high degree. Pictured right are the results of one set inspected and it clearly shows moving from a 152 to a 155 or a 168 to a 170 jet would actually reduce the volume of fuel being delivered from the carburettor, having exactly the opposite result in engine tuning that you would expect.

These measurements were accurately taken using a non contact, multi-axis laser measuring system. Even with these small diameters the equipment takes an averaging of the jet size after measuring at 40 separate points across the diameter. The report also returns an "Out-of-round" measurement by taking the difference between the smallest & largest diameters. This measurement is also critical as jet tuning works based on changing the volume of the hole and measuring with the use of pin gauges only indicate the minimum diameter.

Factors during the manufacturing process such as tool wear, the machine and / or the operator causing set up variation between different batches of production, having copy parts rather than the genuine Dellorto parts, dirt from poor jet care and general wear can all mean your jet markings can give you misleading results.

The jet pictured right was taken from a set used by the client for racing but were giving unpredictable tuning results. The pictures show the contamination that can build up if proper handling, cleaning and storage is not followed, further information is contained in the Kart Genie data sheet 'Useful Tips on How to look after your Jet Set'.

To overcome these problems and give this small but critical tuning component predictable reliability and results we are now offering the Kart-Genie Precision Measured Jets in sets for all Rotax classes.

Advantages of these sets are:

- Guaranteed, reliable & predictable results when jetting 'up or down'.
- Saves testing time through reduced confusion.
- You know that what you are doing in terms of carburation is correct.
 
This Super 1 set was replaced with a precision measured Kart-Genie set giving a much more stable variation between each of the jets. These gave the mechanic and driver instant results commenting "these are excellent, I could not be without them now."

Each jet set will be supplied in its own case with a foam insert to hold the jets clearly labelled showing the jet sizes and a measurement certificate. Instructions on how to initially use your jet set and how to keep them at the correct size will also be enclosed.

They are available in sets for Mini Max, Junior Max and Senior Max as follows:
- Mini Max - 11 jets - Target range from 130 up to 155.
- Junior Max - 12 jets - Target range from 138 up to 165.
- Senior Max - 12 jets - Target range from 142 up to 170.

The price for each jet set is £95.00 + vat and they available from all good karting stores.

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Kart Regulations Clarification   (23/11)

The Motor Sports Association wishes to clarify MSA General Regulations regarding starting kart engines in paddocks and minimum driver weights in karting.
 
These regulations were amended post-ratification for reasons of clarity. However due to a production error the original - superseded - wording was published on the carrier sheet of the winter 2012 edition of MSA magazine.
 
The wording that will appear in the 2013 MSA Yearbook, and which is enforced with immediate effect, is as follows:
 
U12.7. For Short Circuit Karting only, kart engines must not be run in the pits or paddock.

U12.7.1. Kart engines may only be started in an area designated by the organisers, which shall include the live area of the circuit. When starting engines the driver must be seated correctly in the seat with all four wheels of the kart on the ground. Exceptionally non-centrifugal-clutch classes may start their engines, in the same designated area, with the kart positioned on a trolley in a position that will not endanger others.

Date of implementation: Immediate.

Reason: Safety, to restrict the unsafe practice of starting engines in awnings and throughout the paddock.

Note: the reason for this amendment is that following approval by MSC it was noted that this regulation is not practical for Long Circuit Karting, which uses Car Racing Circuits. Additionally, it was anticipated that gearbox Karts, with a non-centrifugal clutch, would be permitted to be started on a stand as there is a method of control to stop the wheels rotating.
 
U17.29.6. For classes that include a minimum driver weight only mandatory items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as required by 13.1-13.3, are to be included when the Driver is weighed.

Date of implementation: Immediate

Reason: Safety. To negate the use of 'weighted' items such as rib protectors etc. Mandatory PPE includes helmet, gloves, boots and overalls, all as defined in U13.1-13.3.

Note: the reason for this amendment is that following MSC approval it was noted that the regulation as written would put competitors at an unfair weight disadvantage within minimum total class weight by using potential additional non-mandatory safety items such as Rib Protectors. By simplifying the regulation we can ensure that drivers who are too small will not be permitted to enter the relevant classes.
 
The MSA apologises for any confusion or inconvenience caused.

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Independent Dyno Service   (22/11)

Do you really know how good your equipment is? Now is the time to tell with the Elite Independent Dyno Service.
 
We are lucky enough to be one of just 4 people in the UK to own the fully automated Rotronics dyno and software.
 
The Rotronics dyno is tailor-made for kart engine development, which means it's the perfect tool for testing all of your engines, carburettors, exhausts, air box's etc.
 
This dyno is independently owned and run, and has no links to any engine builders.
 
If you would like to find out more information about what we have to offer and our very competitive prices, then please contact Paul on 07867 533757 or send us an email on elitedyno@gmail.com to book yourself in to find out how good your engines really are. 

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Smithers Takes Leading Role   (22/11)

The 2012 season draws to a close on yet another good year for Formula K team Protrain Racing.
 
Successes in Europe and in the UK have once again reinforced the team as one of the leading teams in the paddock with some highly talented drivers and personnel.
 
Building on the success of the Formula K drivers remains a focus of the team and with that in mind Martyn Smithers has been promoted to Team Manager for Protrain's Formula K UK and European team and will be leading all drivers in both the EuroMax and Super One series.
 
Whilst Martyn will be heading up the Formula K race team Gary Chapman will continue to head up the UK based club team, the training & coaching division as well as the equipment and technical division.
 
Martyn has significant experience in Europe and the UK having been with the team for 5 years during which as a leading part of the team he has enjoyed many victories including the 2011 World Festival in Portugal, 2011 International Open and 2010 European Championship in Genk  as well as the 2010 British Kart Grand Prix.
 
"Martyn is very popular in the paddock and in the awning, those who know him will appreciate the wisdom of this promotion." said Chapman, "He brings masses of enthusiasm and dedication to the team, his fresh approach to running the team will build on the success of the past and create new opportunities for new drivers; he will create a team where success is inevitable."
 
Drivers wishing to be a part of the Formula K success story with Martyn should call him or Gary on 01280 814774 to discuss their options.
 
The team also has a very rare opportunity for a talented cadet hoping to race with the new Iame engine at Super One in 2013, enquiries to Martyn should be made on 07546 421148 or he will be at race meetings at Shenington, Kimbolton and Whilton Mill until the end of the year if you prefer to speak with him directly.
 
For more information on FK please see www.formulakeurope.com or www.protrainracing.co.uk
 
To support growing national demand for Formula K products, Protrain Racing are looking for UK agents; if you are interested in working alongside us with this impressive marque please contact Gary Chapman on 07802 966064 or email him at protrain@karttraining.co.uk.

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Charity 24hr Kart Race   (21/11)

Yorkshire motorsport giants Ginetta and Pole Position Indoor Karting raised over £9,015 for Children In Need as a result of their 24 hour kart race this weekend.
 
In what was the first ever indoor 24 hour go-kart event in the UK; the PPiK Ginetta 24 welcomed 18 teams and 180 drivers - which included a number of karting champions as well as corporate entries.
 
The event was won by CFT Services who completed a massive 1,975 laps of the Leeds circuit, with Coast to Coast finishing second and Riverside Recoveries in third. The fastest lap was claimed by Team Asda, with an impressive time of 41.043 seconds.
 
The top fundraising team was Adaptive Control from Shipley, who raised over £2100 alone. Company MD Richard said; "Adaptive Team Racing, one of only a few corporate teams entering the event, achieved a respectable 12th place. We peaked in the small hours of Saturday in 8th place but this was slowly chipped away as more 'professionals' joined other teams during their final stints."
 
Ginetta also made an appearance with Team LNT finishing overall 11th - fielding 12 staff members from their Garforth factory, including experienced karter Mike Simpson who ran in qualifying and opened the race, whilst Ginetta GT5 Challenge driver Stuart Pearson Racing's entry finished fifth overall, one lap behind fourth placed Sugar Rush.
 
Philanthropic entrepreneur and Chairman of Ginetta Lawrence Tomlinson said; "It's fantastic that we have been able to donate such a fantastic amount of money to such a worthy cause, many of our Ginetta Junior drivers start in karting, so it was great to see potential stars of tomorrow making some money for charity."
 
Ben Hyland, PPiK added; "The standard of racing displayed by all competitors was superb, as was the support throughout the gruelling 24 hour race period. The new karts more than impressed, with just 0.8 seconds covering the fastest laps made by all teams and only failure was a throttle cable which is outstanding. A massive thanks to all involved and already looking forward to next year which will be bigger and better again"
 
PPiK and Ginetta donated 10 pence per lap each team completed which generated over £3,400, adding to the donations garnered through entry, ticket and raffle sales, plus the JustGiving account, which is still open for donations; http://www.justgiving.com/PPiKGinetta24.

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OK1 Complete Kart Packages   (20/11)

After the success of our recent rebrand from Intrepid to OK1 and with the interest from KartMania, we are pleased to announce our latest offers on complete karts including engine and tyres.

Prices starting from...
 
TKM - £2450 + VAT
Rotax - £2850 + VAT
KGP - £2850 + VAT
 
With our competitors such as Tonykart retailing their rolling chassis at £2850 + VAT, why not purchase our 2013 karts with a new engine and a new set of tyres for the same price.

These offers are available up until Christmas 2012, and with karts in stock, you could receive them the very next day.
 
For more information about our products, please visit our website at www.ipkarting.co.uk, email us at info@ipkarting.co.uk, or call us today on 01133 222795.

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TVKC & TAG Heuer Timing   (20/11)

Trent Valley Kart Club is delighted to announce its association with TAG Heuer Timing (via David Jones of Sports Timing Systems) which will mean that for 2013 and beyond our members will have a world class timing solution as used by the CIK, Super One and Formula Kart Stars this year.

The system will enable TVKC to provide a far more robust and reliable live timing service hosted on the internet enabling competitors, teams, mechanics, family and friends to keep updated on track action anywhere in the world.

Why TAG Heuer?
- "Real Time" live timing updated within a second of the track action.
- Penalty flags and important information displayed live on the internet in real time.
- Special mobile website enabling you to view full timing information or drill down to follow your own driver's details on your iPad or Smartphone whilst watching the racing.
- The PFi 1382 metre circuit divided in to 3 sectors enabling drivers to see where they are gaining and losing time on their competitors.
- TAG Heuer comprehensive driver data booklets available for download after the race meeting so you can study all your sector and lap times for the entire event.
- Full integration within the UK Karting ERS+ results service with further enhancements planned during 2013.
- Speed controls for start line approach to help reduce first corner incidents.
- Possibility of a speed trap later in the year allowing drivers to benchmark themselves against their competition at the fastest part of the circuit.
- Other innovations planned for 2013 - so watch this space!

The new timing system will be in place for our February 2013 meeting and although many of you will already have TAG transponders, TVKC will try and make the transition as painless as possible.

Any drivers wanting to hire a TAG transponder can do so in February and March from the club totally free of charge, after this we will have a stock of transponders available to hire. Transponders will also be available to purchase at a cost of £180 + VAT.

The partnership with TAG Heuer is part of an ongoing strategy at TVKC to provide our members with the best available timing solution along with the best Karting facility in the UK.

We are delighted to once again be the club bringing innovation and professionalism to Karting in the UK.

For more information on TVKC visit www.tvkc.co.uk.

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Maranello & Formula Blue   (19/11)

At the MBKC meeting at 3 Sisters in October, LP Tent Motorsport Driver Matthew Gilliland on a Maranello took the win in Jnr Formula Blue. Matthew lead from lights to flag in the final after strong finishes in the heats that put him on pole for the final.
 
In Snr Blue, Stephen Philip, also on an RS12, started on grid 2 for the final. Stephen took the lead on lap two and had opened out a good gap in the wet conditions when some water got to the electrics causing a miss-fire on the engine. This caused Stephen to drop into 2nd place only to be passed again on the last lap to finish a creditable 3rd.
 
Free chassis tests: After an excellent reaction over the winter last year, we are again offering free chassis tests at PFI or Fulbeck. Available to test is a 30/32mm RS7 and a 28/30mm RS12 chassis. If you wish to test, then you need to bring your engine and a good set of tyres. In order to save time on the day, we can supply the chassis ready with a Rotax exhaust and loom and a Mychron plus if needed a set of wheels.
 
Our Super One campaign this year ended with a 3rd place in Formula KGP for Denis Gorman. For Denis and the whole team, this was a disappointment after such a strong start to the season with a win in the V-Plate and at the first few rounds of Super One. Gorman failed to take wins after a number of DNFs in the finals due to mechanical failure. A particularly cruel failure occurred at GYG when after starting from the back, Gorman carved through the pack into the lead when a crack in the piston two laps from the end put him on the back foot for the championship. Gorman went into the last round at Shenington still with a good chance of taking the championship outright. The final nail came when again the engine failed, placing Gorman in 3rd overall.
 
For more information on Maranello Karts visit www.maranellokarts.co.uk, email laury@maranellokarts.co.uk or call 07903 623348.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Iame Cadet Joins Ambition   (19/11)

Ambition Motorsport are pleased to welcome the new Iame Gazelle 60cc UK engine within the team for 2013. Ambition currently have karts available to test for drivers looking to join the class or change from their current class before they commit for 2013. The team will be running the class at all Southern circuits - Forest Edge, Rye House, Lydd, Clay Pigeon, Buckmore Park, Bayford Meadows and Blackbushe, plus many more. All subject to entries via the club. For more information on the class please contact Ambition Motorsport for more details.
 
Ambition Motorsport will also continue to run their strong team and have now published the new 2013 calendar for all the team drivers to plan their races and championships.

Not only do Ambition carry out race team services but also workshop/storage/hire packages and run the Bambino Superstar Programme for new up-and-coming drivers from 5 years old to sample karting for the first time, or to improve from their current form. With changes also to the team structure for 2013, a re-location to Bayford Meadows Kart Circuit and brand new website in its final stages of completion you are sure to find what you need at Ambition.
 
We currently have race team packages available for Bambino, Honda Cadet/Clubman, Iame Cadet, Junior Subaru, Minimax/Junior, Senior & 177 Rotax Max for drivers throughout the South of England available. Why not give us a call and see what you're missing? All prices are competitive and the team are running some great December & January money saving packages throughout the festive period.
 
For all enquires please contact Paul @ Ambition Motorsport on 07951 831236, email info@ambitionmotorsport.com, or visit our new website for all you need to know at www.ambitionmotorsport.co.uk.

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Tune The Driver   (19/11)

If you've found that a brand new chassis, engine or carburettor has not dramatically improved your lap times, or number of trophies in the cabinet has not increased, then it's time to tune the driver.
 
The annual RL Racing Department Winter Training Camp will improve you as a driver and make you faster.
 
The event is taking place between 8th - 22nd December and 2nd -8th January, at the superb Gran Karting Club circuit on Lanzarote. Here drivers can benefit from the warm climate and around 300 laps of testing per day.
 
RL Racing Department owner Steve Armstrong says that investing in the driver, rather than simply the equipment, can turn a talented midfield driver into a genuine championship contender: "Since we introduced the Winter Training Camp in 2010, we have seen our customers make huge strides forward. Lando Norris is an excellent example of this. We took a gifted youngster and helped him to really develop that latent ability. Now he's a national champion and a front-runner wherever he goes. We can do the same for you."
 
He adds: "I'm sure many parents will appreciate the frustration of spending a lot of hard-earned money on a new kit or tuned motors only to see the lap times stay the same. From just £750 plus VAT, our Winter Training Camp gives you the chance to do hundreds of laps per day, in the dry and actually learn about the driver and the kit, as opposed to being so cold your hands hurt, getting wet, seeing sessions and days cancelled due to the weather, even risking damaging motor due to the freezing conditions. It's a case of 20 degrees in Lanzarote, versus 0 degrees at home!"

With just four spaces left, call Steve today on 07843 586 416 or contact him via accounts.rlracingdept@live.co.uk. For all the latest team news, go to www.rlracingdepartmentltd.com.

Photgraphs courtesy of Karting Club Lanzarote.

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KartMania Is This Weekend!   (16/11)

It's finally here! This weekend KartMania - the UK's premier kart show - rolls into Silverstone, the home of British motorsport.

This year the show will take place in the prestigious F1 wing at Silverstone where it will be open from 9:30am right through to 5pm on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th November.

For anyone interested or involved in karting it's an event not to be missed and thanks to a record number of exhibitors 2012 will be the biggest show yet!  We'll be welcoming some of karting's biggest names with new products on show and some very special show deals.

In addition to the trade stands the popular Kartboot returns, this time in the iconic Silverstone F1 garages, for those looking for a hard-to-find item or second-hand bargain.

Plus the workshops covering topics including bambino karts, starting karting, the new Iame engine, Rotax, TKM, lasers and set-up, gearbox racing, Super One and the new helmet regulations.

Tickets are available on the door. Visit www.kartmania.co.uk for more information.

See you there!

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Zip Kart And GPR  (16/11)

Zip Kart and Grand Prix Racewear will be in attendance at the KartMania show this weekend at Silverstone!
 
Zip Kart will have some great offers on Comer engines (Bambino and Cadet) plus show specials on their compete range of karts, from the Bambino kart, the unbeatable Lightning Cadet kart, and the European and British Championship winning range of superb ART Grand Prix Karts!
 
GPR will have some fantastic offers on their latest racewear and helmets range with upto 40% off leading names such as Alpine Stars, Sparco, Arai and many more.
 
We look forward to seeing you there!

If you can't make it to the show, you can contact us on 08435 070850  for details on our product range and current offers.

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Myers Claims First Win   (16/11)

Oliver Myers continued to capitalise on the opportunity of late-season outings with Aim Motorsport by claiming both his first win in the Senior Max class and the Continental Cup title at PF International.
 
As had been the case two weeks previously, when he received a last-minute call up to the Aim line-up for the RGMMC International Open in Spain, the opportunity left Myers with little time to think about his preparation, but he again made the most of the chance to run with Steve Lake's squad.
 
The 16-year old's kart had not even been back to the Aim workshops between events, having needed to cadge a lift in another team's truck to get back from Zuera, but, after a lengthy rebuild and spruce up, it was as if machine and driver had never been apart, as Myers again emerged towards the head of the times in practice.
 
Saturday provided an early opportunity to get a grip on the kart's handling in wet conditions, and Myers again impressed by matching his highly-rated team-mate in the tricky conditions. However, despite confidence that he could be a threat whatever the weather, the Leeds-based driver was disappointed to learn that he would be starting mid-grid for the event's two heats.
 
Without the benefit of the qualifying session that he had been used to in his national and international competitions this season, the 16-year old knew that he would have to work his way through the field if he was to secure a decent slot for the Final, but started as he meant to go on by making up eight places in as many laps to cross the line seventh overall, having posted a fastest lap half a second quicker than anyone else.
 
Heat two was even better, despite the race have started in confusing fashion when red flags appeared at a couple of marshal posts. After a great getaway, Myers was in the leading group which slowed when the warnings appeared, only to lose ground to the chasing pack as they did so. Just six minutes remained when the action resumed, but the RDF Building Services Ltd / Turner Butler-sponsored driver was soon on the move, this time climbing into second spot by the time the chequered flag fell.
 
"Once again, I just seemed to click with the kart," Myers confirmed, "It was my first UK meeting in Senior Max and I'm still getting used to the differences between the Junior and Senior kart, but the Aim team came up with a good set-up that we hardly had to change. After Zuera, it was great to hit the ground running, and my confidence just grew with every session."
 
Myers' heat results were good enough to earn him the inside of row two for the Final but, after a typically chaotic start which saw contact throughout the field, he emerged at the head of the field by turn three and soon built an advantage of around four seconds following further incidents in his wake.
 
Once ahead, the #23 machine's pace was good enough to rank amongst the best, but not necessarily to keep faster runners at arm's length. However, although the gap to his nearest pursuer came down as the laps ticked by, the would-be challenger then out-braked himself while trying to pass at the start of the final lap. Despite almost being collected in the incident, Myers was able to retain his lead and the resulting 1.6secs gap proved enough to carry him to his second title of the season, following on from the successful weekend at Rowrah which netted the Junior Rotax 'O' Plate in June.
 
"This is a special win," Myers admitted, "I didn't even realise it was the Continental Cup until the drivers' briefing, but to come home at the head of the field in front of a full grandstand and pick up another title is great. It's also an honour to be at the head of the first Kosmic 1-2-3, and the first 1-2 for Aim, and I hope it goes some way to repaying Steve Lake, firstly for giving me the opportunity to shoot for a Rotax World Finals place in Zuera, and then for asking me back this weekend."

 Myers could return to the Aim awning for some further UK outings before the end of the year, but remains open to options in both karting and car racing for 2013.

Follow Oliver's progress via his website at www.olivermyersracing.co.uk.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Scholarship Shoot-Out   (16/11)

Robin Hansson (SE) won the second scholarship shoot-out for the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season. The 15-year-old from Kullavik defeated a field from four different countries to emerge triumphant at the Lausitzring (DE). Victory secured Hansson a scholarship worth 35,700 Euros (incl. 19% German VAT), which goes towards the cost of participating in the 2013 season of the Formula BMW Talent Cup. Second and third place went to Michael Waldherr (DE) and Florian Stüger (DE) respectively.
 
BMW booked the Lausitzring exclusively for the scholarship shoot-out, which is the second of three such events being held as part of the selection programme for individuals interested in participating in the Formula BMW Talent Cup. Jules Szymkowiak (NL) beat twelve international competitors to win the first scholarship shoot-out at the Red Bull Ring (AT) in October. The third and final scholarship shoot-out will take place on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia (ES) on November 25. There are only a handful of places still available for this date.
 
There are also other ways for people with an interest in formula racing to get their first taste of it, in addition to the scholarship shoot-outs. For drivers with some formula racing experience already under their belt or who have previously participated in a Formula BMW Talent Cup rookie test, there is another so-called "full test" in Valencia. The aim of the Formula BMW Talent Cup is to comprehensively and sustainably prepare talented drivers for a career in professional motorsport.
 
Information on registering for the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup and details of all the test and shoot-out dates can be found on the BMW Motorsport website at http://bit.ly/Formula_BMW_Talent_Cup_2013_Registration.
 
Robin Hansson, winner of the scholarship shoot-out at the Lausitzring: "The scholarship shoot-out was a very special experience for me. The organisation of the event was extremely professional. I learned a lot about formula racing within a very short time and it was obviously a great experience to drive a BMW FB02 formula racing car. I am already looking forward to the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season, when I will take the next step towards my career in motorsport."

 You can find more information on the Formula BMW Talent Cup at www.formula-bmw.com. In addition, you can also watch video summaries of the 2012 events on the BMW Motorsport YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/BMWMotorsport.

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Join The Stilo Revolution   (15/11)

Italian helmet manufacturers, Stilo will be having the European launch of their new ST4 CMR Karting Helmet, the lightest, strongest and safest CMR helmet on the market, at the Kart Mania Show, The Wing, Silverstone at 11:30 on Saturday 17th November.  In addition this helmet will be the cheapest CMR karting helmet in its class. It is time to join the Stilo Revolution.
 
Nicky Grist, World Rally Champion Co-Driver and UK Distributor for the Italian Manufacturer, Stilo, will also be presenting the 2012 Golden Helmet Award to the talented young driver Connor Mills, winner of the FKS Mini Max championship  on stage  at 2:30pm.
 
Nicky and John Hoyle will also be introducing the Stilo Golden Helmet Award's plans for 2013 to all Super One drivers on Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm and on Sunday at 11:10am
 
In addition, Nicky will explain the new helmet regulations for 2013 and safety thoughts with teams and drivers at both of the Super One workshops.
 
You can view the current range of karting helmets available from Nicky Grist Motorsport at www.nickygrist.com.

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Danny Cruttenden Motorsport   (15/11)

Danny Cruttenden Motorsport has had an enjoyable and very successful season. Shaun and Matthew Arnold have achieved numerous wins and podiums. Shaun is 2012 vice FKS champion, and both are still in contention of winning two major club championships. As the year is coming to an end the Arnolds are taking a well deserved winter break.

DCM is going through a rebranding for the 2013 season with a personally owned new van and awning. Team owner Danny is looking for a selected number of drivers to join his team in Rotax Max. DCM will be having a maximum of 4 drivers in the team to ensure that every driver gets 100% dedication to delivering the best results.

DCM will be competing in the Super One Series and Euromax championships and also PFI, Whilton Mill, and Kimbolton club championships.

Danny Cruttenden Motorsport allows you to run any make of chassis and use any engine tuner. The team has access to some of the best motors and carburettors in the paddock, all have been tested on the track by Danny himself. All drivers are welcome from club to super one.

As one of Europe's fastest drivers, Danny is often asked "how do you drive so fast?" Well now he will show you. Danny has been a works driver for Tony Kart, Intrepid, Birel, and Zanardi, and has won major races for all of them. Danny can teach you the secrets of how to be "mega quick" and Shaun and Matt Arnold are two fine examples of what can be achieved if Danny is your driver coach! Visit www.howtogofaster.co.uk for more information.

To enquire call 07852 971040, email danny.cruttenden@gmail.com, or visit www.dcmkarting.com.

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Tal-Ko's New Brake Solution   (15/11)

An innovative new product which maintains optimum braking performance for karts in the wet goes on sale from Tal-Ko Racing at this weekend's Kartmania Show being held at Silverstone.
 
The TKM brake caliper wet cover is designed to prevent streams of cold water flooding onto the brake disc and caliper when racing in rain. That flow of water can cause rapid temperature drop and inconsistent braking.
 
Traditionally karters have used make-shift solutions such as tank tape, number plates and other items in a bid to avoid the problem. Now it can be avoided with one simple fitting.
 
The cover comes in a high quality carbon look material similar to that used on the BT82 noise box air intake wet cover also available from TKM. It is fastened with one or two cable ties and gives a quality and total solution to the problem.
 
Says TKM boss Alan Turney: "Consistent braking in the wet has always been a problem and we have all used various bodges to do the job. This new wet cover looks professional and does a thoroughly good job. We tested it at the GP plate meeting with very good results so I am delighted to now have it on sale from this weekend."
 
The brake wet cover has been specifically designed to fit the Tal-Ko Veloce kart but will also fit onto many other makes of kart. It sells for £20 plus VAT.

See Tal-Ko at the KartMania show this weekend, or visit www.tal-ko.com.

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Strawberry Racing   (15/11)

Sadly Strawberry Racing will not be attending the Kartmania Show this weekend, as previously arranged.

We sincerely apologise to anyone who was coming down especially to see the new karts, but unfortunately the 2013 karts will not be with us until Tuesday 20th November, too late to display at the show.

Please do not hesitate to contact us next week if you require further information about the new EVK, or visit our website at www.strawberryracing.co.uk.

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Harrison Hits Stride   (14/11)

Nathan Harrison heads into the 2012-13 motorsport off-season boosted by a return to something approaching his previous title-winning form, after posting a series of strong results in the RGMMC International Open in Spain.
 
Having been forced to return to his karting roots after starting the year by stepping up to full circuit racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship, the 15-year old has gradually found his feet and, with a partial campaign in the British Senior Rotax Championship unlikely to yield a high enough finishing position, decided to enter the end-of-season International Open as a means of chasing a passport to the illustrious Rotax World Finals in Portugal later this month.
 
Running with the AIM Motorsport team that had happily snapped him up ahead of the 'O' Plate meeting in July, Harrison was immediately on the pace at Zuera, posting top five times throughout the pre-event practice sessions, and then continued his form into qualifying on Friday, where he recorded the fourth best lap despite running wet tyres on a drying circuit.
 
"Having started the year in the Ginetta, it has taken longer that I anticipated to re-adapt to racing karts," Harrison concedes, "The technique is quite different and, while I've raced karts for years, it has taken until now for things to click completely. However, the weekend started positively, we seemed to have the kart set up perfectly for this circuit, and we were right there running with the favourites...."
 
With the field divided into four groups for Saturday's heats, Harrison's qualifying result guaranteed the Oxford-based youngster a front row start for each of his three outings, and he made the most of it in the first race by breaking away from the pack and claiming a comfortable victory, defeating the new British and European champion in the process.
 
Race two, however, wasn't quite as straightforward, as Harrison initially found himself shuffled back to seventh, before mouting a comeback charge that eventually netted second spot. A similar result in the third and final heat - achieved after chasing down an early breakaway - left the Briton in third position on the overall classification and looking at a second row start for Sunday's opening Pre-Final.
 
The final day of the meeting once again dawned bright and sunny, but there was a noticeable wind that had not been present earlier in the weekend, and the #328 kart appeared unsettled by it during the morning warm-up session. Despite attempting to find a cure for the problem, Harrison continued to lack his earlier pace when racing resumed, and found himself being picked off by the drivers immediately behind him, eventually coming home in seventh spot and facing a battle if he was to claim one of the two places on offer in the World Finals.
 
With just 15 laps to try and make progress in the last race, time was always against him and, despite a valiant effort, Harrison was prevented from moving up the order despite being able to run comfortably in the leading group. Seventh place, however, was still a decent return from the weekend, and gives the Briton a boost heading into the winter.
 
"Although it's both disappointing and frustrating not to have earned one of the two trips to the World Finals that were on offer here - and we had the pace to do so - the weekend has not been wasted," Harrison concluded, "I always knew that I had the ability to run with the best drivers in this competition, and my results earlier in the weekend showed that I was a genuine contender for the podium, so we'll take that into the off season as we work on our programme for 2013."
 
Whilst his return to form suggests that Harrison would again be a title threat in karting next season, he will continue to explore the options open to him to return to full circuit racing in one of the junior car championships.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Super One Series 2013   (14/11)

With an exciting new season ahead, the Super One Series continues to innovate and invites registrations from drivers, welcoming those from outside of the UK (subject to FIA & CIK regulations.)  After a tender process with the Motor Sports Association, the Super One Series has been awarded all the MSA short circuit British Kart Championship classes: KF2, KF3 and IAME Cadet for the next five years. These most prestigious British Championship classes will join Formula KGP and the ABkC National Championships for Junior TKM & TKM Extreme in a six round series which commences at Whilton Mill in Northamptonshire on 13/14 April. The other six round series holds all the ABkC National Championships for the Rotax classes - Rotax Max, Max 177/Masters, Junior Max and MiniMax.  There are also two Cadet classes in this series, the ABkC National Championship for Honda Cadet, and the MSA National Championship for Comer Cadet - another series awarded by the MSA for the next three years.  These series also starts the year at Whilton Mill, on 6/7 April. Although not yet a championship, the Super One Series is inviting KZ2 drivers of the very powerful 125cc geared karts to three of the MSA/TKM rounds - Rowrah, Glan y Gors and Shenington - as a precursor to holding a series in 2014 if sufficient interest Is found. The final event at Shenington on 5/6 October is also the ABkC National Open Championship with the drivers competing for the much valued 'O' Plate.   Registrations and forms to download are now available on the Super One website at superoneseries.com and there is a £5 discount to £150 for on-line registrations.  The Super One Series will be exhibiting at the KartMania Show at Silverstone on 17/18 November and at the Autosport International Racing Car Show at NEC, Birmingham on 10-13 January where registrations can be taken with an opportunity to talk to the promoter and event co-ordinator.
 
Also at KartMania, Nicky Grist, World Rally Champion Co-Driver and UK Distributor for the Italian Manufacturer  Stilo, will be presenting the 2012 Golden Helmet Award to the talented young driver Connor Mills, winner of the 2012 Mini Max championship, on stage with John Hoyle, Promoter of the Super One Series, at 2:30 pm. Nicky Grist and John Hoyle will also be  introducing the Stilo Golden Helmet Award's plans for 2013 to all Super One drivers on Saturday afternoon at 2.30 pm. In addition, Nicky Grist will explain the new helmet regulations for 2013 and share his thoughts on safety with teams and drivers at both of the Super One workshops on Saturday at 2.30 pm and again on Sunday from 11.10 am.
 
The Edgar's Hyundai Rotax series enjoyed the benefits of the TAG-Heuer time keeping and results service during 2012, and for 2013 Tag Heuer have been appointed official time-keepers for all of the Super One Series. They bring a professional level of timing technology, photocell backup, intermediate sector timing, a robust and professional live timing solution and data information booklets, all benefits to drivers and teams never found in karting in the UK yet common place in Formula One and other high profile events.  There are also further developments on the horizon where they are working on various projects many of which are due to be completed before the 2013 season. Transponders are available on a limited discount by visiting bit.ly/bdCfYi. Live timing for next years Super One events can be found on the dedicated UK website www.tagheuer-timing.co.uk. Whilst registering drivers should ensure that their nationality and team are given, so they can be added on the timing screens with appropriate flags. All the event dates and entry fees are shown on the Super One website.
 
The series also thanks its many partners including Edgar's Hyundai, JAG Engineering with Rotax and Mojo, Tal-Ko, Dunlop with Anderson CSK, Bridgestone with Zipkart, Maxxis with TKM, ACR - Birel with F.KGP and Vega, JKH, Tillett Seats, Karting Magazine, the Autosport Racing Car Show, Tillotson carburettors, ABC Design and WP Motorsport.
 
For 2013 Super One will be controlling the cost of tyre usage by only permitting three sets of slicks for the season in the Cadet classes, and one set of slicks per event for the other classes.  Practice tyres are also restricted to a maximum of two sets.  Friday practice is optionally available at all rounds, timed qualifying commences at lunchtime on each Saturday, followed by some heats, with the remainder of heats on Sunday morning.  After a Sunday lunchtime driver parade, there are two long finals on Sunday afternoon.  Points from the heats will be added to those from the finals (or repechage if necessary) and the best five scores out of a maximum of six will be used for the final championship positions. The Rotax and KF classes will have their clutches monitored by the Unilogger system to ensure fair play by all, control fuel will be to a new exacting standard and all classes will have on board video cameras for judicial purposes (optional in TKM).  Extensive TV coverage continues on Motors TV in the UK and abroad, franchised to millions of additional viewers across the world.  The prize fund is in excess of £60,000 and the series counts as the qualifier for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.  For 2012 eight places are given.
 
Remember the Super One Series is the only championship awarding seeded numbers for the British and National classes in the UK (with the exception of Comer Cadet, where seeded numbers are not applicable).  In 2012 the series was chosen by the Sahara Force India Academy as their prime training series, with  Jehan Daruvala winning the last round before taking the CIK-FIA Asia-Pacific KF3 Championship  title at Macau. The twice European KF3 Champion George Russell was runner-up in the British KF3 series, and as well as winning the KF2 European title, Ben Barnicoat won the Super One British Series. Super One drivers excel on the international stage, for instance Sean Babington (also winner of the ABkC S1 series) and Harry Webb took the Euromax senior and junior titles. 

Register now and seal your place and chosen competition number without delay. Visit superoneseries.com.

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RL Racing Scores 1, 2, 3   (14/11)

After a successful weekend at Whilton Mill, RL Racing Department maintained its strong autumn form with its drivers dominating the Mini Max podium at Kimbolton.
 
Formula Kart Stars champion Mini Max champion Lando Norris spearheaded a dominant RL Racing Department performance at the fast Cambridgeshire circuit, last Sunday (11 November). It was far from a cakewalk for the talented youngster, after Hugo Bentley-Ellis delivered another superb drive. Gaby Weyer's return to competitive action produced a richly deserved trophy in an absorbing final.
 
"Lando was in superb form and dominated throughout the meeting, however he was pushed hard by 'Bentley Dog' in the final. Gaby made a great come back from an off-track excursion at the start of the final and stormed through to 3rd place."
 
He added: "Sandy Mitchell was ever-improving after not having seen the track prior to Saturday. Not only that, he managed to lead the first heat, showing he can run at the front. Sandy was running in an excellent 4th spot in the final but was shuffled down to 6th at the finish."
 
Fellow new signing Jack McCarthy managed to pip his team-mate to 5th during the last lap run to the chequered flag.
 
Not content with his Mini Max success, Lando also raced in the Junior Max class and was made to work hard in the heats. A mid-grid starting position and poor start required him to dig deep and deliver an impressively gritty drive to 5th in the final.
 
Lando's older brother, Oli, is still getting to grips with life in the Senior ranks, but gave a good account of himself with two 6th place finishes in his two heats.
 
"His results gave him P3 for the start of the final," explains Steve. "From there he was given something of a lesson in senior racing. Oli was bundled back to 8th by the more experienced drivers, but showed that he was fast enough to have finished 3rd.
 
Overall, I'm really pleased with all the drivers. The conditions were pretty testing and we don't race too often at Kimbolton, so we've all had to work hard to earn these good results. They're learning all the time and club races always give you a stern test, as you're up against the local experts. It's all pointing in the right direction."  
 
RL Racing Department has only three race seats left available for 2013, one in each class - Mini, Junior and Senior Max. For more information, call Steve Armstrong NOW on 07843 596 416 or contact him via www.rlracingdepartmentltd.com

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Cadet Class Performance   (14/11)

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) has confirmed the performance restrictions that will be imposed on existing Cadet kart engines - the Comer W60 and Honda GX160 - from 1 January 2013 in order to ensure parity with the incoming IAME Parilla Gazelle 60cc UK, the new power unit for the MSA British Cadet Kart Championship.

Having carried out extensive testing and data evaluation in conjunction with Zip Kart (representing Comer) and the ABkC (representing Honda), the MSA has concluded that introducing the following restrictions from 1 January 2013 should ensure performance parity across the Cadet category:

Comer: additional ballast of 4kg, taking the Class minimum weight from 99kg to 103kg (equivalent to the IAME and Honda)
Honda: insertion of a 16mm inlet restrictor between the carburettor and cylinder.

The Cadet Class regulations are detailed each year in the MSA Kart Race Yearbook; the 2013 edition will confirm that the MSA, at 28 days' notice, can vary the performance restrictions of any Cadet Class.

Rob Jones, MSA General Secretary and Kart Committee Chairman, said: "In terms of understanding the performance parameters of the new IAME engine in contrast to the existing Class engines we feel that we have now achieved all that we can outside of a competitive racing environment. The full performance picture should therefore become clearer once the engines are run in anger for the first time next season. Obviously there may be a need for further performance managing measures and the MSA will continue to monitor performance. We therefore anticipate carrying out a review by 1 March 2013.

"I would like to reiterate that a key philosophy of the tender process has been that controlling speeds is essential to the risk management process and the maintenance of our excellent safety record. We must recognise the fact that Cadet lap times are now up to 2.5 seconds quicker than they were when the Class was first established, which is why the tender process required an increase in lap times."

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Rudd To Test Formula Renault   (14/11)

On Wednesday 24th October 2012, the best of British young motorsport talent came together at Buckmore Park circuit to compete in the Henry Surtees Challenge for a staggering range of prizes to aid them in their race programme preparation for 2013.

The event, organised by former F1 world champion John Surtees OBE, brought together drivers from all classes of motorsport in their 16th year and over to race in memory of his son, Henry, who was tragically killed whilst competing in the Formula 2 championship in 2009.

The top six drivers were presented with a prestigious Henry 'H' trophy and the twelve top finishers had the choice of the best career enhancing prizes ever offered at a UK kart meeting.

Local driver, 23 year old Simon Rudd, who is 2012 double champion at Buckmore Park's 'Elite' events, 3 times Karting Le Mans winner and the current holder of a karting Word Record, finished 2nd in the event amongst some of Britain's highest rated prospects.

Rudd said afterwards: "It was a challenging day! The track was damp at the start, which made it a little bit difficult in practice and as it got drier the lap times came down. I qualified 17th, finished in 9th in the pre final, and got up to second place in the final race"

In order to gain some much valued exposure Rudd chose the Formula Renault Eurocup test with Manor Competition, who are one of the biggest and most successful names in single-seater club motorsport having had current F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen rise up through their ranks. They are a special team for the foundation as it was they who Henry raced for in 2008.

When asked about the choice of prize, Rudd said "I have chosen the Formula Renault Eurocup test in Spain with Manor Competition and am hoping that it might open some doors for me"

The test day will take place at Aragon raceway on Tuesday 13th November and he hoping to impress on his first official test day with the team.

Simon is currently looking for some backing and sponsorship to move into motor racing for the 2013 season as he continues his climb up the motorsport ladder and welcomes any contact from interested parties.

The karting event is used to raise money for the Henry Surtees Foundation to assist people with accidental brain and physical injuries, provide education and training in technology, engineering and fitness and endeavours to advance young people by developing their skills and capabilities so that they can participate in society as independent and responsible individuals.

The event also raised a staggering £22,000 for the Kent, Surrey, Sussex Air Ambulance charity to help with funding the costs of the equipment required to be able to transfuse those patients who need blood at the site of an accident, in the pre-hospital environment.

Visit www.henrysurteesfoundation.com, www.kssairambulance.org.uk and www.simonrudd.co.uk.

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Kart Engineer / Mechanic   (14/11)

We are looking for a highly experienced kart mechanic to run a Junior on a long term basis.
 
Must be North West based with 5 years experience minium. Previous kart driving/race experience a must. Worked at national and ideally international level. Strong Rotax knowledge especially Junior.
 
Must be available up to 3 weekends a month and more work available in the school holiday. Payment is between £75-£125 depending on experience.

Win bonus, expenses, fuel cost, and food included. Can be on a monthly retained basis for the right person and following a trial with secured monthly income.
 
Please send CV or outline to rrkarting@googlemail.com.

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High 5 For Connor Hall   (13/11)

Connor Hall of Coles Racing has ended the season seeded 5th in his first year in the minimax class. Although it was still mathematically possible to win the championship at the last round.

With great consistency throughout the season, and despite being black flagged at the Larkhall round and hit off in the last final at Shennington, he has secured 5th place for next season in the class.

As well as this he won a number of races in Junior Max at club level. In February this year he won the pre-final in the Junior class and narrowly missed out on the Main final win at the Rotax Cup in Campillos, Spain.

He also competed at the Genk round of the Euromax series where despite having to start last in the main final, he came through a strong field to finish a creditable 9th at the flag and record the fastest lap time.

Connor is now hard in training and will be testing over the next few months to prepare for next season.

He would like to thank all of the Coles Racing team, especially Adrian Coles, Wilty, the number 1 mechanic Daryl "fully lit" Burgess, and all of his sponsors - City West Commercials Group (Mercedes main dealers), Redstar Telecom, and Autospec Bristol Limited.

To keep up-to-date with his progress check out www.connorhall.co.uk.

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Myers Shows True Form   (13/11)

Oliver Myers made the most of a late opportunity to contest the RGMMC International Open at Zuera by posting a fine top six result against some of Europe's leading kart racers.
 
Having thought his season over at the culmination of the Super 1 Series, the 16-year old RDF Building Services Ltd / Turner Butler-sponsored driver received a surprise call from the Aim Motorsport team to join its line-up for the Spanish event and, despite having just a matter of days to sort travel arrangements, was quick to snap up the opportunity.
 
Despite still being among the youngest in the Senior Rotax class, Myers was right on the pace - and able to fight with British and European champions - from the moment he arrived in Spain, but missed out in qualifying after failing to get a tow down the main straight.
 
Despite twice claiming fourth place from ninth on the grid in the heats, the #284 kart would again line-up on the inside of row five for the Pre-Final, where Myers was restricted to tenth place. However, the reigning 'O' Plate champion remained confident that he could make up places after a quick set-up change and a new tyres were employed ahead of the Final.
 
He quickly found that he was able to pick off those immediately ahead of him, particularly as the Aim kart found its sweet spot, and the second half of the 15-lap race was especially satisfying as Myers was able to pass a couple of the year's biggest names to finish sixth overall, confirming that his own 2012 form had been masked by misfortune.
 
"The result is justification of the potential I knew I had this season," the MSA Academy prospect commented, "Right from the moment I arrived in Spain, I felt comfortable in the kart and, as the weekend progressed, my confidence grew and grew. If I'd managed to qualify better, I have no doubt that we had the pace to win here.
 
"My previous European experiences hadn't been the best, but this result confirms that I have the ability to go head-to-head with some of the best drivers out there - and come out on top! Obviously, I have to thank Aim for this opportunity and am happy to have repaid them with a decent result."

Follow Oliver's progress via his website at www.olivermyersracing.co.uk.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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New EGO Action Camera   (13/11)

A new breed of HD sports action camera will make its debut on the Tal-Ko stand at the Kartmania exhibition being held at Silverstone this week.
 
The Liquid Image EGO camera takes HD quality moving footage and 12 megapixel stills which can be transferred and controlled through WiFi on a smartphone, tablet or laptop for the ultimate extreme sport action.
 
Although lightweight and small, the EGO camera has been designed to cope with all of the harsh treatment that extreme sports like kart racing can bring and includes a protective lens cover and a water-resistant shell.
 
It has 135 degree viewing angle and allows HD recording with full sound. It also offers a range of still shooting. Downloadable apps allow the camera to be fine-tuned by smartphone and even send a live action picture back to the phone while in use. Footage can also be downloaded by WiFi or USB port making it totally flexible.
 
It uses SD/SDHC memory cards up to 32GB. Battery life is between 1.5 - 2 hours. It is charged by USB with an external mains charger also available. The camera comes with a range of surface mountings with many more styles available as extras.  It comes in a choice of black, red, white, blue and yellow finishes.
 
Tal-Ko has tested the camera with good results which will shortly be available via a link on its website at www.tal-ko.com.  The camera will be launched at Kartmania at the highly competitive price of £159.99 including VAT and a 16GB memory card. 

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RL Racing On The Move   (13/11)

After nearly a decade operating from Ellough Park Raceway, RL Racing Department is relocating to PFi.
 
"It's been coming for a while really," explains RL Racing Department boss Steve Armstrong. "We spend most of our year at PFi and were doing virtually no testing at Ellough. Also, the drive to Lincolnshire added nearly three hours onto all of my journeys. This move makes it cheaper for our customers, as we no longer need to pass on the bill for transportation to them."
 
Steve added: "Now, as a centrally located team we are much more accessible for drivers looking to race and test with us. I'm really excited about this move because PFi really is the Mecca of UK karting and for RL Racing Department - as a leading team in Britain and Europe - I feel this is where we should be."
 
RL Racing Department was founded before the team based itself at its current site. Richard Lock started his eponymous team - Richard Lock Racing - in 2000 and after securing the lease on Ellough Park Raceway had a natural location for his operation.
 
In 2006 he appointed Steve as his team manager, which yielded massive success just two years later as RLR scooped the Euro Max Challenge and Super One Senior Max titles and were vice-World Finals champions in 2008.
 
In 2010, Armstrong bought the race team from Lock and changed its name to RL Racing Department.
 
RL Racing Department opens for business from its new home on Tuesday 20 November.
 
Steve comments: "We will be working from garages five and six, until a double unit becomes available. Any deliveries for the racing team need to go to the circuit address at PFi, with the team name and garage numbers as part of the address. We're just in the process of sorting out a new landline number but I can be contacted directly on my mobile number, which is +44 (0)7843 586 416."
 
He added, "We have enjoyed many fruitful years operating at Ellough, it really is a great place and a cracking venue and I wish Richard, Sian and everybody in the RL group every success in the future."
 
For more information about the team, please call Steve or visit www.rlracingdepartmentltd.com.

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Children In Need Event   (13/11)

Lincs Kart Racing Club would like to thank all of the competitors and traders that took part in our October meeting to raise money for Children in Need.

A fantastic effort by all involved raised in excess of £1250.00 for this very worthy cause.

Particular thanks go to KKC, Steve Ogden, Kartstore, JM Racing, Force Motorsport, Kart Part UK, Project One, KartDavid , Strawberry Racing, Kartune, AF Racing and Center Parks for supporting the event.

Full race results are available online at www.lkrc.uk.com.

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Fancy A Change?   (12/11)

Fancy a change from karting? Team Dynomite have testing in Saxmax this Friday 16th November at Blyton Park race circuit along with a dedicated race instructor. We have just 1 space availble - you will get aproximatley 20 minutes in the hour on the 7m wide track with no traffic and a dedicated Clio Cup driver/instructor first come first served - call us now on 0800 6126977 to secure the last remaining place.

Team Dynomite are also pleased to anounce they will be competing in the 2013 SaxMax Championship and have both team space and 'arrive and drive' packages available.

Rookie Tom Parker has been joined by seasoned SaxMax campaigner George Streather for the the 2013 championship. Running as a 4 car team we have 2 'Arrive and Drive' packages and 1 owner-driver space available.

Fancy a test? We have 3 fully prepared cars just waiting to go!

Team Dynomite, in conjunction with Sportdevices.co.uk, have their own in-house rolling road, engine dyno, shock absorber dyno and a newly developed flowbench. These tools, coupled with 30 years' experience in motorsport, will offer a formidable package!

Team Dynomite's Karting team are offering subsidised drives for the 2013 season in the Super 1 and SYKC championships, please send your CV to info@sportdevices.co.uk.

The Karting season so far... following on from Tom Parker's 2011 championship win, Dynomite driver James Dorlin is currently leading the 2012 SYKC Cadet Championship, setting lap records along the way. Novice cadet driver Finlay Bunce has been recording exellent lap times, taking his first novice trophy, and leaving Finlay in a good position to challenge for the 2013 title. Minimax driver Billy Granger is holding a strong 3rd place in the championship, while Chris Haigh and Tom Parker would be up there with Billy had they not missed a couple of rounds each.

So if you fancy progressing from karts to cars email info@sportdevices.co.uk or call us on 0800 6126977.

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KartMania 2012   (12/11)

Don't forget that this weekend you can see the best of the UK karting scene at the UK's premier kart show - KartMania 2012!

Held in the prestigious F1 wing at Silverstone, come along to feel the atmosphere and enjoy the show at its new venue. Three large halls covering all aspects of karting including parts, products and karts from all of your favourite suppliers.

We have some new workshops this year with Zip presenting a session on Bambino Karts, Stuart Ziemmilis offering advice on Starting Karting, Mills Engineering talking about the new Iame engine, George Robinson on Rotax engines, Alan Turney on TKM, R3 on lasers and set up, John Hoyle on Super One, and Ian Rushforth with information on Gearbox racing, so there really is something for everyone!  Down in the iconic F1 garages we will have more exhibitors with tools and transport, plus the ever popular KartBoot.

There is one bit of unfortunate news - Europalite, who were supplying all of the barriers, have gone into administration which means that although all the karts and staff were ready, we'll be unable to include the live kart circuit at the show this year.  We understand that a lot of people were looking forward to this new part of KartMania and we're as disappointed as everyone else but unfortunately it's impossible to organise a replacement in the time available.  We are however determined not to let this detract from what is going to be a fantastic show for karters, and we will of course still have all of your favourite elements from past shows ensuring we retain our mantle as the UK's premier kart show!

The show starts at 9.30am on both days so don't be late.

See you there - Silverstone Wing, Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th November.

For more information on the show visit www.kartmania.co.uk.

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TAG Heuer S1 Timing   (12/11)

TAG Heuer are proud to announce our continued support of karting in the UK by securing the position as Official Timekeeper to the Super One Series, from 2013 both MSA and Rotax Super One series will run on the TAG Heuer transponder timing solution.
 
With the karting scene in the UK way behind the times with timing technology, TAG Heuer identified the unique, challenging, yet rewarding opportunity to confirm and stamp our authority on being the only timing company with a desire to push the boundaries no other timing provider has ever shown interest in exploiting.
 
The past 3 years have enabled us to bring to karting events in the UK (including Super One, Formula Kart Stars, MSA British Kart Grand Prix and the ABkC O Plate), a professional level of timing technology, photocell backup, intermediate sector timing, a robust and professional live timing solution and data information booklets, all benefits to drivers and teams never found in karting in the UK yet common place in Formula One and other high profile events.  There are also further developments on the horizon where we are working on various projects many of which are due to be completed before the 2013 season.
 
We are now aiming to roll out this impressive list of benefits to grass roots karting and are in on-going negotiations with various ABkC member clubs, watch this space for some forthcoming exciting news.
 
Now it's time for us to put our words into action, to further stamp our on-going desire and commitment to the UK karting fraternity, we have reduced the cost to drivers of our LS transponder complete with UK charging kit and mounting bracket. 
 
Secure your limited offer discounted transponder now by visiting http://bit.ly/bdCfYi.
 
Live timing for next years Super One events can be found on our dedicated UK website www.tagheuer-timing.co.uk.

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Easthope Wins A Thriller   (12/11)

At the end of a thoroughly exciting Final in Bahrain, the Briton Henry Easthope succeeded his compatriots Jake Dennis and Matthew Graham to take the U18 World Championship (for under 18-year olds). Second in the last Final of the season, won by the Australian Joseph Mawson, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc saw the title slip from his grasp by a single point on the very last lap. In the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy, the Driver from the United Arab Emirates, Thomas Michael Bale, won both Races, but 4th and a 6th places were enough for him to win the Trophy.
 
The suspense was tangible until the very last second. But by gaining two positions in the last lap of all and by crossing the finishing line in 8th place, Henry Easthope (Sodi) snatched the title of U18 World Champion at the Viva Karting Track in Bahrain. This scenario fit for a thriller was most fitting for this first appearance of World Championship karting in the Middle East, and also the first round in history to be run at night, under huge floodlights.
 
"I still don't believe it," smiled Henry Easthope during the press conference. "I gave absolutely everything I had all weekend. I was not too successful in the two Prefinals. I was pushed off the track at the start of the first, and then I suffered in the second. So I only started from 16th position. At the start of the Final, I was not very fast, but I gradually felt that my machine was running better and better and I began to gain places. On the last lap, two Drivers touched in front of me and I gained two more positions, and that made me champion. But it was a very stressful weekend!"
 
Henry, who will be celebrating his 18th birthday in just five days, is the third Briton in a row to win the U18 World Championship, after Jake Dennis and Matthew Graham. As for the French make Sodi, it took the World Championship for Makes for the first time in this category, joining previous winners Top Kart and Zanardi.
 
Having believed for a long time that he could don the world crown, Charles Leclerc (ART GP) was unable to maintain the leading position he had occupied at the start of the Race and had to be content with 2nd place both in the Race and the in the final classification for the Championship. The Monegasque, last year's Academy Trophy winner, was certainly very close to winning the title in the senior category.
 
Leclerc did not win because in front of him Joseph Mawson (Top Kart) ran a perfect Race. Third at the start, the Australian overtook the Briton Ben Barnicoat (ART GP) and Charles Leclerc before holding them off for more than 10 laps. Fifteen years after James Courtney, he became the first Australian to win a World Championship race since 1997. Mawson finally won by less than 2 tenths of a second from Leclerc, with Barnicoat finishing a little more than 6 tenths behind, and only 39 thousandths ahead of the Italian Federico Savona (Top Kart), making a come-back towards the end of the Race. Whatever may be, this group of four Drivers within 7 tenths of a second put on a spectacular show for the spectators enjoying the top-class karting in the flesh, and also those watching the live broadcast on www.cikfia.tv.
 
At a respectable distance, the Briton Sam Webster won the battle for 5th place ahead of the Dane Martin Mortensen (FK) and the Russian Seva Gagen (Parolin). The Top 10 was completed by Henry Easthope, the Finn Ville Mäntylä (Energy) and the 2011 U18 World Champion Matthew Graham (Zanardi).
 
In the final classification for the Championship, Anthoine Hubert (FK) joined Henry Easthope and Charles Leclerc on the podium. But the Frenchman was somewhat disappointed to see his hopes fade following a collision during the second Prefinal. With a damaged chassis, he could do no better than 19th place in the Final. Thanks to his win in Bahrain, Joseph Mawson climbed to 4th place in the Championship ahead of Martin Mortensen, Matthew Graham, Federico Savona, the Briton Ricky Collard (ART GP), who lost any chance in the Championship following a collision in the Final, Ben Barnicoat and Sam Webster.
 
Academy Trophy - the title for Lappalainen:
Leader of the Academy Trophy before arriving in Bahrain for the third and last meeting, Joonas Lappalainen proved his great maturity to take the title under the floodlights. Finishing the two Races in 4th and 6th places, the Finn managed the end of his season perfectly. "In Race 1 I fought for the victory, but I saw that my main rivals could not score major points," he recalled. "So I didn't want to take too many risks in the sprint final and I was happy with 4th place. In the second confrontation, I was involved in a scramble in the first bend and I was only 15th after the first lap. I then set to making a fight-back, and I passed the chequered flag in 6th place, my worst result of the season. In the Final, I think I was extremely consistent and I had been among the leaders in every event."
 
Joonas Lappalainen's title was all the more undeniable since the Spaniard Javier Cobian, second in the competition, could do no better than 10th and 16th places. For his part, George Russell had a weekend to be rapidly forgotten. Leaving the track at the start of Race 1, trying to keep up with Lappalainen and the Russian Alexander Maslennikov, the Briton was forced to abandon. He then had to abandon the second Race too, and dropped back to 10th place in the final classification.
 
These two Races fought in Bahrain will be remembered for the splendid double by Thomas Michael Bale, the representative of the National Federation of the United Arab Emirates. "I live an hour away from here by air," the young man smiled, becoming the first winner of a CIK-FIA Race for his country. "And this event was really my home race. So I am more than happy!"
 
In the first Race, Bale was joined on the podium by the Russian Alexander Maslennikov and the Norvegian Martin Ellegard. Behind Joonas Lappalainen, at the foot of the podium, the Dutchman Martijn Van Leeuwen rightly led the Belgian Benjamin Lessennes. Also in the Top 10 were the Frenchman Erwan Julé, the Brazilian Giuliano Raucci, the Swede Lina Von Schedvin and the Spaniard Javier Cobian.
 
In the second Race, it was the Frenchman Erwan Julé, racing from a superb start to 2nd position, who finished in the wake of Thomas Michael Bale. Martijn Van Leeuwen confirmed his good result in the first confrontation with a podium place ahead of Lina Von Schedvin, Benjamin Lessennes, Joonas Lappalainen, the French girl Adeline Prudent, the second female Driver, the Belgian Amaury Bonduel, Martin Ellegard and the German Christopher Dreypsing.
 
Profiting from this weekend in the Middle East, Erwan Julé took the third step on the Championship podium behind Joonas Lappalainen and Javier Cobian. In 4th place was Thomas Michael Bale, who led Benjamin Lessennes, Martin Ellegard, Martijn Van Leeuwen, the Frenchman Paolo Besancenez, Adeline Prudent and George Russell.

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Carter Finishes Runner Up   (09/11)

Lucas Oil would like to say a big well done to Lucas Oil Kart racer Albert Carter who at just 9 years old has finished runner up in the TVKC Cadet Championship which has taken place over 7 rounds in all weathers at the fantastic FIA spec PFI Circuit.
 
Competition has been intense all year, in a Championship that has seen no less than 61 drivers (aged 8 - 13) take part from all over the UK and after the last round in November, Albert Carter has finished runner up, something we feel is a fantastic achievement at his age.
 
Les Downey of Lucas Oil Europe commented; ''We have followed Albert's progress closely during 2012 with particular attention to the 7 rounds at PFI, it certainly has been a roller coaster ride and if you want action, excitement and determination then look no further than the little fireball that is Albert Carter, he has the same hunger for winning that his Dad has that's for sure! We are very proud to be associated with him!''   
 
Albert added, ''it has been a tough year with many ups and downs and although first is what I always want, I'm still proud to have come 2nd at such a great Club and Track, it is no disgrace to runner up to Fusion driver Tom Wood, he is a good driver, well done Tom''
 
Albert's driver coach David Bellchambers of Next Generation Motorsport commented, "Runner up in the TVKC Comer Cadet Championship is a massive achievement, one because it's the most prestigious kart club in the country where all the best drivers test themselves against each other and secondly at only 9 years of age, 3 years the junior of some of his opposition, Albert has had to drive years above himself to get this great result. Well done Albert."   
 
We would also like to take this opportunity to say thanks and mention the other companies that support Albert. In no particular order; Yuasa - Hol tAj - VEIDEC - NGK Spark Plugs - Teng Tools - Cottingham Engineering - 3tc graphic and web design - Rainbow Conference Sets - Pioneer Central - CAAR - Ogden Motorsport - Kaz Aston.com  - Ultimate Air Brush.
 
And last but not least, thank you to Chris Barnes of CBM who has been a tremendous help to Albert this season.
 
You can keep up to speed with Albert's progress at his 3tc designed website www.albertcarter.com or his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CarterMotorsport#!/albertcarter2003.
 
For more information on the fantastic range of Lucas Oil products check out www.lucasoil.co.uk.

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A Fine Finale To Europe 2012   (09/11)

The fast and technical Zuera circuit is one of the most outstanding circuits on the European racing calendar making it a great venue for the International Open, the final RGMMC kart event of the 2012 season. With a main straight of approximately 600 metres where drivers are flat out for over 14 seconds the slipstream is a major factor in racing strategy, however the challenge remains to find the correct gearing across the entire 1700m circuit.
 
Grip as well as pace became the early focus for all drivers as rain greeted the Protrain drivers on Saturday, but very early on Thomas Preining and Jiri Forman showed the field that they were ones to beat with the Formula K once again demonstrating its adaptability and strength in every condition.
 
In Junior max Preining continued his improved performance since switching to the Formula K and only had one finish outside the top three yielding him a well deserved third place ranking for the finals. Max Aitken also showed that he was a driver to be watched following a second place in timed practice and an early ranking of seventh. To his credit, newcomer to Europe and in his maiden Junior Max race Omar Ismail ranked a creditable 27th overnight with everything to play for on Finals day.
 
In an incredibly talented seniors field the Protrain drivers were led by an on form Jiri Forman who secured second place overnight with Jack Saffery the next placed Protrain driver further down the field. Newcomer Maximilian Weinzierl and Sabedin Berat Turker left overnight with an uphill struggle for finals day as unusually did Jesse Lazare.

Finals day was at least dry although cold with a biting cross wind to deal with.  With Preining and Aitken on grid three and seven the prefinal looked hopeful for the team not forgetting Ismail on 27th. The drivers didn't disappoint with Preining finishing second and Aitken ninth with Ismail moving up five more places into 22nd.
 
With a ticket to the World Finals at stake the final was far more action packed; Aitken became an early casualty dropping out of contention but with a superb drive Preining kept himself out of trouble and took a very strong second place whilst newcomer Ismail finished an impressive 19th.
 
Weinzierl took his place in the Seniors prefinal from the repercharge but managed to finish just two places behind Lazare who was four places behind Saffery in 18th place, out front was Forman who finished fourth.
 
In similar style to the Juniors race the seniors were all desperate to finish in the top three and Forman came nail bitingly close, having been second for much of the final he conceded two places just a few laps from the end and came in fourth. A great result for the champion driver but a disappointment for him to be so close.
 
Meanwhile Saffery was carving his way through the field when an accident placed him right at the back of the charging field, an assertive drive back was limited by time and 22nd overall did not reflect the talent or effort of the driver. Lazare and Weinlzerl finished 25th and 34th respectively.
 
With yet more masterful driving for the Formula K Europe team, DD2 driver Xen De Ruwe took first place with a three second lead to finish his commanding season off in style.
 
The Protrain team left Zuera with a very happy Junior rookie showing great promise, a second place Junior and a fourth placed Senior. Having worked in wet and dry, warm and cold and the drivers and the Formula K once again showed their strength and adaptability in all conditions.
 
Gary Chapman said afterwards "I am not surprised to see what superb results we are achieving on this great Kart in year one against the very best that Europe has to offer.  Once again we have shown that the Formula K is a kart for all conditions and is very hard to beat. I have to congratulate Formula K, the drivers and my colleagues at Protrain for a great first year with this new chassis; I am thoroughly excited by what 2013 on an FK will bring."
 
The team is preparing for next years European and UK Super One series and invites all interested drivers to contact Martyn Smithers or Gary Chapman on 01280 814774 to discuss working with Protrain in 2013,
 
If you want to see what extra you could find on a Formula K chassis give Gary Chapman a call on 07802 966064 and organise a no obligation test drive. For more information on FK please see www.formulakeurope.com or www.protrainracing.co.uk.

To support growing national demand for Formula K products, Protrain Racing are looking for UK agents; if you are interested in working alongside us with this impressive marque please contact Gary Chapman on 07802 966064 or email him at protrain@karttraining.co.uk.

Photograph of Thomas Preining courtesy of RGMMC.

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RL Drivers Get Warmed Up   (09/11)

Barely had the dust settled on this year's national championships before Steve Armstrong's RL Racing Department was back in action, getting ready for 2013 at Whilton Mill (27/28 October).
 
Formula Kart Stars Mini Max champion and Super One Vice-Champion Lando Norris underlined his deserved status with another confident victory, before sending a warning to his Junior Max rivals by triumphing in this class also.
 
His elder brother, Oli, came back through to finish 9th in his first senior race on UK soil. The race was notable for its high drama - and not a little crashing - in which Oli had become embroiled. Having been pushed well down the order, he fought back into the top ten with a gutsy performance.
 
New signing Jack McCarthy delighted his new team with two Mini Max heat wins and a 4th place. In both wet and dry conditions he had demonstrated his class, but blotted his copybook with a spin in the main final.
 
If McCarthy's performance had marked him as one to watch next season, Sandy Mitchell arrival on the Mini Max scene almost overshadowed his new team-mate's. Having sat in a Mini Max kart for the very first time on Saturday morning, Sandy went on to finish 4th in Sunday's final. 
 
Ahead of him on the line was fellow RL driver Flashman Finneran. It was his first ever podium and a clear indication of the progress he has made since joining the team.
 
Hugo Bentley-Ellis had run as high as 2nd but struggled to generate grip in the tricky, dank conditions of the final. Nonetheless, he doggedly brought his machine home in 7th spot.
 
Thrilled team boss Steve Armstrong says his young charges have laid down a marker for the coming new season: "It's easy to dismiss the Whilton race as 'just a clubbie' but the boys were competing against top-flight drivers, many of whom they'll be up against next year. For Flashman and Sandy to take a3rd and 4th is very encouraging. Hugo and Jack didn't get the results they deserved, but showed that they will definitely be front-runners - and quite possibly race winners - in the very near future."
 
He added, "Lando enjoyed an absolute thumping win in Junior Max, against very good opposition. He can build on that will be seen as threat wherever he goes now. Oli was also up against strong opposition and learned the hard way that no quarter will be given in senior Max. But he didn't ask for any and gave as good as he got. He'll be fun to watch in the build-up to the first big race in February." 

Breaking news - RL Racing Department has only three race seats left available for 2013, one in each class - Mini, Junior and Senior Max. For more information, call Steve Armstrong now on 07843 596 416 or contact him via www.rlracingdepartmentltd.com.

Photographs courtesy of Pixelero.

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U18 World Championship   (09/11)

A mere stone's throw from the Formula 1 circuit, this weekend the Viva Karting Track in Bahrain welcomes the last round of the CIK-FIA U18 World Championship and Academy Trophy. It is here, in the Sakhir Desert, that on Saturday the world crown for under 18's will be awarded, and the much coveted trophy for the "Best Academician". And the suspense is almost tangible!
 
The Bahrain circuit is writing an important page in the history of karting this weekend. It is in fact the first time that the Middle East has been the venue for a World Championship in the discipline. In this region, and at this time of year, temperatures are well above 30 degrees C, so the timetable for this round has had to be adapted. For three days, contestants will in fact be taking to the track in the second part of the day and will be fighting their later battles well after sunset.
 
So this Thursday, Drivers had not only to learn this new circuit but also work on their settings for Qualifying Practice, scheduled for early Friday afternoon. They also experienced night driving, under the huge floodlights illuminating some 1,400 metres or more of track. "It's incredible,"smiled the Briton Henry Easthope (Sodi), Championship leader prior to this last meeting. "Driving at night, with just the floodlights, you actually have the impression of being in an unreal world. You have to concentrate so much more ... but I love that!"
 
Fast and extremely undulating, everyone agrees about the Viva Karting Track. "It really is very enjoyable,"explained the Frenchman Anthoine Hubert (FK), Easthope's closest rival for the Championship. "It has ascents, descents, and there are a large number of passing places... What is a little strange is that it is so slippery, probably because of the sand deposited on the track..."
 
Leader of the Academy Trophy, the Finn Joonas Lappalainen, had every reason to be disoriented. "In my country, we have had several weeks of snow," he smiled. "At home, near Helsinki, there are 20 centimetres of snow and of course it is impossible to go karting. So I am naturally very happy to be here, especially on a track which is really extremely interesting."
 
Impressed by the superb complex dedicated to karting, the participants are also delighted by the welcome they have been given by the organisers. Clearly they have laid on a great event. All of the ingredients are there to make the very first world karting competition in the Middle East a true success. It is an event which can be followed around the world on Saturday from 3pm thanks to the live broadcast of the final phases (both for the U18 category and for the Academy Trophy) on the site www.cikfia.tv.

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BSKC 2013   (09/11)

McLaren are again offering an exclusive tour of their Technology Centre to the winners of the 2013 British Schools Karting Championship (BSKC).
 
The winners, all of which will be in the 13 to 18 years age group, will be rewarded with a VIP tour of the McLaren Technology Centre, home of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team.
 
The winning team will go behind the scenes at McLaren Racing, including a look at the team's state-of-the-art 145-metre wind tunnel.
 
"At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, we've long supported ways for young people to learn about, understand and break into motor sport," said Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh. "The British Schools Karting Championship is a great way to encourage older school children to engage in a competitive racing environment without the financial burdens that accompany the sport at all levels. As such, we're pleased to once again be able to offer a tour of the McLaren Technology Centre to the winners in 2013."
 
If you will be aged 13 to 18 years in 2013 and would like to represent your school and compete in this Arrive & Drive championship check out the BSKC website for further information.

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BPKC Summer Championship   (08/11)

The seventh round of the Buckmore Park Kart Club Summer Championship takes place on Sunday 18 November.

The meeting features the Henry Surtees' commemorative Honda cadet class with the top three receiving superb 'H' Henry Surtees trophies.

All ABkC non gearbox classes are welcome including Bambino and Subaru.

Open Practice is available on both Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November.

Please contact Chris Pullman/Sheila Rose on 01634 661604 for more details. Online booking is available.

Full details are available at www.buckmoreparkkartclub.co.uk.

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Intrepid Company News   (07/11)

Intrepid Driver Program Srl is a fully independent company, based in Via M. L. King 4 in Salizzole (VR - Italy). The company is now fully engaged in the planning and production of Intrepid's complete lines of products.  Our manufacturing is absolutely independent and isn't connected to other kart companies or brands.  You can view our rights to the Intrepid name in the following PDF file outlining the trademark ownership rights.

Looking forward to the future and the next racing season, Intrepid Driver Program is planning an innovative range of spare parts and chassis under the direction of Mirko Sguerzoni, as well as safeguarding the Intrepid world-wide dealer network for which Intrepid guarantees the continuity, future and high quality of Intrepid branded products.

Our new website has now launched and is as available at www.intrepid-kart.it, and before the end of the year we're sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by the new products that are being produced with our goal of high quality and very competitive prices.

Intrepid is coming - stronger than before, so take the chance to be on the top with the authentic orange kart, the Intrepid kart!

To connect with us visit the official Intrepid facebook page at Intrepid Driver Program.

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Sky F1 Go Kart Race   (07/11)

Come and be part of a one-off Sky F1 team go kart race which is being filmed for Sky and will be featured on the Sky F1 show! Many famous racing teams and celebs and media are getting in on the action.

Just to mention a few f1 teams coming, Mclaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Lotus, Force India and also GP3 and GP2 teams and drivers and many presenters as well - we have Team BBC, and 3 teams from Sky F1 presenters including Johny Herbert, Natalie Pinkham, Martin Brundle, Anthony Davidson and lots more!  We're expecting many other famous race drivers will be turning up to support this great event, including recently crowned F2 champion Luciano Bachetta, who has just come back from his Williams F1 test!

The event will be filmed by Sky F1 for a feature on their show and it is also being filmed by Channel 5 for a documentary. OK magazine will also be present, taking photos for a forthcoming feature in their magazine.

There are two reasons behind the event - we have teamed up with Natalie Pinkham (of Sky Sports F1) to help host the celebrity kart event and in aid of Natalie's Mirela Fund - a project to home 12 severely disabled orphans in Romania, and to promote Alice Powell who has just been featured in Britain's Next F1 Star.  Sky are pushing hard to get Alice into F1, as Alice is considered to be the best female driver on the racing scene.
 
The fee to participate is £100 per person, with 26 teams (of 3 - 5 team members) competing in a 2 hour endurance race. There will be a raffle and auction on the night (already supported by McLaren with 2 pit passes for an F1 race next season!) and a chance to beat Alice's top score in a Batak competition.

Mclaren will also be showing off their new mp4-12c.

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FKS Drivers Bahamas-Bound   (06/11)

Eighteen Formula Kart Stars drivers are preparing for the trip of a lifetime as the Formula One Management backed Championship and the Bahamas Speed Week Revival get ready to showcase karting to the people of the Caribbean.
 
While the very first World Karting Championship may have been held in Nassau, capital city of the Bahamas, in 1959, currently there is no karting industry to speak of in the renowned tourist and holiday destination. However with a twelve day trip packed full of racing, demonstrations and work with local schools, FKS and the organisers of the Bahamas Speed Week Revival are hoping to change that.
 
Eight drivers from the 2012 MSA British Cadet Championship and ten Senior Rotax drivers plus their mechanics will leave the UK on November 23rd and will spend the following two weeks bringing the kind of excitement and professionalism associated with the pinnacle of British karting to a completely new audience.
 
Beginning with some racing on a purpose built kart track on November 25th, the FKS drivers can expect a large and enthusiastic crowd who will include children from specially nominated schools, each of which will have their own nominated FKS driver.
 
Once the dust settles FKS will then spend time visiting local schools where they will give some of the local children an opportunity to build their own box karts and get their first chance to get a close look at the sort of ultra modern racing karts so familiar to British drivers.
 
After several days of 'rest and recuperation' on and around Bahamas' numerous sandy beaches Formula Kart Stars will then join hundreds of fellow petrol heads for two more days of spectacular action as first the FKS drivers power their karts up the Bahamas Speed Week Revival Hill climb course and then take to the specially designed BSWR car circuit for more action.
 
While the BSWR annually attracts some of the world's rarest and most expensive classic sportscars, FKS Championship Director Carolynn Hoy believes the addition of karts to the 2012 event will add an extra highlight for the thousands of spectators expected to attend.
 
"I am thrilled to be able to offer this prize to our drivers," says Hoy, who has already overseen the shipment of the FKS karts to Nassau. "I am extremely grateful to the organisers of the Bahamas Speed Week Revival for their efforts in securing the funding to make this trip possible and I am convinced that everyone who will be going with FKS will have a fantastic experience.
 
"Not only will our drivers get an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a totally new audience but they will also be acting as role models for FKS and our sport as a whole and they have the opportunity to inspire a whole generation of young people in the Bahamas, many of whom may not have even seen a proper racing kart before."

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Barnicoat Takes GP Plate   (06/11)

European karting champion Ben Barnicoat jumped in for a last minute entry to take victory in the TKM GP plate at PFI at the weekend - his first ever race in Formula TKM.
 
The 15-year old from Chesterfield won the CIK European KF2 title at PFI this year. He happened to be at the circuit on Friday where his Dad Paul was working, when the plan was hatched.
 
Says Ben: "My Dad mentioned to team owner Dave Litchfield that he'd meant to ask if there was any chance of a drive never realising it might still happen. Dave said straightaway he'd give me an engine and a kart and that was it.
 
"There was some testing on Saturday so it gave me a chance to learn the style needed before we started timed qualifying." Ben was soon on the pace and came 2nd in the pre-final before taking victory and the GP plate in the closely fought grand final.
 
How did he enjoy it? "It was great fun. The racing was really close all weekend. I had to learn a new style because with KF2 you brake hard, corner and then accelerate. With TKM the tyres have less grip so you need a completely different style to carry a lot of speed into and through the corner."
 
Commented TKM boss Alan Turney: "It is always good to see a top driver try a one-off event in TKM. Ben did very well here in mastering the technique to such good effect. Well done to him."

For more information on Formula TKM visit www.tal-ko.com.

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Lydd Winter Champs   (05/11)

After bumper grids last month, Lydd are looking forward to welcoming old racing friends for the second round of the Winter Championships, along with some new karters too who'll be racing for the first time at Lydd.  Some of the biggest trophies around were proudly displayed at the last meeting by the winners (all with huge smiles) of the Summer Championships.
 
Most classes will be catered for at our meeting when racing commences on Sunday 11th November, including Bambino, Honda Cadet, Clubman, Super Cadet, Senior Rotax and 177, and Prokarts.  With 20 Rotax Seniors on the grid at the last meeting and other classes growing, we are looking towards another busy and competitive weekend. 
 
Open practice will be held on Saturday 10th November with by heats and finals racing on Sunday 11th November.
 
For more information visit our website at www.lyddkarting.com and to reserve your space on the grid call us on 01797 321895.

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U18 World Championship   (05/11)

There has never been a Karting World Championship held in the Middle-East. And neither has a major CIK-FIA international calendar event been organised at night under spotlights. It is therefore two new sensations that the competitors entered in the CIK-FIA U18 World Championship and Academy Trophy will experience from 8 to 10 November in Bahrain. And it is also in this context that two still very open championships will be settled. The guarantee of suspenseful racing!
 
Just like Formula One and MotoGP, Karting will discover the joys of a competition at night. Perfectly lit, the international circuit of Bahrain built in the Sakhir desert will indeed be the setting of the final round of the U18 World Championship (for Drivers under 18 years old). It is on Saturday 10 November at 21h10 that the start of a decisive Final will be given. After the Braga and Angerville events no Driver has indeed managed to take a definitive advantage in this competition in which all the participants utilise the same engine, placed at their disposal free of charge by the FIM company.
 
Outrageously domineering in Portugal, Britain's Henry Easthope (Sodi) suffered in France the supremacy of the Frenchman Anthoine Hubert (FK). Separated by only 5 points both Drivers will therefore arrive in Bahrain with a slight mathematical advance. But, in their immediate wake, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (ART GP, 11 points behind Easthope) and the Briton Ricky Collard (ART GP, 16 points behind) can also foster quite legitimate ambitions.
 
Limiting the title race to these four young Drivers would however be a mistake. With a maximum of 75 points still at stake, several outsiders could benefit from the glorious uncertainty of sport to come from nowhere and eventually don the world crown. The Dane Martin Mortensen (FK), the Australian Joseph Mawson (Top Kart), Italy's Federico Savona (Top Kart), the title holder Matthew Graham (Zanardi) as well as France's Hubert Petit (Sodi) and the Brit Ben Barnicoat (ART GP) all showed at the beginning of the season that they could compete at the front. And although they may have somewhat lacked success they want - as a minimum - to finish the year with a flourish.
 
Academy Trophy: Lappalainen ideally placed 
In addition to the U18 World Championship, Bahrein will also host the final round of the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy. Since nothing has been settled in this category either, both Races scheduled for late Saturday (at 18h20 and 20h30) promise to be thrilling to follow! Finland's brilliant representative Joonas Lappalainen is leading the competition, in particular thanks to his Portuguese success obtained further to a legal decision. Although Joonas has therefore still not crossed the finish line in the lead, his regularity at the front (his worst result being a 4th place) enables him to have a 16-point advantage over the Spaniard Javier Cobian, also very regular but never having yet climbed on the highest podium step.
 
With 100 points remaining to be distributed, George Russell knows that he can fill the 36 points gap that separates him from the leader. This time the Briton, double European KF3 Champion, will however have to achieve the success which he lacked in the first two events. At Braga, he had been betrayed by his starter while dominating Race 1. And in the Angerville event George never managed to display the same level of performance. He will undoubtedly be craving for revenge and hoping that both his main opponents are unable to step on the podiums.
 
Winner of the very last race in France, the Italian Mattia Drudi will be aiming - unless there is a major twist of events- at the final podium, like France's Paolo Besancenez and Erwan Julé. Laureate of Race 1 at Angerville, the Belgian Benjamin Lessennes will be determined to confirm his talent revealed at the end of August. We shall also keep a close eye on the very young French lady Adeline Prudent, at the gate of the Top 10 in the provisional classification after demonstrating that she is in a relaxed frame of mind against her male counterparts.
 
As was already the case for the final of the CIK-FIA World Championship organised at Macau, a live coverage of the event will be ensured on the www.cikfia.tv website. It will then be possible to see from everywhere in the world live and in full the Prefinals and the Final of the U18 World Championship, but also the two Races of the Academy Trophy. Not to be missed!

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Intrepid Is Now OK1   (02/11)

IPK, the manufacturing company behind the Intrepid and Praga karts, have officially rebranded the Intrepid product line to OK1. Everything to do with the chassis remains the same, the same materials, the same factory, the same homologation, the same chassis name (Cruiser M2), the same quality... the same kart. This rebrand has brought the orange kart's product line in to the 21st century, with a sleek, clean cut and modern appearance.
 
IPK has decided that a rebrand of their orange kart was necessary to stop the confusion and association with the Intrepid Driver Program (A European Race Team - using Intrepid chassis). These two companies are owned by separate people and have no relationship apart from the fact that Intrepid Driver Program use Intrepid chassis. As people were confusing this with the manufacturing company, it was seen necessary to have a change of name to make it easier for the general public to realise that these two companies have no association.
 
The owners of IPK bought out Intrepid Kart International two and a half years ago, and have been doing a fantastic job with the production and consistency of their chassis. As a result, their chassis' have won the KF3 European Championship three years in a row, the KF3 World Cup two years in a row, the KZ1 European Championship, and the KZ1 World Championship twice in the last three seasons. A success which is far superior to any other karting brand.
 
Alongside the new name, OK1, IPK have recently launched more new product lines in to the market place, with new up to date Rental Karts and a fantastic option for the UK market with a complete rolling chassis retailing at £1950 + VAT. This chassis is made on the same production line as the top level CIK karts, using the same materials, but with a different brake system. The sticker kit for this kart is black instead of white, and the design of the kart is obviously slightly different. This innovation follows the company's idea of moving forward, and will make competitive karting more accessible. This also comes recently after the introduction of the OK1 Panther, a kart designed specifically for TKM by the two time TKM Champion. The new clothing range has also just been released, and pictures of these can be seen on our website. Our 2013 kart is also available to test, and enquiries are coming in thick and fast, if you would like to arrange a test session in our latest products then please get in touch.
 
We also have great opportunities for new teams and potential agents that would like to become a part of our new brand, for more information, please do not hesitate in contacting us.
 
The new brand image and the development of the new range of products is an exciting step forward for us and the karting community, and we look forward to following on from our Super One Championship success in to the 2013 season.
 
For further information about our chassis, please visit our website www.ipkarting.co.uk or call us today on 01133 222795.

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2012 TVKC Awards Dinner   (01/11)

The 2012 TVKC Annual Awards Dinner will be held on Saturday 17th November at the Olde Barn Hotel, Marston.

Please note: The deadline for final numbers is this weekend - Sunday 4th November!
 
With the current race season drawing to a close, the 2012 TVKC Club Champions will soon be decided. The final round of the Championship will be held this weekend (4th November) and the top 3 drivers in each class of the Club Championship will be awarded prizes (subject to championship class numbers - please ask for details) so there's still lots to play for!
 
In addition to the top 3 drivers in each class of the Championship (subject to championship class numbers), awards will also be presented to the...
- Novice Driver of the Year
- Rookie Driver of the Year
- David Mansell Trophy (Most Points Scored)
- There will also be a 'TVKC Special Award' which will be named on the night!
 
The evening will consist of a delicious 3 course meal, the awards presentation and then finish off with a disco.
 
Tickets are £30.00 each for Adults and £15.00 each for Children under 11yrs. 

The top 3 drivers in each class will each receive a free ticket (subject to championship class numbers).
 
A special rate for hotel rooms has been negotiated for the evening - just £65 per twin/double room on a Bed & Full English basis. To book, simply contact the hotel direct and quote 'KX6742' at the time of booking.

If you would like to reserve your tickets for this fun and relaxed awards evening, simply complete this order form and then return it, along with payment, to Clare Mills by Sunday 4th November 2012 latest!
 
For more information, or if you have any queries, please contact Clare Mills on clare@tvkc.co.uk.

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2012 Honda Gx160 Ebook   (01/11)

The popular Gx160 ebook now has a supplement for the new T2 variant!

The Supplement is free to existing ebook customers and can be accessed at the same address as usual, but we suggest reloading/refreshing the opening page and the contents page to see the new T2 Content.

If you race or maintain Honda Gx160 engines of either the old or newer T2 variant then the ebook is an excellent investment.
 
For more information and to purchase visit www.ukpollards.com.

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Forza To Be Reckoned With   (01/11)

In its maiden year of competition, Forza Racing has won races across Britain and Europe with George Russell making history as the first driver to retain the European KF3 crown.
 
The list of victories and podiums is impressive, especially when you consider that team principals Jamie Croxford and Paul Munn only officially launched their new venture in January 2012.
 
Since then, the pair rapidly forged a reputation for delivering superbly prepared equipment, excellent race support, coaching and, of course, success.
 
Masterminding the Cadet operation, Paul Munn believes it was a combination of experience as drivers and their natural will to win that saw his drivers claim a string of victories and titles: "The number one factor is our competitive side. We want to win as much as our drivers do. We make sure that testing is always constructive and strive to get the most out of the drivers and the equipment. Looking to achieve 100% in all elements of what we do is another important factor."
 
Summarising Forza's debut year, Paul adds: "It's been thoroughly enjoyable, especially seeing the drivers improve throughout the season. Some started out as relative unknowns and ended up vying for national championships. It shows we can develop comparative novices into title challengers because we aim to make the driver better and better as the year progresses."
 
The 'Forza difference', as Paul puts it is "The fact that we're the only team in the paddock that takes you from Cadets to Juniors. You're part of the same set-up that runs the European Champion, that's unique."
 
Former professional driver with PFi and Birel, Jamie Croxford says there were several highlights of his year: "Obviously George winning the Euro title for the second year was massive, but I also take great satisfaction from Billy Monger being in the top five nearly everywhere we went. Glan Y Gors was very special when we had three drivers in the top six and Billy's double podiums in the Super One finale at Shenington were great to see. An all Forza front row with Robert Shwartzman and George at Zuera  was a very proud moment and Josh Read delivered some great moments too. His qualifying performance at Castelletto was exciting and against some the toughest competition I've ever seen in KF2."
 
Jamie is clearly hungry for more success in 2013: "Robert has already committed to us and despite being very young still, he is fast and his progression this season was terrific. I can see him winning races next year. I think the new engine homologation will be positive for us also, because as an independent team we're not tied to a particular manufacturer, so we'll simply use the best kit available."
 
He adds: "This season we learned a lot and achieved a lot, so next year can only be better!"
 
In addition to the Cadet classes, Forza will enter drivers in both the KF3 and KF2 categories in 2013 and intends to contest the following series; Super One, the Winter Cup (at Lonato), WSK Master and Euro series, CIK-FIA European and World championships, CIK-FIA U18 Academy championship alongside a comprehensive testing programme.
 
Jamie says, "Spaces are limited, so do call now. We want to run a neat, compact outfit as doing this allows us to focus more closely on the driver and the equipment. We also have a base in Italy, near Rimini, which has a track nearby and is close to the airport, so we really can offer the best of everything."
 
For more information and to discuss a race seat with the team or arrange a test day, compete in a club meeting or have a day of one-to-one driver coaching, please contact Paul on 07542 808 154 or Jamie on 07730 019 089. Alternatively, visit www.forza-racing.co.uk.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net (Herbie Grout and Billy Monger) and Gregory Heirman/FotoFormulaK (George Russell).

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U18 World Champs On TV   (01/11)

Further to the successful live broadcasting of the CIK-FIA World Championship held at Macau, the International Karting Commission and the CMC production team will be at it again on Saturday 10 November. This time it is the third and final round of the U18 World Championship (for Drivers under 18 years old) which will be featured, and so will the final meeting of the Academy Trophy.
 
"Thanks to the excellent co-operation with the CIK-FIA, the circuit of Bahrain and the local television, we are going to propose a superb spectacle", said a rejoiced Ben Constanduros, the young and dynamic manager of CMC. "We shall indeed ensure 4 hours of live broadcasting in order to show both Races of the Academy, but also the two Prefinals and the Final of the U18 World Championship. Considering that this event will be the first in the history of the CIK-FIA to be organised at night and that the fight for the two titles which will be awarded is still totally open, it promises a superb sporting moment for every Karting enthusiast!"
 
The track in Bahrain, built close to the circuit which hosts Formula One, will be covered by 6 cameras to enable television viewers not to miss any of the on-track action. Commentary, in English, will be provided by Ken Walker. So, this Saturday 10 November, between 15:00 and 19:00 for viewers in the UK and Ireland, watch live on www.cikfia.tv!

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ART/Zip At KGP Test Day   (31/10)

ART/Zip Kart are pleased to announce they will be in attendance at the Official KGP test at Whilton Mill on 11th November where drivers will have the opportunity to test the latest TS01 kart from ART.

Since its inception around 12 months ago, the TS01 has won almost every major title in the 2012 calendar, including the CIK KF2 Championship (Ben Barnicoat), the WSK KF2 championship (Charles Leclerc) and also the British Super One KF2 Championship (Ben Barnicoat).

Grant Munro, Technical Director and Team Manager of the Zip/RSF/ART team commented "As the UK distributor for ART Grand Prix karts in the UK we are pleased to be able to be in attendance at this official test and show support for the KGP class in the UK". Two of the ART kart titles in Europe this year came using the same Vega tyre that is used in the UK KGP series. We now already have a very good understanding of the kart on this tyre and are therefore confident that the kart will be competitive from the off and be possible to mount a challenge for victories and titles".

Drivers can test the kart on the day for just £40.00 per 15 minute session and will have factory team support available throughout the day to answer questions or discuss any aspect of the Kart.

Places are limited for the day so we are asking drivers to pre-register. Please contact Zip Kart on 01327 855310 and quote 'ART/KGP test'. Drivers must hold a minimum of a National A Kart licence and without this will not be eligible to test.

More details can be found at www.kartgrandprix.co.uk or call test-day organiser ACR on 01527 889595.

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Plato Shines On Car Debut   (30/10)

Front-running Senior Max driver Lewis Plato exceeded all expectations this weekend with a double podium in his first ever sports car event at Snetterton.

Lewis was driving a Radical SR3 Sportscar prepared by the championship winning Mectech Motorsport. Mectech locked out the front row for both races with team-mate and driver coach Bradley Smith on pole for race one and Lewis on pole for race two.

In very wet and trying conditions the pair secured a 1-2 in race one with Bradley first and Lewis second. In Race two Lewis came home in third with Bradley taking the win again, securing him the overall title.

Lewis will be launching an all out attack on the 2013 Radical Clubman's Cup with Mectech. The team will be running cars in all of the Radical Championships in 2013 including the entry-level SR1 Cup.

For more information on Radical or the team contact Mectech on 01277 372848 or email mectechmotorsport@live.co.uk.

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Easykart Taster Sessions   (29/10)

Easykart UK will be holding a "taster session test day" on Sunday 11th November 2012 at the Whilton Mill circuit near Daventry, Northants.

If you are thinking about racing Easykart in 2013 then this is a great way to have a taster session in an Easykart to see if it's for you!

Easykarts on offer to try will be the Easy Cadet for ages 8 to 12yrs, the Easy Junior - 12yrs to 16yrs, and the Easy Senior for 16 yrs+. Sessions will be 15 mins long (which is expected to be approximately 15 to 18 laps per session) and will use the short circuit at Whilton Mill.

Sessions will run from 10am until 4pm and can only be pre-booked in advance.

The cost is £40 per driver, per session. Extra sessions can be purchased subject to availability.

Helmets and suits can be provided if required.

To book call 01527 889595, select option 3 and quote "easy taster session".

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Upgraded Veloce Launched   (29/10)

Tal-Ko will unveil an updated version of its highly successful Veloce kart on its stand at the Kartmania Show at Silverstone in November.
 
The upgraded specification of the kart includes a significantly revised front geometry together with the fitment of 25mm front axle stub axles as standard aimed at giving even greater stability for use with the latest grippy Maxxis slick tyres.
 
Tal-Ko has also revised a number of other detail changes on the kart to maximise performance on the track in all conditions and give greater durability and ease of use.
 
The kart boasts a very high specification with 50mm rear axle assembly mounted in full circle stiff rear axle bearing hangers and superior self adjusting brake system with floating brake disc. It comes complete with full body sticker kit.
 
Orders taken at the Kartmania Show will attract a special 5% discount saving more than £119 off normal standard kart price which is £1995 + vat.

For more information on the current Veloce kart visit www.tal-ko.com.

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Try Formula KGP!   (29/10)

Formula KGP UK will be holding a "taster session test day" on Sunday 11th November 2012 at the Whilton Mill circuit near Daventry, Northants.

If you are thinking about racing Formula KGP in 2013 this is a great way to have a taster session in a Formula KGP to see if it's for you!

You can choose to try out the KGP engines on either Birel, Intrepid, Maranello, Zanardi, Jade, or Tonykart chassis. Sessions will be 15 mins long (which is expected to be approximately 15 to 18 laps per session) and will use the short circuit at Whilton Mill.

Sessions will run from 10am until 4pm and can only be pre-booked in advance, selecting your chassis manufactuer choice to drive at the time of booking.

The cost is £40 per driver, per session. Extra sessions can be purchased subject to availability.

Drivers must hold an "MSA Kart National A Licence" and must bring this on the day in order to test the KGP.

To book call 01527 889595, select option 2 and quote "Formula KGP taster session".

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Red Bull Kart Fight   (29/10)

On Saturday 27th October, sixty of the UK's fastest amateur go karters met at Buckmore Park, the training ground of British legends Button and Hamilton, to battle it out on the grid for the Red Bull Kart Fight UK Final.

After a tense start, the drivers focused their eyes on the prize in an effort to win the much acclaimed title of Red Bull Kart Fight UK Champion.  After a lot of sweat, burnt rubber and bumper to bumper action it was Joe Richardson from Basildon in Essex who took the well-deserved title in 08.02.07 minutes in a gripping seven lap fight to the finish line. Coming a close second was David Pittard from Letchworth in Hertfordshire with Matt Cornwall from Dartford in Kent stealing third place. A brilliant result for all three who qualified through the British University Karting Championship.

The lucky winner, Joe, secured the exclusive UK spot in the Red Bull Kart Fight World Final taking place in Italy in December where he'll have the chance to add the World Champion trophy to his cabinet. Not only this, all three podium winners have won a trip to the Red Bull Racing factory where they'll hang out with the F1 team to get top race tips and have the opportunity to train on the famous F1 simulator used regularly by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber as part of a rigorous training regime.

Joe Richardson, Red Bull Kart Fight UK Winner said, "It's awesome to win the championship, I feel very proud. It's a pleasure to be representing the UK in the Red Bull Kart Fight World Final, I'll be sure to put up a good fight in Italy!"

For more information visit www.redbullkartfight.co.uk.

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October Update   (25/10)

As Super 1 draws to a close, Connor Mills put the finishing touches to a memorable year by securing the British championship for Minimax after the 1st final!

Oliver Myers also took a fine 3rd in his last Junior race and Andrew Cole took a respectable 4th place in 177.
 
As our fleet of hire engines are returned now the season is finished, Grice can offer Minimax, Juniormax and Seniormax drivers a test to enable their dreams to be realised for 2013. These engines are available to hire or buy so please call to arrange your test.
 
We can also ultrasonically clean and prepare your carb. At £60, a sure fire way to improve your lap times in any class.
 
Lastly, we will be taking delivery of our Sports Devices rolling road at end of October. This facility will enable Grice to match each engine to the best selection of ancillaries you can provide. Please call us to discuss and make a booking.
 
Contact Ricky Grice @ Grice Racing on 01268 727847, 07768 047253, or email Ricky.grice@virgin.net.

You can also visit our website at Griceracingengines.com.

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Dittmann Takes KZ Title   (24/10)

As the team headed to Shenington for the last round of the Super4 Championship there was only 1 point separating three drivers, so all was to play for.
 
With 3 heats to determine the grid for the final Mat Dittmann was in no mood to be beaten, taking 2 heat wins. This gave him a 7 point lead and pole going into the final.

As the lights went green Dittmann immediately took the lead and started to open up a gap over his rivals. As the laps run down only James Glenister  was in striking distance.

On the last lap Glenister put a hard move on Dittmann into Bruno chicane and forced him off the circuit, but a great recovery allowed Dittmann to follow Glenister across the line and  become the new British Champion.

Afterwards Mat said, "we so deserve this, we have worked so hard as a team, to constantly developed the engine and chassis set up, to beat the opposition."

Richard Palmer was not so fortunate in the heats and started near the back, but a great drive saw him come through to 5th setting the fastest lap of the day with Mat 2nd fastest.

Team Owner Mark Brookman said "this has been a great year, yes  we have worked very hard, but Mat is a great driver and very consistent, the Vortex RVXX is definitely the engine to beat .

We have won every single title this year with Mat the British Champion and Richard Palmer the ABKC O plate Champion, short circuit GP, Long circuit GP and Masters Champion."

The team will now take a short break before it starts work on the 2013 campaign.

Next year the team will be supporting the British champs and Super1 is going to run a 3 round series, so we are looking for drivers interested in joining the team. Test drives will be available prior to any commitment on the Tonykart/Vortex KZ.

For more details or to discuss your requirements contact Mark on 0127 626582 or 07889 846991.  You can also email us to mkracing@talktalk.net or visit our website at www.mkracing.uk.com.

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International Coaching Success   (24/10)

As reported recently the Federation of Automobile Sports Clubs of the Peoples Republic of China (FASC) in a determined drive for excellence approached Protrain to provide the benefit of their renowned expertise in coaching and developing 11 of their finest and most successful karting stars.
 
The FASC invited three of Protrain's highest qualified and most experienced MSA instructors to go to China to deliver two Young Driver projects, the first of which would sit alongside their existing Performance Master Class framework, and the second of which was for training and coaching at the Nanhui circuit in Shanghai.
 
Over three days Gary Chapman, Martyn Smithers and Adam Leftley delivered classroom sessions as well as highly valuable on track coaching.
 
With the focus firmly on stretching the talents of these highly experienced and talented karters the team focused on individual and team development areas including racing lines, braking, throttle, steering, vision, race craft and visualization.
 
The one to one sessions made a great impression on all of the drivers with everyone achieving improvements in all the areas they had highlighted and many they had not!
 
The organisers, drivers and the Protrain instructors were thrilled with the outcomes achieved over the three days with all drivers commenting very positively on the impact of the sessions.
 
Extending thanks to the FASC, Gary Chapman commented, "It was an absolute pleasure to work with the organisers, management and Drivers of the FASC. The interpreters brilliantly assisted during the whole event to be sure that every element of our training was fully understood.  The driving standard was already high but we were pleased to be able to see improvements right from day one."
 
You could be forgiven for thinking that such a call is rare but with ex Protrain driver's such as Jack Hawksworth now 2012 Champion of the Star Mazda series leading to Indy Lights and Autosport McLaren driver of the year candidate leading on the world stage and repeated successes on tracks worldwide Gary Chapman is regularly receiving calls from karting newcomers to high achieving drivers worldwide wishing to hone their driving skills to achieve that extra edge.
 
Imperative to Gary is the quality of coaches and instructors he works with, each one of them is individually selected by him to operate at the highest possible level to achieve maximum results. Combining their experience with Gary's own karting pedigree and years of coaching creates the unique recipe for success which is being sought out worldwide.
 
The Protrain diary is regularly filled with a fully international selection of drivers coming over for short or long spells to benefit from the Protrain coaching experience. Over recent weeks and the near future Protrain are working with Gaurav Aggarwal from Delhi; who is in the UK for the Force India F1 Driver, and Pepo Simion from Romania amongst many more.
 
In addition to the drivers being coached and supported by the Protrain coaching and training division are the many international drivers in the Protrain race team in EuroMax and Super 1 giving the Protrain awnings a truly international feel.
It's never too late for expert coaching, give Protrain a call and see how you could benefit.
 
For more information on Professional coaching for you or your driver call Protrain on 01280 814774.

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1st KartForce Challenge Cup   (24/10)

This weekend was a major milestone for KartForce.

The RAFMSA, together with the support of Silver Fox Karting and South Wales Karting Centre at Llandow organised this event to raise funds for us, the RAFBF and ABF. As it was such a huge success, this will become an annual event that will be the final race of the annual Inter Services Karting Championships.

It was an excellent day - fantastic sunshine and nose-to-nose racing. We entered 2 teams and even after several enforced stops due to mechanical problems, the lads came 12th and 18th.

However, this was only part of what made this weekend so special. Ken Denscombe and Colin Lipscomb, owners of SilverFoxKarting had a surprise for us. We've raced against SilverFoxKarting a few times this year and they were so impressed by the lads determination and performance on the track that they decided to build us a brand new racing kart. This was supported by funds donated by Blewin Dolphin, who also entered a team and raced against us.

Many other companies contributed towards this kart so we have a long list of people to thank. Please see all the contributors on the image below.

This weekend was one we will remember for a long time. It means so much to get all this support and encouragement from so many people. The truth is, the lads don't truly appreciate how much they've achieved in such a short amount of time, with very limited equipment and funding. So when we're bombarded with all this sort of support it's hard for to sink in that's this is everyone's way of showing their admiration and respect.

It's moments like this that make us overflow with pride to be British. From all of us at KartForce, "Thank you!"

For more information on KartForce visit www.kartforce.org.

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New Wet Weather Tyres   (23/10)

Formula TKM classes will switch to a new Maxxis wet weather tyre starting in January completing the upgrade of the class to new age 'green' specification tyres.
 
Maxxis Tyres and Tal-Ko Racing have used the opportunity of a change to re-assess the tyres and the new versions will have significantly different chemical and construction format.
 
The new tyres have a totally different tread pattern, and they will have a larger diameter to help cut through deep water. Testing has shown them to make control much easier and to cut lap times significantly.
 
But while they will be quicker - by maybe as much as 2 seconds a lap - vitally they will still have excellent durability.
 
Alan Turney, from Tal-Ko Racing, owners of the TKM classes, said "When we brought out the new slick tyre two years ago we said they would be faster yet more durable than the old tyres and we were exactly right. They achieved the seemingly impossible.
 
"We believe these new wet tyres will do exactly the same thing. We felt it important that, especially for newcomers into the Junior class from Cadets, that they would appreciate tyres which make driving a little easier."
 
The new tyres, which will have red and white labels, will be available from late November for those who wish to go testing. They will become useable for racing from January 1, though for club racing the older wet tyres will still be useable until April 1.
 
The new wet tyres will incorporate bar coding and will be on a similar price level to the existing tyres. Tal-Ko will be issuing further technical advice details before next year and the tyres will be on display at the Kartmania Show on the Tal-Ko stand.

For more information on Formula TKM visit www.tal-ko.com.

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Kimbolton Success   (22/10)

A fantastic first Mini max race for Max Wieteska after only a handful of test days on the kart. He lined up on P3 for the final after consistent heat finishes.
 
Teammate Aaron Drury chased 1st place for most of the race as the Global Karting pair worked together. As the closing laps came Drury took 1st place with Wieteska tucked up behind. Unfortunately on the last lap Wieteska was pushed wide, finishing a credible 3rd place.
 
The team were very pleased with both drivers finishing on the podium giving the CRG KT1 B a very strong showing.
 
Greg Finke took a solid victory in the masters category showing the speed within the team.
 
Global Karting are offering tests on the CRG KT1 B over the winter and invite you to try for yourself.
 
For all enquiries please call Rob on 07957 463 109 or Mike on 07917 116 308. Or alternatively e-mail robhanscomb@me.com.

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CIK-FIA World Karting Champs   (22/10)

Although he won all 4 races on the programme for the second event of the World Championship, Briton Tom Joyner was still not able to prevent Italian Flavio Camponeschi donning his first world crown at the circuit in Macau, and Felice Tiene, on the podium twice on Sunday, finished third.
 
Starting in Suzuka, Japan, in May, the CIK-FIA World Karting Championship reached its climax last weekend in Macau. After the double success of Briton Tom Joyner (LH-BMB) on an action-packed Saturday, no conclusion had been reached prior to the last two races of the season, scheduled for Sunday.
 
Race 3: And it was number three for Joyner!  Ideally placed to take his first world title, Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart-Vortex) had no intention of putting himself in a vulnerable position in the last two races of the World Championship. Posting the fastest time in Qualifying Practice on Sunday morning, he brilliantly held the advantage of his pole position at the start of the first confrontation. Behind him, Max Verstappen (CRG-TM) proved to be a little too optimistic on breaking for the hairpin and pushed the Italian off the ideal line. Receiving a 10-second penalty after the race, the Dutchman, who crossed the finishing line in 3rd place, was relegated to 17th position. As for the championship leader, he had once again to fight his way through the pack after finishing the first lap back in 12th place. Rewarded for his efforts with the points for 5th place, Flavio was almost guaranteed the title. "Only Daiki Sasaki can still beat me, but he will definitely have to win with me scoring no points," Flavio explained. Only 10th at the end of this race, the Japanese driver for the Kosmic team knew his task would be difficult...
 
Once again one man dominated in race 3. Having won twice already on Saturday, Tom Joyner (LH-BMB) had such a taste for the victory champagne that he grasped the opportunity of a third success with a superb manoeuvre to overtake Max Verstappen at the end of the race. Ben Hanley (ART GP-TM) ended his climb back from 15th place on the grid to finish in an excellent 2nd position. With Verstappen penalised, the lowest step on the podium was taken by the Italian Felice Tiene (CRG-BMB), just ahead of his team-mate Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-BMB) and Flavio Camponeschi. Just outside the top 5, Pedro Hiltbrand (FA Kart-Vortex) led the young local hero Andy Chang (Tony Kart-Vortex), who drove brilliantly on home soil, the Pole Karol Basz (Birel-Parilla), the Italian Eddy Tinini (CRG-BMB) and Daiki Sasaki.
 
Race 4: Joyner uncompromising.  Although the title appeared practically to have been won by Flavio Camponeschi before the last race of the 2012 World Championship, the contest for the other places on the podium was still very open. Having already taken maximum points over the weekend as a whole (only 3 results out of 4 per event are taken into account for the final classification), Tom Joyner had no intention of missing out on another victory. Although he was forced to concede to attacks by Felice Tiene and Ben Hanley, the spearhead of the LH Racing Team soon recovered the lead, which he held to the flag for his fourth consecutive success (a record this year), logically making him runner-up in the Championship. "To put it simply, it was the perfect weekend," said the 20-year old Briton. "I arrived here under no pressure because things did not go as I would have wanted at the first Event in Suzuka. So, on the face of it I had no chance of taking the title. But everything went brilliantly, we worked well as a team and we were extremely fast all weekend, to the point of winning four races!"
 
Finishing heir apparent to Joyner in the last confrontation, Felice Tiene took 3rd place in the Championship at the expense of Daiki Sasaki. Among the contenders for the title at the beginning of the year, Karol Basz ended a difficult season by climbing onto the podium despite everything. But the happiest of all was of course Flavio Camponeschi! At the foot of the podium this time, the 20-year old Italian nonetheless became World Champion for the first time in his career. "Naturally I'm very happy," said the delighted representative of the Tony Kart Racing Team. "In Suzuka, I was very fast and I was fairly successful. Although I was also fast here, as I proved with my second and first places in Qualifying Practice, this weekend was more difficult. I built my title at Suzuka, but I think my best race was the one I drove at the end of yesterday, when I climbed from 30th to 2nd position."
 
With the final podium for the World Championship made up of Flavio Camponeschi, Tom Joyner and Felice Tiene, this last race also gave a 5th place to Ben Hanley ahead of local Andy Chang, who will not be forgetting his first participation in the World Championship. Winner of a race in Suzuka, in the opening event, Davide Foré (CRG-BMB) saw his dreams of as fifth world crown disappear over the weekend. Classified 7th in the last race, he took 6th place in the Championship. The top 10 for the last confrontation was completed by the Japanese Takashi Kasai (Tony Kart-Vortex), Eddy Tinini and the Indonesian Yasuo Senna Iriawan (Kosmic-TM).
 
The Asia-Pacific KF3 Championship was also fought in Macau, and it was the young Indian driver Jehan Daruvala, protégé of the Force India Formula 1 team, that won the sprint and the Championship.
 
Having taken pole position, winning three Qualifying Heats and then the Prefinal, Jehan Daruvala (Kosmic-Vortex) logically then took the Final of the Asia-Pacific KF3 Championship. The 14-year old Indian, from the Sahara Force India Academy established by the Formula 1 team, did not finally take command until just 400 metres from the chequered flag. Before that, Jehan had to fight tooth and nail with Japanese driver Sato Marino (Maddox-Parilla). Leading at the start of the race, the Japanese gave the Indian as good as he got when the latter took the lead for a short time, but then when he had practically won the battle, Sato Marino made a slight mistake which cost him the victory.
 
The duel between the two leaders completely eclipsed the fight among those following. Succeeding in escaping the pack mid-race, the Japanese Joe Ishida (Kosmic-Vortex) took third place on the podium ahead of a trio consisting of the Hong Kong Driver Jacky Chan (CRG-BMB), the Thai Sasakorn Chaimongkol (Intrepid-TM) and the Singaporean Amin Noorzilan.

For all the information concerning the CIK-FIA competitions, live results and photographs visit www.cikfia.com.

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Formula BMW Talent Cup   (19/10)

Jules Szymkowiak (NL) has won the first scholarship shoot-out for the 2013 season of the Formula BMW Talent Cup. The 17-year-old beat twelve competitors in a multi-stage rating system on the demanding Red Bull Ring (AT), which was booked exclusively by BMW for the occasion. The runners-up were Benjamin Mazatis (DE) in second place and Paul Höckfelt Jr. (SE) in third place. This victory has secured Szymkowiak a scholarship worth 35,700 euros (incl. 19% German VAT), which goes towards the cost of participating in the 2013 season of the Formula BMW Talent Cup.
 
The scholarship shoot-out on the Red Bull Ring was the first of three such shoot-outs being held as part of the selection programme for individuals interested in participating in the Formula BMW Talent Cup. The next shoot-out is scheduled to take place at the Lausitzring (DE) on November 11, 2012, while the third and final shoot-out will take place on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia (ES) on November 25. There are only a handful of places still available for these two dates.
 
There are also other ways for people with an interest in formula racing to get their first taste of it, in addition to the scholarship shoot-outs. Kart racers who have yet to gather any experience behind the wheel of a formula racing vehicle can take part in special rookie tests that introduce them to the basics of formula racing. And for drivers with some formula racing experience already under the belt or who have previously participated in a rookie test, there are further full tests. The aim of the Formula BMW Talent Cup is to comprehensively and sustainably prepare talented drivers for a career in professional motorsport.
 
Information on registering for the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup and details of all the test and shoot-out dates can be found on the BMW Motorsport website at: http://bit.ly/Formula_BMW_Talent_Cup_2013_Registration.
 
Jules Symkowiak, winner of the scholarship shoot-out at the Red Bull Ring: "Having the opportunity to drive a BMW FB02 type formula racing car on the Red Bull Ring was a unique experience. I've already learnt a lot about formula racing and I felt like a part of the trainee team right away. My victory has really motivated me ahead of the start of the 2013 Formula BMW Talent Cup season."
 
You can find more information on the Formula BMW Talent Cup at www.formula-bmw.com. In addition, you can also watch video summaries of the 2012 events on the BMW Motorsport YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/BMWMotorsport.

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Further Karting Innovation   (19/10)

Over the past three years TAG Heuer have made great steps in bringing sector timing to karting events in the UK through it's association with both Formula Kart Stars and more recently Super One.  This year the addition of a comprehensive and robust live timing solution was added to further enhance the results service offered for competitors, teams, families, friends and sponsors alike with more innovative products and services planned for 2013.
 
The last round of the 2012 Rotax and Honda Super One series held at Shenington Kart Club on the 13th/14th October was the perfect setting for TAG Heuer UK to showcase new technology to the UK karting scene.
 
David Jones of Sports Timing Systems, the UK distributor for TAG Heuer timing products attended the event to provide a demonstration of the TAG Heuer Photo Finish camera along with a speed trap to help control driver speeds on the approach to the start of a race.
 
The high speed start line camera produced by TAG Heuer in association with their technical partner Finish Lynx offers timing accuracy at 1/3000th of a second and provides a totally independent backup from the transponder timing system.  With close finishes becoming common place in karting and regular race and championship finishes being decided on  thousandths of seconds, the camera offers not only unbeatable timing accuracy with its integrated temperature controlled crystal oscillator but a clear image directly on screen in timekeeping which is saved throughout the event and can be recalled if any dispute should arise. Within seconds, visual evidence to satisfy any discrepancies is available for officials, media, public and spectators and can be disseminated via internet almost instantaneously.
 
The TAG Heuer by Lynx camera can also be utilised as visual evidence of any driver moving out of sequence at the start of a race.
 
Alongside this TAG Heuer also supplied a photo cell speed monitoring solution that could help control the approach speeds of karts to the start line.  This system was run stand alone over the weekend and only for information purposes but the plan is to fully integrate this with the timing software over the winter break to enable starts to be better monitored and reduce first corner incidents. 
 
Ian Rogers, timekeeper for the Super One series commented "I have been working closely with TAG Heuer for the past three years and during that period they have brought many innovations to the UK karting scene.  The photo finish camera is an excellent piece of equipment and the perfect backup to any timing system, as karting becomes higher profile we need to make sure that we are giving our customers the best available standards".
 
For further information on the TAG Heuer range of products contact David Jones of Sports Timing Systems on 01782 561734 or via the web at www.sportstimingsystems.co.uk.
 
Further technical information can also be found at http://bit.ly/T2CBqh.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Autosport Charity Kart Race   (19/10)

The Autosport International Charity Karting Challenge (AIKC) will be hosted by Johnny Herbert in January 2013 at the Birmingham NEC, and will feature a number of changes. In addition to expanding the length of the race to bring it in line with Johnny's previous karting event - it will now run for three hours, taking place on the Friday evening of the show weekend - the involvement of celebrity drivers has been reviewed to make the race more exciting for the participants and spectators alike. All proceeds from the 2013 race will go to The Alzheimer's Society (charity no.: 296645), in memory of late British IndyCar Champion, Dan Wheldon (1978 - 2011).

The changes form part of a longer-term plan for the AIKC, with the aim to develop the already-strong fundraising platform into the most anticipated yearly karting event in the UK. Working closely with the show's organisers, the 2013 event will be managed by JHKC's Roy Craig, and Race Drivers Inc. MD, Baz Scott.

"Johnny Herbert's Karting Challenge has become a favourite among drivers over the years, and we've had some fantastic guests", commented Roy Craig. "The Autosport partnership is just what was needed to take both events to the next level".

"Over the last few years we have staged a popular Charity Kart Race at the Show and we look forward to welcoming Johnny Herbert's Karting Challenge and working with Race Drivers Inc." commented Ian France, Show Director, Autosport International.

"Hosting the Karting Challenge at Autosport International will open up a new chapter in the history of the event. Autosport International showcases everything that is motorsport, and karting is where it all starts for the majority of racing drivers," Johnny enthused.

"The 2013 challenge will be run in conjunction with Race Drivers Inc., and I thank Baz for his invaluable input. Thanks also to Roy, who has been involved with running my event for nineteen years. During that time we have raised many thousands of pounds for worthy causes and this time it's the turn of The Alzheimer's Society to benefit."

More information can be found on the Autosport International Show website at www.autosportinternational.com and the Johnny Herbert Karting website at www.johnnyherbertkarting.co.uk.

Enquiries regarding the event should be sent to aikc@racedriversinc.com.

Photographs courtesy of Envision Images (racing) and Jakob Ebrey (Johnny Herbert profile).

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CIK-FIA World Karting Champs   (19/10)

The international gaming capital Macau will this weekend be the venue for the Final of the World Karting Championship.  With roulette in Macau, everyone can dream, but to achieve even the slightest success, contenders for the world crown know perfectly well that they will have to rely not on chance but on their talent and race-craft. The Italian's Flavio Camponeschi, Felice Tiene and Davide Foré have to beat Japanese driver Daiki Sasaki, but in Macau every scenario can be envisaged and anyone could take the jackpot!
 
For several years now, Macau has been the world gaming capital. This former Portuguese colony, today a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, has in fact taken over from Las Vegas in the global classification. In Macau, nothing seems to be impossible. Grand hotels stand side by side rivalling each other in ingenuity in their individual efforts to be more attractive than the others. And it works well! Every year Macau attracts some 25 million tourists, most arriving to try their luck in one of the more than 30 casinos, open 24 hours a day.
 
Not too far from there, on the island of Coloane, the Macau International Circuit is buzzing with activity. Between the huge buildings under construction, the paddock resembles an ants' nest. For two days, drivers and their teams, all installed in identical tents, try to find the ideal settings during non-qualifying practice. On Saturday, the pressure will mount a notch or two with the first Qualifying Practice session and two races attributing points for the Championship. But it will probably be necessary to wait until Sunday to know who will take the title in the 49th World Karting Championship.
 
Leader in the intermediate classification with his three wins during the first meeting in Suzuka, Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart-Vortex) knows that he cannot rely simply on luck. "To be honest, I never gamble. But if I am World Champion on Sunday, I could be tempted to have a flutter!" the Italian smiles. "I love this track, but I know the task will be difficult. My lead is only 15 points and anything can happen here."
 
Although the Italian refused to make any predictions, that was not the case with the second man, Daiki Sasaki (Kosmic-Vortex). "If I had to talk about myself and the title, I would say that my chances are 8 out of 10,"the Japanese Driver says playfully. "Last year I won the Asia-Pacific Championship here. And although I have been focussing on the Japanese Formula 3 Championship, where I won the second division with my Dallara-Toyota, I have been driving karts a great deal as I'm a test driver for Bridgestone tyres. So I'm more or less on the pace, and I'll be giving it everything this weekend. My primary aim is to take pole position for the first race on Saturday!"
 
Winner of the KF2 World Cup in Zuera a month ago, Felice Tiene (CRG-BMB) is now dreaming of taking the CIK-FIA World Championship, the most important title in the karting world. "Don't ask me to bet!" explained the Italian. "One day I gambled 40 euros in the casino and I lost the lot. So I'm finished with betting! But I intend to take my championship chances to the very end. During free practice, we've been working to find the best settings. One of the more important factors here will be tyre preservation. The track is very slippery and so the tyres will suffer more than elsewhere. It will not be enough just to be fast on a lap; consistency will be vital in the two races on Saturday ... before returning on Sunday!"
 
The most experienced of the four title contenders, Davide Foré (CRG-BMB) shares the view of his young team-mate. "The tarmac is special here," he stresses. "It's difficult to find grip. And the more you slide the more you wear your tyres. As we'll be fighting two 20-lap races with the same tyres, that's bound to be a key factor." Already four-times World Champion, the Italian knows that he is not best placed. 28 points behind, his fate is not solely in his own hands. But between his first world title in 1998 and his last in 2006, Davide finished on the final podium 7 times out of 9. And he plans to do so again this year. "Of course I hope to be champion," says the driver who celebrated his 38th birthday last July. "But I've only driven non-gearbox karts very little this year. Since Suzuka, I have only had one test day. And the competition is fierce with Camponeschi, Sasaki, Tiene and also Verstappen. So it will be extremely difficult. Let's say I give myself a 5 out of 10 chance of taking the title. But the most important thing for me is the result for the CRG Team."
 
Speaking of Max Verstappen (CRG-TM), Davide Foré does not exclude the Dutchman from the title race. Sixth in the intermediate classification, 43 points behind, the son of the former Formula 1 driver only has a mathematical chance of taking a first world crown. He would be better aiming for part victories without thinking too much about the Championship. By posting the best time in non-qualifying practice on Friday, he certainly confirmed that he should not be ignored! Behind the Dutchman are Felice Tiene, the Spaniard Pedro Hiltbrand (FA Kart-Vortex), the Briton Tom Joyner (LH-BMB), the amazing Hong-Kong Driver Matthew Solomon (Kosmic-TM) and the Briton Ben Hanley (ART GP-TM). Title contenders Davide Foré and Flavio Camponeschi took 7th and 8th places in an official combined classification for all the sessions. As for Daiki Sasaki, he was a little further back (in 12th place), but only 3 tenths from the fastest time of the day. So everything is to play for in Qualifying Practice and the first two races scheduled for Saturday, and don't forget, karting fans around the world can follow the racing live on the site www.cikfia.tv at 13.30 and 15.15 local time (07.30 and 09.15 Central European Time & 06.30 and 08.15 British Summer Time). On Sunday, the last two races of this exciting season will be broadcast at 11.20 and 15.30 local time (05.20 and 09.30 Central European Time & 04.20 and 08.30 British Summer Time).

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Tooley Motorsport   (18/10)

The last round of S1 for the team is always important, it shows the progression of the year and sets the mark for the up and coming races throughout the winter. The team consisted of 5 drivers, Jordan Brown Nutley, Dan Mcauley and Dan Zelos in mini max, and in junior Ross Gunn and Greg Mckenzie.

In Mini max Mcauley was on the pace throughout the whole weekend but had terrible luck, having not completing qualifying due to avoiding a crash, to then being knocked off with 2 laps to go in his 1st heat. But the youngster was still determined, setting off last in the pre-final he worked his way to a stunning 9th, this then put him on a good starting point for the main final. He sliced his way through and built a strong gap of 2 seconds to second place, which was soon to be his team mate Dan Zelos. Zelos had worked his way from 21st, and again had got into 2nd a pulled away from the pack, Mcauley knew he had a good gap so just brought it home nice and safe! On the other hand Zelos kept pushing and got within 2 tenths of Mcauley on the last lap, so a brilliant 1-2 for Tooley Motorsport! Brown-nutley was unfortunate to be knocked off on the first lap and lost his chain, Jordan is fast improving and will be a force to be reckoned with next year.

Gunn went into the last round 13 points behind the championship leader, we knew it would be a tall order so we had worked hard leading up to it. Mckenzie wasn't in with a chance of a number due to a bad start to the year, but he still wanted to improve his best finish and was on form to do so. The testing went well and the pace was there for both of them, Mckenzie having a 7th and 11th in his heats and Gunn dominating qualifying and his 2 heats. This put Gunn on pole and Mckenzie on 10, Greg having a brilliant start and at one point battling in the top 5, but to be knocked wide at the hairpin resulting in a top 15 finish. Ross again put in a stunning performance to win by a massive margin in the first final taking the championship lead by 7 points, which made the final 2 easier. Greg made a few mistakes and can hopefully learn from them but still was his best results to date this year. Gunn knew what he had to do to win the championship, having a good start whilst keeping the lead, he then dropped back to avoid any crashes and ended up 7th after slowing again on the last lap to avoid crashes, this was enough to give Gunn and Tooley Motorsport the number 1 plate again after having it last year in mini max.

The team also had drivers out at Rowrah in mini max and junior max, Ben Thompson taking the win from josh Skelton which was his first race in mini max, Jake Steele also put in a good performance to get 4th. Chad little and Hamish Baxter filled out the Junior max podium once again.

A big thanks to strawberry racing, John Davies at Force motorsport, Cream engines and Ogden motorsport. A great end to the year, and spaces are still available for 2013 for junior max and mini max. For further information please visit www.TooleyMotorsport.com.

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Super One Rotax Series   (18/10)

Several of the new champions had to fight hard for their titles at the last round of the Rotax Super One Series, others had an easier ride.  The meeting also determined the British drivers who will attend the Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal. 150 drivers raced at Shenington in Oxfordshire, the track in its 52nd year of operation, and the weather was kind.
 
TAG-Heuer UK demonstrated their high speed start line camera system at the meeting.  The Lynx camera can take 3000 frames per second and can be used to determine close finishes and missing transponders.
 
Honda Cadet:
Samuel Pooley, Chris Lulham and Luke Wooder were at the top of the timed qualifying session, whilst championship leader Sandy Mitchell only made tenth and Kiern Jewiss made no time at all. Both heats were won by Wooder as he tried to catch up on the points drop at PF International and put himself in a good position for the finals.  Rory Hudson had a setback with a one lap penalty in a heat. Pooley joined Wooder on the front row for the first final, several came off at the start including Lulham, Morgan Porter and Connor McCarthy but Wooder was establishing a lead with Jewiss leapfrogging Elliot Harvey then helping to push Wooder and himself clear. Harvey was trading third with Mitchell, relegating him to fourth on the last lap whilst Hudson had stormed through to fifth. The win was crucial for Wooder's title hopes as he entered the second final. Amazingly Mitchell catapulted into the lead demoting Wooder, but his lead was short lived as he fell back.  Wooder regained the lead momentarily only to fall to fifth and be forced to start the climb back through. Pooley it was who usurped Wooder, that was until Harvey settled into his pace and grabbed the lead, which would last to the chequer. Wooder came up to second whilst Mitchell was hung out to dry at the Café corner, dropping to seventh but battling back to fourth.  Jewiss tookWooder, but the latter's third place was good enough for the title by two points over Mitchell and Jewiss.  Wooder was quick to thank Project One, RPM engines and Dan Holland Racing for his success.
 
MiniMax:
Connor Mills was in the driving seat for the title if all went well, and he set himself up pefectly for the first final with two heat wins, Philip Rawson taking the other. Steven Prentice had a heat exclusion and £200 fine separately but won the repechage, where Flashman Finneran and Tristan Charpenter both were excluded. Mills would be joined on the front row of the first final by Lando Norris with Guan Yu Zhou and Harrison Thomas behind. Zhou was quick to move into the lead, Mills, Norris and Thomas right behind then a long train of karts queuing behind the Chinese driver's defence. Thomas Day was given a drive through for contact, dropping him out of eight. Thomas eventually managed a pass on Norris but as they fought Zhou got away clear by nearly two seconds. It emerged after the race that Mills had done enough to clinch the title, and he did not need to go out for the second final. Proving that small budgets can succeed, Mills has used the same kart and engine all year, never had the budget to practice and test at club meetings and used only one extra nose fairing throughout. Dave Wooder and Edward Tansley were amongst those off at the start of the second final, although Tansley reached eighth by the end of the race. Establishing himself at the head of a huge train of karts once again, Zhou was defending, but then Thomas ran into Rawson, Norris and Zhou who all went off the track, and Connor Hall took the lead, albeit soon to be passed by Daniel McAuley. Thomas had just taken the lead then he received a drive through penalty, but still came back to 14th.  Hugo Bently Ellis was having his second MiniMax race out of Cadets, his first in Super One, and finished seventh although he had been as high as third. McAuley's Tooley team mate Dan Zelos leapfrogged Finlay Hutchison, who later plummeted down the order to 21st whilst Rawson, Norris and Zhou were all climbing back after their off's to third, fourth and fifth. McAuley was absolutely delighted with his first rather unexpected win. Norris, Rawson and Zhou would finish the season in that order in the final points table behind champion Mills.
 
Junior Max:
Ross Gunn needed good results for the title, and he was definitely on form by topping timed qualifying over Jai Nijjar, Josh Price and Josh White then winning both his heats, Price the other. Ryan Anderton came out first in the repechage but his day didn't go well as he was excluded from the second final. Gunn and Price swapped the lead in the first final a couple of times early on, then Gunn got a break whilst Harry Webb was defending against the rest. Price had dropped back a little and indeed would only finish seventh after a 2s penalty was applied to Raoul Hyman. Danny Keirle had come past Tom Harvey and settled into third but putting pressure on Webb, with Oliver Myers and Jay Goodwin some way behind Harvey. Kyle Fowlie, running second in the points table, could only finish 19th after being fifth on the opening laps whilst White was excluded apparently for contact with Greg McKenzie. In the second final Keirle dived past Gunn to lead a couple of laps, but then was put back by Price who held on until the chequer. Myers followed through to second, but soon had to give way to Gunn, who traded the place with Keirle for a few laps. The local driver Keirle came out on top, whilst Gunn was shuffled back to seventh, still safe for the title over Fowlie who only managed tenth.
 
Max 177:
Lucas Orrock started off the weekend intending to race although he had clinched the title at the penultimate round, but after being fastest in timed qualifying, events in the first heat decided him against continuing. That left the way open for some great lead battles.  Tom Holland had a good break at the start of the first final, but was soon reeled in by Matthew Nicholson, Dominic Russell, Colin Davis and David Griffiths. Russell leapfrogged all the way to the head of the pack, with Holland pressing him hard on the last lap, whilst Nicholson was shuffled back to fifth as Davis maintained his advantage over Griffiths for third after having passed with a lunge at Park corner.  Although Holland had a very brief tenure of first place in the second final, Russell soon established himself in that spot whilst Griffiths and Holland tussled over second until he was forced into defending over the last couple of laps. Holland sliced underneath Russell at Stratford hairpin and whilst they held each other up Griffiths got the chance to speed past into the win.  Nicholson followed but was excluded so Russell and Holland were on the podium. Holland has beaten Griffiths to the runner up spot in the championship.
 
Rotax Max:
Sean Babington, already the EuroMax champion, needed to race for a minor place, the only mathematically possible challenger being Charlie Eastwood. Although fastest in qualifying and winning one heat, Babington only made fifth on the grid, whilst Oliver Hodgson and Harrison Scott won the other heats. Eastwood's challenge disappeared after he and Daryl Henderson were shunted into the tyres at the start of the first final, so a cruise to a steady fourth was more than enough for Babington to seal the title and decide not to race any further. Hodgson soon lost the lead to Harrison Scott, with Ash Hand splitting them and pulling away at the front. Ed Brand ran into Josh Collings and was excluded so would start at the back of the second final.  That turned out to be disastrous as a huge pile up at the first hairpin destroyed his kart. Scott gradually went clear of the battle for second between Hodgson, James Singleton and Hand who finished in that order after Hand was given a one place penalty.
 
Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals:
The drivers selected for the Grand Finals (subject to them accepting the invitation) are:
Junior Max: Ross Gunn and Kyle Fowlie
Senior Max: Charlie Eastwood and Oliver Hodgson (Sean Babington & Harrison Scott already have their places).
DD2: Lucas Orrock and Tom Holland
DD2 Masters: David Griffiths and Colin Davis
 
Results and championship information is available at www.superoneseries.com.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Jack Barlow Shines   (18/10)

Kart star Jack Barlow impressed on his maiden run in Mark Godwin Racing's BARC Renault car at Brands Hatch (10 October).
 
The highly-rated, multiple-title winner intends to make the transition from karts to cars and is considering both the new Formula 4 series and the established BARC Renault championship as the possible launch pad for the next phase of his career.
 
Barlow tested Formula BMW machinery in 2011, at Valencia and Rockingham, but chose to concentrate on karting. Now he says the time is right to make the move: "I wanted to complete my education in karting and get some big wins under my belt. I've done that now and am ready to push myself in a new arena," he said.
 
Having previously tested MGR's car Intersteps car at Rockingham, Barlow was keen to work with the team again - albeit in a completely different environment: "I've only ever been to Brands as a spectator and hadn't sat in a Renault before Wednesday. It was quite a daunting prospect and the first time I ran into Paddock Hill Bend at speed I was like 'Wow!' I was really conscious of not damaging the car, so the morning session was pretty steady."
 
With excellent feedback from the engineers, driver coach Dean Smith and Godwin himself, Barlow began to push in the afternoon sessions and his lap-times fell.
 
MGR owner Mark Godwin commented: "It is fair to say that the Formula Renault is a big step from karting, so unsurprisingly, Jack took a while to feel really comfortable with the car moving around - particularly at high speed. Towards the end of the day, after completing over 200 laps, it was clear to see he was gaining confidence in the high levels of grip the car offers and began to exploit this more in the high speed corners."
 
A target lap time of around 46 seconds around the Indy circuit was set, with an added incentive of £5 jokingly waved in front of his visor. By the end of the day, he had achieved both. 

"Comments from the other drivers testing and our highly experienced driver coach, Dean Smith, were that Jack learned the circuit very quickly and had a really good awareness of the correct racing lines. He integrated into the team very well and was keen to learn from them. His feedback was very good for a driver with such little experience in single-seater racing cars. His pace and control in all the slow and medium speed corners was a match for the more experienced drivers we have been working with recently. I feel that after a structured test and development programme over the winter, Jack will likely be running at the front of whichever championship he chooses to compete in 2013."

Keep up to speed with Jack and his racing career by visiting www.jackbarlowracing.co.uk.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net (portrait image).

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Next-Gen Finish On Top   (17/10)

Next-Gen Motorsport ended the season on a high with a win at the final Super One round of the year, this caps a great debut season and now the team keenly looks forward to 2013 with there eyes this time firmly set on championship glory. 
 
The new team for 2012  has enjoyed an incredible first season with debut wins in both the Super One Series and Formula Kart Stars championship as well as becoming the Comer British '0' plate vice champions and Honda FKS vice champions all within the first 10 months of its existence....
 
2013 looks to build on its success with driver and personnel changes as well as a new state of the art awning soon arriving, Next-Gen Motorsport will be a force to be reckoned with both on and off the track.
 
We will be focusing on all the cadet class's next year including the new British championship IAME class.
 
Get in contact for your place on the grid in 2013 with Next-Gen, numbers will be limited to insure all drivers get maximum time and attention to improve and develop under one of the best driver coaches in the business.
 
Over the next few months we will be competing at various club meetings at PFI / GYG / Wigan / Shennignton / Whilton Mill and Rowrah, please dont hesitate to get in contact for more info about the team, to book in for a club meeting or for a personalised quote for the upcoming season.
 
Call David on 07525 741 401 or email dbc_11@msn.com.

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LKRC October Meeting   (17/10)

Lincolnshire Kart Racing Club are once again raising funds for Children in Need at their October club meeting, which also includes the last round of the NKF championship.

Over the past two years the club has raised in the region of £800, but this year with the help of the following kart traders who have kindly donated over £1100.00 in vouchers the club are hoping to raise even more.  The club will be auctioning the vouchers on Saturday lunch time, which will hopefully be broadcast by local BBC.

LKRC would like thanks the following traders for their generous support...
 
Kart Parts UK, Andy Fairless Racing, Dartford Karting, KKC, Steve Ogden, John Mills Engineering (JM), Force Motorsports, Project One, Kart David, Strawberry Racing and Kartune.

We also have vouchers for the Olde Barn Hotel and a family day at Centre Parks.
 
Weather and time allowing we will be organising other fund raising activities so please come and support this worthwhile cause and have a good weekend's racing!

For details on how to enter this meeting please visit www.lkrc.uk.com, or ring Julie on 0844 8000622.

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Lydd Winter Championship   (16/10)

Healthy grids and exciting racing - that was the score at Lydd on Sunday as the Winter Championships got underway on a bright but chilly day.

The two Cadet classes again provided the stand-out races of the day - with both Finals seeing plenty of lead changes and both decided by last corner manoeuvres.

Those two Finals also resulted in two drivers taking their first race wins - Alfie Glenie in Clubman after a great dice with Ben Harper and Harry Whiteley in Honda Cadet, with Sam Powell also claiming his first podium place in 2nd.
 
The other winners on the day were Marcus Shephard in ProKarts, Daniel Brett (Rotax 162), John Weatherley in Rotax 177, Johnathon Dunn (Junior Rotax), Michael Smith in Minimax, Matthew Taylor in Super Cadet and Joseph Doble in Comer Cadets.
 
The Bambinos saw Bradley Hardy secure victory by topping the times in all three timed runs, with Charlie Cole in 2nd and Callum Tadman 3rd.
 
Following the on track action, the Summer Championship trophies were presented and it was very pleasing to see all 11 Championship winners in attendance to receive the plaudits that their efforts had deserved. The 1st place trophies were so big that Charlie Humphreys (Bambino 4-stroke) was only marginally taller than his trophy!
 
The 2nd round is on November 11th, with Practice the day before as usual - all classes welcome. In addition, we have allocated Thursday 1st November as an Owner/Driver Practice day - this date being during the half-term school holidays.
 
You can keep up to date with what is going on by visiting the Circuit website at www.lyddkartcircuit.com or phone the Circuit on 01797 321895 to book or make enquiries.

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World Karting Champs TV   (16/10)

Thanks to the co-operation between TDM and CMC (which has been producing television reports for the CIK-FIA since this year), the second and last round of the World Karting Championship to be held at Macau on 20 and 21 October 2012 will have live broadcasting. In addition to the local channel Teledifusão De Macau, the www.cikfia.tv website will allow all Karting enthusiasts throughout the world to follow this event in real time. The commentry, in English, will be spoken by the acclaimed British commentator Ken Walker.
 
The four races will be broadcast live and in full. The first two races will take place on Saturday 20 October at 13h30 and at 15h15 local time (i.e. 06h30 and 08h15 for UK & Ireland) and the last two on Sunday at 11h20 and at 15h30 (04h20 and 8h30 in for UK & Ireland).
 
In order to find out if a British karter will succeed Nyck de Vries on the list of winners of this top competition of international Karting, why not click on www.cikfia.tv?

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Formula KGP   (15/10)

Autumn has arrived and the S1 season has concluded - congratulations to Jonathan Davies (Intrepid), crowned as Formula KGP S1 Champion for 2013.
 
The attention turns back to club racing for KGP - "The Continental Cup" is being held on November 3rd/4th 2012 at PFI. The meeting will celebrate the 1st anniversary of the bridge opening. You can enter online at http://tvkc.co.uk/beta/onlineentry/.
 
 Are you thinking about joining KGP for 2013?

You can hire complete KGP karts for this club meeting from...

Maranello UK - Maranello - contact Laury Curran on 07903 623348.
Litchfield Motorsport - Tonykart - contact Dave Litchfield on 07789 177977.
Intrepid UK - Intrepid/OK - contact Benjy Russell on 07585 448540.
Acrbirel - Birel - contact Andy Cox on 01527 889595.
Zarnardi UK - Zarnardi - contact Gary Ward on 07950 032519.
Jade Karts - Jade - contact Scott Allen on 01295 678188.
 
Engine hire is available from GFR Engines or Ogden Engineering.
 
Or, you can take advantage of our very special offer on KGP engines which has now been extended until Christmas!
 
Option 1 : Formula KGP engine complete with exhaust, engine mount, battery, Tryton 2 jet 26mm adjustable Carb.
(Normal RRP: £1695.00 + VAT) - Sale price: £1250.00 + VAT.
 
Option 2 : Formula KGP engine complete with exhaust, engine mount,battery, Tryton 2 jet 26mm adjustable Carb, Freeline Radiator, Freeline water pipes, Freeline water pump, Freeline air box and support, 1 set Vega XM KGP slicks:
(Normal RRP: £2131.00 + VAT) - Sale price: £1695 + VAT.
 
Option 3: Formula KGP short engine with engine mount only...
Sale price: £995 + VAT
 
All KGP engines come with a 12 month warranty (subject to Terms & Conditions), installation and engine user guide, BMB sticker pack and BMB spark plug.
 
Formula KGP is now in its second season in the MSA S1 series and racing at club level at PFI with the Trent Valley Kart Club. In 2013 Shenington KRC and Manchester and Buxton (Three Sisters) plan to offer KGP. The KGP engine is also gaining popularity for hobby drivers and track days and non-MSA events too and has a soft cell RPM limiter. The KGP engine weighs just 12KGS and a typical CIK chassis fitted with a KGP engine package weighs in at around 75KGS with fuel. Any kart with rear brake only can be raced in Formula KGP MSA events.
 
Formula KGP can be run by any UK kart club (subject to sufficent entries) and two weight divisions are available, Formula KGP Pro - 162kgs or Formula KGP Masters - 175kgs.
 
Formula KGP uses Vega XM tyres (Vega White). To give you an idea of the performance of Formula KGP it's approx 0.6 secs slower than a KF2 and around 1 second faster than a Rotax Max and around 2 seconds faster than a TKM Extreme.
 
Service schedules are recommended at 5 hours intervals for a top end service - piston and ring assy, piston pin, small end bearing and labour approx £145 + VAT.
 
A full rebuild service is recommended at 20 hours - piston and ring, piston pin, small end bearing, seals , bearings, con rod, gaskets and labour for approx £420.00 + VAT
 
With stable and strict engine regulations in place, race after race has shown that the KGP engine performance provides a level playing field for all drivers. Standard KGP engines have won S1 rounds straight out of the box both in 2011 and in 2012!
 
So if you are fed up of spending and spending chasing that illusive power you need to win or even be competitive why not take a look at our website www.kartgrandprix.co.uk, follow us on Facebook  - Kart Grand Prix UK, or call us on 01527 889595 and select option 2.

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World Karting Championship   (15/10)

Five months after the opening round held in Suzuka, Japan, the CIK-FIA World Karting Championship will reach its climax on the circuit of Coloane, one of the two main islands composing Macau. The Italian Flavio Camponeschi is dreaming of turning that Special Administrative Region of the Popular Republic of China into the scene of his maiden world title. Japan's Daiki Sasaki and Italy's Felice Tiene are however toying with the same ambition, just like the already four-time World Champion Davide Foré. And with four races still to go, many scenarios are possible!
 
It was at the end of May on the Suzuka circuit. By landing 3 out of the 4 races of the opening round of this 2012 World Championship, Flavio Camponeschi (Tony Kart-Vortex) had stricken a major blow. It is therefore as a comfortable leader that the Italian will arrive in Macau for the second and last meeting of the World competition. "After having competed in the European Championship and World Cup for the KF2 category with harder tyres, I shall be able to use again in Macau the special tyres placed at our disposal by Bridgestone", explained the Italian. "They are better fitted to my driving style and I hope to take again the road to success. I really want this title!"
 
Extremely motivated, Flavio is also aware that he will have to be cautious as with 4 races in two days (the 3 best results of which will be retained) many opponents can very well reverse the situation. The Japanese Daiki Sasaki (Kosmic-Vortex), impressive on his home land, will confidently reach this world final. One week after he won the second division of the Japanese Formula 3 Championship, Daiki will indeed have to find again a good rhythm since he has seldom been at the wheel of a kart this year. However, he likes Macau, where he landed last year's Asia-Pacific KF1 Championship, and he dreams of putting an end to his Karting career by donning the supreme crown. Although he is 15 points down on Camponeschi it therefore does not seem unsurpassable.
 
Likewise Felice Tiene (CRG-BMB) is on the way up. Laureate of the World Cup for KF2 at Zuera at the end of September, the Italian is 26 points behind and aware that he will not hold all the cards. But he is in high spirits, and his sole tactic will therefore be attacking!
 
Opposed to these three young Drivers, Davide Foré (CRG-BMB) is determined to utilise his experience. Despite the four world titles he already landed between 1998 and 2006, the 38 years old and most senior Driver in this competition shows a young up-an-coming Driver's dogged determination to win. His success in the fourth race in Suzuka has certainly given him wings, and Davide will not make this long trip just to do a walk-on part. After all, he is only 2 points down on his team-mate Tiene, and he knows only too well that anything can always happen...
 
It is a priori between these four Drivers that the world crown will be settled. Unlucky in Japan, where he was betrayed by his equipment, the Pole Karol Basz (Birel-Parilla) will have to hope for a miracle to win, just like the Dutchman Max Verstappen (he has switched to the CRG team since Suzuka and now disposes of a CRG-TM kart), who can regret having had a collision in the final Japanese race which cost him precious points. Also in the provisional Top 10, Britain's Tom Joyner (LH-BMB), Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-BMB) and Matthew Graham (Zanardi-TM) as well as the Indonesian Philo Paz Patric Armand (Tony Kart-Vortex) will aim at a glorious feat which would enable them to gain a few places in the hierarchy. It will also be worth following the Brit Ben Hanley (ART GP-TM), who will make a come-back to the top category of direct-drive karts after having stepped on the podium of the World Cup for KZ1 in early September. Finally, let us mention the presence of two Australians (Cian Tothergill and Matthew Waters, both on Kosmic-Vortex) among the 35 entries, and a strong Asian delegation with in particular the young Andy Chang Wing Chung (Tony Kart-Vortex), who will undoubtedly have all the public's favours as he will defend the colours of Macau.
 
The competitors will get down to business on Saturday morning with qualifying practice, which will determine the starting grid of the first of Saturday's two races. On Sunday, the slate will be swiped clean with another qualifying practice session and two races which promise to be thrilling. For the title candidates there is still be a long way to go before claiming the thrown!
 
Asia-Pacific KF3 Championship: 
In addition to the World Championship, Macau will also host the Asia-Pacific KF3 Championship. In this 13-15 year-old class there will be Thais, Indians, Japanese, representatives of Singapore and of Hong-Kong, and even an Australian. Unlike the World Championship of the top category, the Asia-Pacific Championship will be held over one decisive Final, scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Find all the information on the CIK-FIA competitions, live results and photographs on www.cikfia.com.

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OTK Spares Now Stocked   (12/10)

Kartpartsuk.com would like to let everyone know that we are now proud stockists of the entire range of OTK spares which are all available from stock, all with free delivery either through their fantastic and easy to use website www.kartpartsuk.com or over the phone on 01775 712633 where you can speak to a helpful member of the team that will be pleased to help you.
 
Kartpartsuk.com would also like to remind everyone that they offer free delivery on all their orders to UK Mainland addresses within Zone 2, on all of their products whether it be a single bolt or a complete engine there is no charge! Kartpartsuk have one of the widest stock choices available in the UK and with free next working day delivery and excellent customer service what are you waiting for. They stock everything from complete karts to Arai helmets and are constantly adding new products and ranges including the ever popular Frixa brake pads which they are now the sole UK distributor for.

Kartpartsuk are also stockists of the championship winning Gillard, Tonykart and Intrepid range of karts. There are karts and parts available for all drivers of any standard and budget. On top of their fantastic prices which they won't be beaten by any other kart shop, they also offer further great prices in there quantity discounts section.

If you would like any information on any of the products that we stock, or any of the 3000 spare part lines we have in stock then please contact us on 01775 712633, email info@kartpartsuk.com or visit the website which shows their entire product range - www.kartpartsuk.com.

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Win A Motorsport Website   (12/10)

At 5GCreative we have just launched an incredible competition as the off season approaches; the opportunity to win a fully branded custom website! 5G are one of the leading Motorsport marketing agencies, working with drivers from Formula 2 across to GT Open, Formula Renault BARC, Clio Cup, Formula Ford, Karting and many more.
 
 An entire Motorsport website package (worth well over £500) as well as one month of our social media programme and social media guide make up the prize.
 
The site will be custom made - every site made is unique. They aren't just unique either, they come built on one of the world's largest web management platforms, so you can add content and change pages whenever you like.
 
Entering is really simple, all you've got to do is fill out the form on the 5G site and the winner will be announced at the end of November. The only main criteria is that you've got an involvement in Motorsport, as either a driver, team or supplier. We're talking about a standard site, not ecommerce based - these cost a little more!
 
To enter the competition visit www.5gcreative.com/competition.

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British Kart Grand Prix   (12/10)

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is pleased to announce that Trent Valley Kart Club (TVKC) has won a tender process for the promotion of the MSA British (Short Circuit) Kart Grand Prix.

Having successfully run the event since 2006, TVKC will continue in its role for a further five years from 2013.

Nigel Edwards, TVKC Chairman, said: "TVKC is delighted to be awarded the tender to run the MSA British Kart Grand Prix, which has formed a major part of Kartmasters events in recent years. This new deal puts the club, based at PF International, in a very strong position to market and promote this prestigious event and confidence is high that it will go from strength to strength in the coming years."

Rob Jones, MSA General Secretary and Kart Committee Chairman, said: "Nigel and the team at Trent Valley Kart Club have always done - and continue to do - a great job as event organisers and the MSA is very pleased to be continuing its association with them by appointing the club as the MSA British Kart Grand Prix promoter for another five years."

For more information on Trent Valley Kart Club visit www.tvkc.co.uk.

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Get The Advantage At iZone   (11/10)

Getting ahead in Motor Sport is all about gaining advantages over your opposition, and if you want to win the the Ginetta Scholarship then you can maximise your chances by learning the Bedford Autodrome on our state of the art simulators.
 
Our coaches know exactly how to perfect the circuit in the Ginetta cars, and with only a few weeks left until the event there are limited time slots available at iZone.
 
To reserve your slot, call now on 01327 856872.

For more information on iZone visit www.izoneperformance.com.

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Team Vital Signs Jake Ball   (11/10)

Gary Rolfe of Team Vital congratulates their latest signing on their instant success, strengthening their driver line up even further for 2013.

The weekend of the 7th October would see Team Vital's latest signing Jake Ball back in the seat after an 18 month absence from both racing and testing in Senior Max. With strong performances in testing prior to race day for both Jake and his International Team mate the Colombian Nicolas Morales the first heat would see the Vital Motorsport run Team Drivers score an outstanding dominating victory with Jake, not only winning the first heat but also dominating this by over 3 seconds-a feat not often conquered against strong opposition. Strong finishes in the 2nd and 3rd heats would see their latest signing start from Pole Position, with Morales lining up in P5, with his strongest performance in the UK to date-proof showing that the hard-work and difficult schedule is becoming ever fruitful with this driver who will be a serious contender in the near future for podiums and race wins.

The final would see Ball drive a commanding lights to flag victory, posting fastest laps of the race, unable to be hunted for the optimum place, winning by over a 2 second margin - an excellent feat considering the lack of race experience being out of the seat for such a period of time. Morales would reach 2nd place at the beginning of the race but with lack of race experience found himself further down the final placement order though again a very strong showing from this ever improving driver.

The Vital Race Team would also have Daniel Wood present lining up in the Junior Class, after 4 weeks out of the Kart Dan came back with stronger than ever with strong heat results in his 2nd and 3rd heats lapping faster than his more experienced rivals this would have been encouraging for a strong final starting position though due to a DNF in the first heat this put paid to his chances in the final. Although an extremely encouraging drive from the back of the field this showed that Dan now has the pace to run with his more experienced rivals which will see him propel up the finishing order.

Gary Rolfe, Team Manager of the Vital Motorsport Race Team comments "The future is very exciting with such a driver line up, already consisting of our confirmed Junior drivers with a new Junior driver due to be released very soon, but this now also includes Jake Ball and Nicolas Morales in the Senior Max Class. This proves that not only do we have the resources to win races but to also do so with Jake who has been out of the seat for 18 months against strong competition puts paid to our effort and hard work whereby always making the commitment that is required to win races. I very much look forward to a long and rewarding future with both these drivers".
 
The Vital Motorsport Team now set their focus on continuing their pace and podium results at forthcoming races through their hectic winter schedule. If you are interested in being part of the Vital Motorsport Success Story with their strong form, then please do not hesitate to contact Gary Rolfe.

Vital Motorsport are now, already taking signings for 2013, with drives available in the UK, Winter Cup, Euro Max, International Open, Pan-American & Florida Winter Tour Championships. Contact Gary Rolfe to enquire for a sensible quote or an informal chat on 07725 367043 (mobile), 01525 211874 (office), or email Gary@Vital-Motorsport.co.uk.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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BPKC Summer Champs   (11/10)

The sixth round of the Buckmore Park Kart Club Summer Championship on Sunday 21st October.

All ABkC non gearbox classes are welcome including Bambino and Subaru and this is the last meeting before the Henry Surtees' Memorial Honda Cadet Trophy Race in November's meeting.

Open Practice is available on both Friday 19th and Saturday 20th October.

Please contact Chris Pullman/Sheila Rose on 01634 661604 for more details. Online booking is available.

Full details are available at www.buckmoreparkkartclub.co.uk.

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Lydd Winter Series   (11/10)

Following a very successful Summer Series of racing at Lydd Kart Circuit, we're now getting ready for the start of our Winter Series this weekend - 13th & 14th October.

Investment in the circuit has started to pay dividends as competitors return to one of the UK's friendliest clubs. We're looking to build on that success as we head into the Winter Series of non-MSA racing by welcoming a bumper entry to the first of 6 rounds for the Winter Series, with the best 5 rounds to count.

All classes are welcome including Bambino, Honda Cadet, Clubman, Super Cadet, Senior Rotax and 177, and Prokarts.

Open practice will be held on Saturday 13th October followed by heats and finals racing on Sunday 14th.

For more information and to reserve your space on the grid contact us on 01797 321895, or visit our website at www.lyddkarting.com.

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IAME UK Jetting Software   (10/01)

IAME UK distributors of new 2013 IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Cadet engine, in partnership with Jet-Tech Motorsport, the world's No. 1 producer of Kart Jetting and Setup software, announce the launch of a new software product designed to accurately set up and jet the Tillotson HL394A carburettor supplied with the engine. The new software product, called IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting is available exclusively from IAME UK.

With drivers no longer able to 'adjust' the carburettor jets whilst racing coupled with the new MSA regulations restricting adjustment in the pits, the ability to correctly set the high and low jets and pop-off pressures before hitting the track, will be critical to getting the best overall performance from the engine. The only way to do this accurately is to set the carburettor up relative to the weather conditions prevailing at the time. This is where IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting software comes into its own.

Using the unique Jet-Tech Dynamic Simulation Model which precisely models how the Tillotson HL394A carburettor works and by incorporating a unique calibration facility to exactly match your own individual engine/carb/exhaust combination and setup, the software takes the current weather information (temperature, humidity and pressure) and calculates the correct settings for the jets and pop-off pressures, displaying the settings instantly in an easy to understand format. This saves valuable time and costs by providing an instant, correct carburettor setup for the prevailing conditions and allows the team to focus on setting up the chassis and driver!

IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting software also incorporates Jet-Tech Fuel Lab which has been developed to help control jetting accuracy when fuel and oil brands are changed as a result of different championship rules or fuel quality is not controlled consistently. Jet-Tech Fuel Lab enables the user to easily incorporate the density of the fuel and oil mixture used in the jetting calculations.

In addition to jetting and pop-off pressures, IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting software will also provide the correct plug type/heat range information required.

Another feature of IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting software is Jet-Tech Air Lab. Developed to bridge the gap between the old, traditional approach to engine tuning and the modern computer based approach which fully utilises powerful advanced carburettor simulation software such as IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting, Jet-Tech Air Lab will calculate the atmospheric data which is then used to calculate the Dyno Correction Factor and Relative Horsepower, when testing engines to internationally accepted standards.

IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting software comes with a library of information including engine manual, Official MSA Fiche, Tillotson parts list and the MSA regulations. We have also included a number of articles from EvenFlow Driver Coaching designed to help your driver refine their driving. These articles have something for everyone - from seasoned kart racers to those who are new to the sport.

With a guaranteed accuracy of within 0.299%, IAME Gazelle 60cc UK Jetting software is available exclusively from IAME UK and costs just £99.00 - less than a set of tyres and an investment that will last for your whole Cadet career with future updates and full technical support all provided free of charge.

For further details and to order, visit www.iame.co.uk.

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Barlow Fights To The Finish   (10/10)

Jack Barlow delivered a fighting performance in the final round of the British Super One KF2 championship at Shenington in Oxfordshire (30 September).
 
A nasty crash during the opening laps of timed qualifying put-paid to his chances of claiming a good grid position for the two preliminary heats and he was forced to start from the back of the field.
 
"I'm not entirely sure what caused it," he explained, "I came out of a corner onto a fast straight and there were several karts stopped on the track ahead of me. I hit the brakes hard to avoid collecting any of them, but the driver behind me was unsighted and he ran into the back of my kart so hard that he drove over the top of me."
 
Neither Barlow or the other competitors were hurt and he went on to score 3rd and 2nd place finishes in the heats to line up on the front row of the grid for the first of Sunday's two finals.
 
The pole-sitter, Ben Barnicoat, jumped clear of the chasing pack immediately from the start, with reigning champion Mark Litchfield in hot pursuit and Barlow close behind. Knowing he could not afford to let his rival romp away into the distance, Jack mounted a spirited attack on Litchfield's 2nd place and his persistence paid off. He then reeled in Barnicoat, to set up a nerve-wracking run to the chequered flag.  
 
Seeing his chance, Jack powered alongside Barnicoat and they were wheel to wheel as they began to brake for one of Shenington's notoriously tricky corners: "We were neck and neck and touched. By the time I had recovered, it was game over," Barlow rued in the paddock after crossing the finishing line as the frustrated runner-up.  
 
As the field rocketed into the fast left-hander followed by a sweeping right and flat-out left combination of corners, Jack put the hammer down and swept into the lead at the start of the second final. Once he had fought his way clear of the pack, Barnicoat only had Barlow ahead of him and he began to chase him down. On the penultimate tour he snatched the lead under heavy braking for the circuit's first hairpin. Barlow responded by carrying more speed through the exit of the Chicane and powered back to the front. It was nail-biting stuff and the large crowd was standing on tip-toe as it tried to see every passing manoeuvre on the final lap.
 
Going up to the first Hairpin again, Barlow had a two to three kart-length advantage and so took the usual racing, rather than defensive, line into the corner. Barnicoat saw his chance and lunged down Jack's inside. He managed to scrabble through the corner with his nose just ahead of Barlow's Tony Kart. The remainder of the lap saw the Arai and adidas-supported teenager desperately trying to retake the advantage, but he was ultimately forced to accept 2nd place.
 
"I made a mistake," Jack admitted with characteristic honesty, adding "But it was the one that cost me the race. I needed to win both finals and for Ben and Mark to not finish, so it was always going to be an uphill task for me to nick the championship from either of them. Still, I'm proud that I took it down to the wire and never gave up. I've not had the best season in terms of luck but never stopped trying."
 
Jack will contest the final round of the Super One Rotax Max series, again at Shenington, this weekend (13/14 October) before turning his attentions to car racing: "This could be my last serious kart race in the UK. After that, I hope to graduate to the new Formula 4 Championship and would love to sign off my karting career with another victory."
 
Keep up to speed with Jack and his racing career by visiting www.jackbarlowracing.co.uk.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Two Great Shows...   (09/10)

Next month sees two great shows take place at one iconic venue - Silverstone MotorSport UK and KartMania will be rolling into the Silverstone Circuit, and you need to be there!

Silverstone MotorSport UK is the amazing live motorsport show that showcases all categories of national motorsport, whilst KartMania is undoubtedly the UK's leading kart show, and both will be taking over Silverstone Circuit in November.

For the first time, both shows will be at the home of British motor racing, taking place in the prestigious Silverstone Wing exhibition complex. Silverstone has made significant investment over the last few years, which has seen the venue transformed into a world class exhibition and conference facility.  Teaming these first class shows with the UK's premier motorsport venue makes these events that really are not to be missed.

Silverstone MotorSport UK takes place on the 3rd and 4th November 2012 and is gearing up to be the most exciting motorsport show of the year. A who's who of exhibitors from the world of national motorsport, exciting 'live' elements and the inaugural "Spirit of Motorsport Awards", all combine to make this year's show unmissable.

Of particular interest of the karting community is the KartMania show, which takes place on 17th and 18th November 2012. Always looking to provide visitors with new and exciting developments, the 2012 show sees the launch of four distinct zones. These include the KartMania main Exhibition Hall - the staple of a first class show by providing existing and want-to-be karters with the chance to meet championship organisers, suppliers, and other key people. Whether you're looking to learn more about karting, pick up some great deals, or finalise your 2013 plans, there is simply nowhere else to see karting's big names all under one roof.  Also sure to prove popular is the The Go Motorsport Live Karting experience - don't just watch from the sidelines, this part of the show allows karters to experience the action first hand, with two live experience opportunities.

Show organisor Martin Capenhurst comments, "We are really excited and both events are going to be truly outstanding. We have signed a long term agreement with Silverstone to host both shows and our move to Silverstone has enabled to us to move the shows to a new level. This includes the addition of the new 'live' elements which have also helped to attract more and more exhibitors and also generated a significant number of advanced ticket sales. We have had tremendous promotional support from our exceptional team of event and media partners and Silverstone Radio will also be covering the two day event 'live'."

Richard Phillips, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Limited, said, "We are delighted to be hosting both Silverstone MotorSport UK and KartMania next month. The shows add to the diverse range of events being held here this year and we hope that they remain on our calendar for many years to come."

For further information on both shows and to book your tickets in advance and secure discounted pricing, visit www.motorsportshow.co.uk for Silverstone MotorSport UK and www.kartmania.co.uk for the KartMania show.

See you there!

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Drury, Gange And Global   (09/10)

Over the weekend Global karting demonstrated the versatility of the CRG KT1 B chassis by dominating both in Minimax and Senior Max.
 
Aaron Drury won with a fine lights to flag victory after qualifying on pole after the heats.
 
Joel Roundacre tested the CRG KT1 B for the first time and put it on pole for the final. After a poor start Joel finished in 5th with mechanical issues.

Meanwhile, after a DNF in heat 3 Martyn Gange came through with fine style to take the win.
 
The CRG KT1 B has really been racking up the results as of late. To test this winning machine please contact Global Karting on 01279 841 291 or Rob direct on 07957 463 109 / Mike direct on 07917 116 308. You can also email Global Karting at RobHanscomb@me.com.

Photographs courtesy of Sprocket Photography.

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Have You Considered 3DR?   (08/10)

Rotax Max front runners 3DR Motorsport have substantially expanded their operation for the new season. An improvement programme has strengthened the infrastructure of the team at all attended events. The team now have an extra 30m2 in awning space and a fully kitted out trailer facility, as well as having renewed all of our existing equipment.

In association with Cream Racing Engines, the team have strengthened its Mini, Junior, and Senior Max engine pool this year, and have the strength in depth to provide front running equipment to all drivers across all of the categories at club and Super 1 level in 2013.

3DR currently have drivers sitting inside the top 10 of both the Senior Max and 177 classes in Super 1, having won 2 rounds of this years' championship. We also have an impressive haul of 16 race victories, and 37 podiums at prestigious circuits in the Mini, Junior, Senior, and 177 categories so far this season.

"We have invested heavily in expanding the size of our trackside operation and our pool of engine equipment, to offer our drivers a better service and more facilities for next season. The extra space and carrying capacity that we now have will give us the option of having a much more balanced driver line up in 2013, whilst still enabling us to keep costs predominantly stable." said Tom Smith, Team Manager.

The team are looking to talk with drivers who want to compete in the Super 1 and EuroMax, and at Whilton Mill, PFI, Kimbolton, and Shenington club championships across the Rotax classes in 2013.

We will have our new trackside operation in use this weekend at Shenington Super 1, and 2 weeks later at Whilton Mill on October 27/28. We openly invite drivers and their parents in to the awning throughout both weekends, to find out what we can do for you. We are confident that you will find our pricing extremely good value for money.

Alternatively, you can contact Tom on 01582 665113 or 07557 118975, or email Tom@3drmotorsport.com for more information on the team, or for an informal chat on the possibilities of working together in 2013.

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Kartforce Challenge Cup   (08/10)

The RAFMSA, in conjunction with South Wales Karting Centre, are holding a 4-hour team endurance race at the Llandow track on Saturday 20th October.

SWKC have genorously donated a whole day's track time to this very worthy cause to raise funds for the RAF Benevolnet Fund, the Army Benevolent fund and Kartforce.

The day will start with 105 minutes practice, followed by 10 minutes timed qualifying and then a 4 hour team endurance around the fanstastic Llandow kart rack, rated as one of the best in the country. The proceeds from this event will be divided equally between the nominated charites and the whole event is being run on a non-profit making basis. You can have a whole days practice and racing for only £80 per team, that is fantastic value for a wonderful cause.

For further details contact South Wales Karting Centre on 01446 795568, Colin Lipscomb on 07817449617 or Duncan Masters at duncanmasters@hotmail.com.

You can also find us on Facebook.

Entries are on a first come first entered basis so don't miss out by hanging about!

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Dunkeswell Special Offer   (04/10)

The last round of the year at Dunkeswell KRC is a double pointer, so it is all to play for in several classes.

As an additional offer at the October meeting on 27th/28th of this month - for the Junior Rotax, MiniMax and Comer classes, if 20 or more entrants are received in each class then that class will get the Saturday practice free! So 20 Junior Rotax = Free Sat Practice, 20 MiniMax = Free Sat Practice, 20 Comer = Free Sat Practice.

That's a saving of £40 for members and £50 for non-members!

Tell your friends and get those grids up!

Enter online at www.dunkeswellkartclub.co.uk.

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New Rolling Road Setup   (04/10)

Grice have just commissioned a purpose built rolling road to run alongside its Rotronics eddy current dyno.
 
"After careful consideration, we chose a Sports Devices setup" said Ricky Grice. "This company offered a tailor made service giving us the opportunity to create a bespoke rolling road to maximise the speed of your ancillaries. It appears that the art of mixing various air boxes, carbs and exhausts can give a definitive advantage to any team or driver."
 
"This rolling road will incorporate an inertia facility and an eddy current brake that can run either together or separately giving us the advantage of sweep testing or step testing your equipment. Combined with the latest auto climate software and a newly designed air blower system to help simulate true track conditions" continued Ricky.
 
Flexible enough to accommodate the Comer Bambino 1.5 bhp, the new IAME cadet engine 5bhp and all Rotax setups of up to 40bhp, this rolling road is truly a 21st century machine.
 
To help with more consistent repeatable data, Grice have also installed better extraction units and 2 fully automatic aircon units to help control the temperature peaks and troughs during the day.
 
You can either rent this facility by the hour, half day or full day. Please call Ricky Grice to discuss your options for achieving the edge on 01268-727847, email Ricky.grice@virgin.net or visit griceracingengines.com.

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Latest Karting Decisions   (04/10)

At its meeting on 28 September 2012 in Paris and on proposals of the International Karting Commission Members, the FIA World Motor Sport Council took in particular the following decisions concerning Karting:
 
Three World Championships in 2013
Three World Championships will be organised in 2013: one for the KF category (direct-drive karts), one for the KZ category (gearbox karts) and one for Juniors (13-15 years old, according to the KF3 regulations). All these championships will be held over one single Event, the winner of the Final being declared World Champion.
 
Furthermore, in order to clarify international Karting, the World Cups (for the KZ1, KZ2, KF2 and KF3 categories in 2012) will be deleted so as to enhance better the three World Championships recognised by the CIK-FIA.
 
A European Championship, held over two Events, will also be organised for the KZ1 and KZ2 categories, as well as for the KF and KF-Junior.
 
The final calendar of the 2013 season will shortly by finalised and it will receive the final approval of the World Motor Sport Council in December.
 
Modification of the U18 status and renewal of the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy
While the U18 concept (under 18 years old) will be renewed in 2013, the category will lose its "World Championship" label. A "Nations' Cup" formula is currently being studied. As for the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy, it will be renewed without any major modification.
 
An invitation to tender will shortly be issued for the supply of engines (in the U18 category) as well as chassis and engines (for the Academy Trophy).
 
Three joint Events for the U18 and Academy Trophy should be entered on the 2013 season calendar.
 
Article 18
The World Motor Sport Council Members discussed Article 18 of the FIA International Sporting Code, which prevents Drivers not old enough to be in the Junior class (13-15 years old) to compete out of the borders of their countries. A proposal from the International Karting Commission allowing the participation of Drivers from border countries was submitted to the World Council. The latter has asked the Commission to go deeper into the issue and draft a text.

Homologation of KF2 carburettors
In view of reducing costs and homologation constraints, the minimum production number of KF2 carburettors required for a homologation application has been reduced to 50 examples (instead of 150).
  
KF and KZ tyres
Manufacturers of tyres homologated in the KF and KZ categories must provide a self-certification guaranteeing that the following minimum distances can be covered: 150 km for "Medium" compounds and 250 km for "Hard" ones.
 
New procedure in the event of a race being stopped
If a race is stopped before the end of the 2nd lap, the first start will be deemed null and void. There will then be a new race on the basis of the initial starting grid and over the originally scheduled distance. This decision will be applied in both the Qualifying Heats and Races of the final phase.

For further information regarding the CIK-FIA please vist www.cikfia.com.

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Super One MSA/TKM Series   (03/10)

Round 7 of the Super One MSA British Championship Series took place at Shenington on 29th-30th September 2012.

All the points leaders survived to take the titles at the last round of the Super One MSA/TKM Series incorporating the senior and junior MSA British Kart Championships, although there were some heart in mouth moments for some with crashes and engine failures. Alex Gill lifted the Junior Title against the challenge of the twice European KF3 champion George Russell, whilst the youngster Ben Barnicoat outwitted the master multi-champion Mark Litchfield for the senior crown. Rich with heritage, Shenington kart circuit birthed in 1960, constructed on top of a wartime bomber airfield. The 1012m track in the English Midlands is flat with two hairpins giving good overtaking points. With the promotion contracts for the future British Championships settled, to include the new Cadet IAME class, there was an air of happy expectation for the future mixed in with the nerves of the final round for the 153 racers.
 
Comer Cadet: Enaam Ahmed just had to stay behind Josh Smith for the title, he did in the first timed session but Oliver York and the returning Dean MacDonald - now crowned as the British champion - came between them on combined times. Smith won both his heats, York the other, Ahmed a handy third on the first final grid alongside MacDonald.  But it all went pear shaped at the start as Ahmed, Smith and York crashed and spun, leaving MacDonald leading and winning whilst the title race went wide open. After careful checking back of the on-board cameras, MacDonald was adjudged guilty of the loading and penalised a lap. That left Hugo Bentley-Ellis in front after a tough tussle with Ethan Hawkey, Lewis Thompson, Cameron Roberts and Zak Fulk. Smith was the least delayed at the start and reached seventh, York eleventh and Ahmed only sixteenth.  As Bentley-Ellis and Fulk tried to tow clear of the pack, Smith was soon bent on reeling them in, bringing Ethan Hawkey with him.  And it wasn't long before York, Ahmed and Lewis Thompson joined in the lead fight as MacDonald reached ninth. York and Smith went out ahead, Smith nipping into the lead and win at the chicane on the penultimate lap whilst York was hung out to finish fifth behind Fulk and Hawkey.  Ahmed's sixth was good for the ABkC national title, he said: "I took no risks, I let Lewis past and knew I only had to finish in the top nine."  And Smith, who is vice-champion, added: "I did all I could, my Dad told me just to go out and win the race."
 
Super Cadet: A request to resurrect the Super Cadet class at the last round resulted in only six drivers racing, both finals won by Ronan Graves chased by Matthew Taylor. They had a quick trade of position in the first final, whilst Myles Apps took third but was outclassed by Mario Mills in the second.
 
Junior TKM: With a full grid a mesmerising battle commenced at the front, with Stephen Letts, Alex Forward, Jack Partridge, Jordan Irvine, Jake Campbell-Mills and Tom Owen all fighting hard. Partridge went back to sixth as Forward led, but he picked those in front off one by one. Campbell-Mills was unceremoniously shuffled from the lead to ninth, Irvine taking over, then Letts. Irvine briefly went ahead once more, skimming under Letts at the first corner. Partridge gave Letts the same treatment and started to defend hard, backing up the pack until they stumbled and he was left with a near 3s lead to the chequer.  That was easily enough for the 2012 ABkC national title. His nearest rival Campbell-Mills suffered the most, from second to ninth again although Forward was penalised 5 places leaving Irvine, Letts and Daniel Baybutt next to Partridge. "I'm number one," cried an exultant Partridge, adding: "I was backing them all up and hoping they would trip over themselves and they did." With Partridge declining to race, the second final had Irvine and Letts breaking away until a determined Campbell-Mills caught them and cut through to the lead. Dino Lee had entered the fight, and as Campbell-Mills left them behind, he sped into second, over Forward, Letts and Irvine.
 
TKM Extreme: Although Ryan Cole topped the time trials listing, it was James Ogden and Joe Porter who won the heats. Phil Smith, an earlier winner, was absent suffering from back problems, so it was Porter who led the first half of the first final, chased by Ogden, Luke Graver and Cole with Will van Es moving up to join them. A couple of swift moves took Graver into the lead but Porter fought back. They traded the position a couple of times, until Charlie Bruce-White had stormed up to the front and led the final laps. Porter had been dropped to fifth and stayed there, Van Es, Graver and Porter following Bruce-White home. He guests in the series now and then, and said: "I just picked my way up from twelfth, but I was struggling with the tyres at the end."  Porter had more or less clinched the title, saying: "When I say my rivals were not at the front, I decided to stay in fifth."  He did come out for the second final, where Bruce-White was soon joined by Van Es, pressuring him to the chequer. Porter was in the thick of the third place battle, as it raged amongst some seven karts, and he celebrated his third place and successful defence of the title crossing the finish with Ash Crossey, Josh Waring and Ogden in line behind.
 
KF2 MSA British Kart Championship: The first upset came in timed qualifying when neither Mark Litchfield nor Jack Barlow put in any sort of proper time due to a mechanical problem and a crash respectively, with Ben Barnicoat fastest over Ricky Collard. Amongst the ten competitors Litchfield - now mounted on a CRG - stormed up to second in the first heat, where Zubair Hoque suffered an exclusion, and it was Barlow and Martin Kodric behind Barnicoat in the second. The Croatian had moved up from KF3, whilst Roy Johnson was guesting in the series for the first time this year. Barnicoat showed a great turn of early speed in the first final, leaving Litchfield to pip Barlow almost immediately and set off in hot pursuit.  But Barnicoat had the legs, and Litchfield succumbed to Barlow's renewed challenge, going within two kart lengths of Barnicoat by the finish. "It was so hard out there, I didn't realise it was Jack behind me, I thought it was Mark. And we were a bit high on tyre pressures, but I will have to go back out again," explained Barnicoat. Barlow got the hole shot at the start of the second final, with an ultra determined Litchfield catapulting himself from fourth to second.  Barnicoat re-grouped to take Litchfield at the first hairpin, Hoque following and then putting Barnicoat back to fourth and behind Litchfield again. But Barnicoat was not settling for a minor place, storming back to second and starting to inch closer and closer to Barlow. Hoque had fallen back, Alex Hamilton briefly in third in a fight with Litchfield until Johnson took both of them. Barnicoat nipped in front of Barlow at the first hairpin but Barlow switched it back out of the chicane.  On the final lap a huge effort from Barnicoat gave him the win and a British title to add to his European one. "It was an immense race after a shocking start, I had to get straight back at Mark then focus on catching Jack. I had a bad run off Café corner but just came in from a long way back, jamming on the front brakes to pass.  I would like to thank all the people at RSF and Zip and I thank ART for a great first year developing the chassis."
 
Formula KGP: This was a real test of nerves and disappointments although the championship leader just came through with enough points. Locally based Scott Allen starred with fastest in timed qualifying and won the first heat, but had to give best to Robert Shield in the second. Allen uses a family manufactured Jade kart. A great start and a bit of shuffling about behind saw him with a huge lead in the first final but the real story was by the side of the track where points leader Jonathan Davis was stranded with an oiled up engine. Sam Randon had also stopped and front runner James Gornall was absent working. Toby Sowery was trying the class for the first time, and was dicing with Allen through the heats but oiled up and had a very slow first lap. The evergreen Bobby Game was battling with Shield, Jason Edgar and Jake Hughes for second, eventually he sliced under Shield at the first hairpin to consolidate the position. Denis Gorman, who could take the title, fought his way up from tenth at the start to fourth.  Allen was struggling with the handling, saying: "I just couldn't get the kart to go round the Stratford hairpin properly." Game reeled him in, and took Allen at the last hairpin, Allen not wanting to try a risky move and settled for second. "It was a bit of a struggle at the beginning as the kart was set to come on at the end," explained a victorious Game.  He headed them away for the second final, chased by Shield, Allen and Edgar. Further back Rossano Bhandal made a late lunge on Jake Hughes taking both him and Sowery off. The big story was that Gorman had seized his engine and was parked up, his title hopes now gone and second in doubt. Shield sneaked up on Game and relieved him of the lead at the first hairpin but Game struck back, letting Allen follow into second. And there it finished, Game, Allen, Sheild and Edgar, whilst Davis finished sixth despite briefly being ahead of Randon.  It was enough for the title whilst Gorman's misfortune allowed Game to take the vice-champion position. "It was certainly a relief when I saw Denis stopped but I still had to make up the places to beat him," said Davis.
 
KF3 MSA Junior British Kart Championship: Although Alex Gill claimed the British title, it was the Sahara Force India Academy driver Jehan Daruvala who was the star of the meeting, with a clean sweep from timed qualifying through both finals, demonstrating his progress in only some seven months from a relative novice. He put down his increased pace to working on his fitness and of course the encouragement from the Ricky Flynn Motorsport team and mentoring by top rated coach Terry Fullerton. Daruvala had a good break at the start of the first final as Gill and Russell diced behind, Russell falling to fourth and soon Billy Monger stormed into second, the rest all strung out with little further movement. A mistake by the under pressure Tarun Reddy, another of the Force India Academy, lost him fifth place in favour of Nathan Aston and Darius Karbaley.  They were both pipped by Will Stowell and Josh Price by the end though. Gill's third place gave him the title without needing to compete in the second final, he said: "I was really slow at the start, and George put lots of pressure on me at the end." A red flag halted the second final as Jessica Hawkins had crashed, helicoptering out of the kart onto the ground, but escaping serious injury. At the restart Daruvala made a better start than the first time, and led a very static race of Monger, Russell, Stowell and Price to the end. "Terry Fullerton is always very determined for us drivers to do well," said Daruvala who turned 14 years of age the following day.
 

Results

Comer Cadet
Final 1: 1 Hugo Bentley Ellis (Shark) 19 laps in 16m13.06s; 2 Ethan Hawkey (Wright) +00.33s; 3 Lewis Thompson (Zip); 4 Cameron Roberts (Zip); 5 Zak Fulk (Zip); 6 Tom Gamble (Zip).
Final 2: 1 Smith 19 laps in 16m09.46s; 2 Fulk +0.08s; 3 Hawkey; 4 York; 5 Thompson; 6 Enaam Ahmed (Zip). 
 
Super Cadet
Final 1: 1 Ronan Graves (Intrepid) 20 laps in 16m14.38s; 2 Matthew Taylor (BRM) +00.24s; 3 Myles Apps (RK); 4 Mario Mills (RK); 5 David Craig (Birel); 6 Dylan Lee (Birel).
Final 2: 1 Graves 20 laps in 16m14.69s; 2 Taylor +01.07s; 3Mills; 4 Apps; 5 Craig; 6 Lee.
 
Junior TKM
Final 1: 1 Jack Partridge (Jade) 22 laps in 16m29.53s; 2 Jordan Irvine (Tonykart) +02.87s; 3 Stephen Letts (Tonykart); 4 Daniel Baybutt (Jade); 5 Arran Mills (Jade); 6 Tom Owen (Jade).
Final 2: 1 Campbell-Mills 22 laps in 16m19.94s; 2 Dino Lee (Tonykart) +00.94s; 3 Alex Forward (Wright); 4 Letts; 5 Irvine; 6 Baybutt.
 
TKM Extreme
Final 1: 1 Charlie Bruce-White (Tonykart) 22 laps in 16m18.26s; 2 Will Van Es (Tonykart) +00.09s; 3 Luke Graver (Tonykart); 4 James Ogden (Jade); 5 Joe Porter (Tonykart); 6 Joshua Waring (ARC).
Final 2: 1 Bruce-White 22 laps in 16m213.56s; 2 Van Es +00.19s; 3 Porter; 4 Ash Crossey (Tonykart); 5 Waring; 6 Ogden. 
 
KF2
Final 1: 1 Ben Barnicoat (ART) 24 laps in 16m12.71s; 2 Jack Barlow (Tonykart) +00.38s; 3 Mark Litchfield (CRG); 4 Zubair Hoque (Alonso); 5 Ricky Collard (ART); 6 Sam Webster (ART). 
Final 2: 1 Barnicoat 24 laps in 16m20.06s; 2 Barlow +00.10s; 3 Roy Johnson (ART); 4 Litchfield; 5 Alex Hamilton (Intrepid); 6 Webster. 
 
KGP
Final 1: 1 Bobby Game (Birel) 23 laps in 16m00.45s; 2 Scott Allen (Jade) +00.11s; 3 Denis Gorman (Maranello); 4 Robert Shield (Tonykart); 5 Jake Hughes (Birel); 6 Jason Edgar (Alonso).
Final 2: 1 Game 23 laps in 16m03.04s; 2 Allen +00.13s; 3 Shield; 4 Edgar; 5 Sam Randon (Tonykart); 6 Jonathan Davis (Intrepid). 
 
KF3
Final 1: 1 Jehan Daruvala (Alonso) 23 laps in 15m53.40s; 2 Billy Monger (Alonso) +00.55s; 3 Alex Gill (Wright); 4 George Russell (Intrepid); 5 Will Stowell (Zanardi); 6 Josh Price (Intrepid).
Final 2: 1 Daruvala 23 laps in 15m54.61s; 2 Monger +00.39s; 3 Russell; 4 Stowell; 5 Price; 6 Jack Bartholomew (Zanardi).

For more information on the championship visit www.superoneseries.com.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Fund Raising Fun Night   (03/10)

Kelvin Nicholls is organising another fun night at Buckmore Park on Friday 19th October 2012.

Raising money for the Philippines Schools Project, we'll have some new faces join our band of regulars and have a great night, with loads of laughs.

The evening features 1.5 hour team endurance race plus raffles, penalty fines, lap buy backs and more.

Come along and join the fun and raise a little cash along the way.

You can find our more about the schools project and download a flyer for the event at www.kelvin-nicholls.co.uk, or contact Chris Pullman at Buckmore Park for more details or to book on 01634 661620 or email chris@buckmore.co.uk.

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Ellough Park Night Race   (02/10)

Round 10 of the EPKC will start with signing on from 1pm and practice starting at 2pm. 2 x 15 minute practice sessions with classes being all cadets, all juniors, all seniors & all prokarts. Scrutineering is from 2:30pm until 4:30pm.  The Race briefing will be at 4:30pm and racing will start at 5pm.

Racing will consist of 1 x 3 lap practice, 1 x 10 minute timed qualifying, 1 x 10 minute + 1 lap heat, 1 x 10 minute + 1 lap Pre final, and 1 x 14 minute + 1 lap Grand Final. Points are awarded for each session.
 
Clear visors are required from the point of the flood lights being switched on.
 
Classes available are Libra Cadet - WTP and Comer, Super Cadet, Honda Cadet, Easy Kart Cadet, Mini Max, Junior TKM2, Junior TKM4, Junior Rotax, Junior Easy Kart, Senior Rotax, Senior Easy Kart, Biland, Senior TKM, Pro Kart Extreme - Open. Super Pros GX200's and Honda twin GX160's.
 
Entry fees are £45.00 members and £55.00 for non-members. Members score points for the championship. Premium pit bays (5m x 10m - opposite the dummy grid) are just £20.00 and must be booked in advance.

Plenty of parking is available and overnight stay is free of charge. We have showers on site and our new on-site café will be open all night.
 
Download your race entry at http://www.elloughparkraceway.co.uk/whats-on/non-msa-championship and pop it over via email to us on enquiries@elloughparkraceway.co.uk.
 
There is night testing available on the 13th October from 5pm 'til 9pm for all those who have not yet raced here under floodlights. The cost is just £25.00 for the 4 hour session.

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London Cup Success   (02/10)

In Mini Max Aaron Drury was on form, putting his CRG on pole for timed qualifying and just pipping the current S1 leader Conor Mills. After the heats Aaron found himself on pole for the pre final. A poor start left him back down the order and he managed to drive back up to second.

Starting the Grand final on P2 meant a tough start was ahead. Somehow he managed to get in the lead briefly, but a battle started with Zack Parker which allowed Mills to break away. Drury finished 3rd on track, albeit with great pace.
 
In Honda, Ben Kasperczak and Lochlan Bearman showed very good speed all weekend and both finished in the top 6.
 
Senior max was a whitewash for Michael Epps. He has not raced a kart for a year and said he found the CRG a dream to drive, "faultless" he commented. He won from pole with engine problems and a bent steering column after just 3 laps!
 
In 177 Oliver Smith and Adam Sadler finished 2nd and 3rd after a few mechanical hiccups.
 
Global Karting are happy to offer test drives on the CRG KT1 B. Please call either Rob or Mike on 01279 841291, 07957 463109 or 07917 116308. You can also email us at Robhanscomb@me.com.

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New Cafe At Ellough Park   (02/10)

Ellough Park has opened it's new cafe!

As of the 1st October the café will be open on weekends from 9am and open by request on weekdays.

It features...
- Tasty fresh home cooked food
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Inside & outside dining areas
- Outside decked area with a raised area towards the circuit
- New toilets
- Disabled access
- Catering for larger groups available
- Take-away available
 
Pop in to meet the staff and sample the yummy selection of food available! 

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MSA British Kart Champs   (02/10)

Round 7 of the MSA British Kart and Junior Kart Championships took place at Shenington on 29th-30th September.

In the MSA British Kart Championship MSA Academy and Racing Steps Foundation driver Ben Barnicoat sealed the title with a pair of wins at Shenington, while rival Mark Litchfield had to settle for second in the standings.

Jack Barlow reeled in Barnicoat in race one but couldn't find a way past. "It was so hard out there, I thought it was Mark behind me," said Barnicoat.

In the second final Barnicoat fought his way past Litchfield and onto Barlow's tail before passing for the lead and ultimately the win. "I just came from a long way back and went hard on the front brakes," he said.

Results - Final 1:
1 Ben Barnicoat (ART) 24 laps in 16m12.71s
2 Jack Barlow (Tonykart) +00.38s
3 Mark Litchfield (CRG)

Results - Final 2:
1 Barnicoat 24 laps in 16m20.06s
2 Barlow +00.10s
3 Roy Johnson (ART)

In the MSA British Junior Kart Championship Alex Gill was crowned MSA British Junior Kart Champion at Shenington, where Jehan Daravula starred with a pair of wins.

Daravula, a Sahara Force India Academy driver, dominated the event, while Alex Gill's third place in the first final was good enough for the title. Gill then sat out the second final.

A disappointed George Russell had to settle for fourth and third place finishes, leaving him second in the championship standings. "George put plenty of pressure on me, especially at the end," said Gill.

Results - Final 1:
1 Jehan Daruvala (Alonso) 23 laps in 15m53.40s
2 Billy Monger (Alonso) +00.55s
3 Alex Gill (Wright)

Results - Final 2:
1 Daruvala 23 laps in 15m54.61s
2 Monger +00.39s
3 George Russell (Intrepid)

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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British Superkart Championship   (02/10)

Dan Clark and Trevor Roberts shared the final wins of the season at Croft.

Clark found that his chassis was ideally suited to the wet conditions in race one, allowing him to pull clear of the pursuing pack for his first win of the season. Meanwhile Roberts came out on top of a multi-kart scrap for second place.

Toby Davis led race one initially after avoiding spinning karts at the first corner. However, he went off after being caught out by the slippery track conditions and the race was red-flagged, handing Roberts the win.

Results - Race one:
1 Dan Clark (F1 Honda)
2 Trevor Roberts (Anderson Honda)
3 Stephen Clark (Anderson Honda)

Results - Race two:
1 Trevor Roberts (Anderson Honda)
2 Sam Moss (Anderson Honda)
3 Louis Wall (Anderson Honda)

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SaxMax 2013   (01/10)

Team Dynomite are pleased to announce they will be competing in the 2013 SaxMax Championship. Team space and 'Arrive & Drive' available.
 
Rookie Tom Parker has been joined by seasoned SaxMax campaigner George Streather for the 2013 championship.
 
Running as a 4 car team we have 1 'Arrive and Drive' package and 1 owner driver space available.
 
Please email info@sportdevices.co.uk for further details, or call 0800 6126977.
 
Fancy a test? We have 2 fully prepared cars just waiting to go!
 
We will be at the 'Saxmax Live', test day on the 28th October.
 
Team Dynomite in conjunction with Sportdevices.co.uk have their own in-house rolling road, engine dyno, shock absorber dyno and a newly developed Flowbench, these tools coupled with 30 experience in motorsport will offer a formidable package.
 
Team Dynomite's Karting team are offering subsidised drives for the 2013 season in the FKS Super 1 and SYKC championships, please send your CV to info@sportdevices.co.uk.
 
The Karting season so far! Following on from Tom Parker's 2011 Championship win, Dynomite driver James Dorlin is currently leading the 2012 SYKC Cadet Championship, setting lap records along the way. Tamzyn Buckley is having a storming cadet year with a good chance of silverware at the end of the season, Novice cadet drivers Finlay Bunce and Luke Wingfield have both showed excellent lap times and will be in a good position to challenge for the 2013 title, Minimax driver Billy Granger is holding a strong 3rd place in the championship, Chris Haigh and Tom Parker would be up there with Billy had they not missed a couple of round each.
 
So if you fancy progressing from Karts to Cars email info@sportdevices.co.uk.

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Euro Superkart Championship   (01/10)

After Hockenheim, Snetterton and Assen, the European Superkart Championship visited the Le Mans circuit for a suspenseful season end. Before the French stage the Dutchman Marcel Maasmann and the Briton Lee Harpham had just about the same chances of donning the crown. Twice on the podium while his opponent had one bit of bad luck after another, Lee Harpham perfectly managed his weekend and treated himself to his first European title. Winners of the day's two races, Denmark's Henrik Lilja and Britain's Gavin Bennett have already made an appointment with him for their revenge in 2013.
 
Further to a year off, the Circuit Bugatti of Le Mans hosted again the ever spectacular European Superkart Championship at the last September weekend on the occasion of the feast of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. The meeting welcomed no fewer than 41 Drivers, but it was mainly characterised by the expected duel for the title between Holland's Marcel Maasmann (Anderson-FPE) and the Brit Lee Harpham (Anderson-FPE).
 
On his home ground, it was however France's Emmanuel Vinuales (Anderson-DEA) who gave the first blow. The reigning European Champion was determined to show that he did not land the title last year by a stroke of luck, and he smashed the track record during qualifying practice. At an average of over 158 km/h, Vinuales was ahead of the Dane Henrik Lilja (PVP-PVP), the Brits Lee Harpham and Gavin Bennett (Anderson-DEA), as well as the Dutchman Marcel Maasmann. But a broken steering which made him go off the track in an impressive way during the second qualifying forced the poleman to a lengthy mechanical session on Saturday evening...
 
On Sunday morning it was one of the title candidates who gave himself a fright he is not likely to forget. As he started from the 5th place, Marcel Maasmann lost control of his Superkart even before the first corner, thus wreaking havoc in the field and causing the retirement of four other competitors. "I don't know what happened", confessed the team Redspeed Dutchman. "I suddenly lost the rear in the long right-hand corner before the Dunlop chicane. I hadn't even touched the brakes and found myself spinning in the middle of the track. I was very lucky to escape unhurt."
 
The safety car was deployed to allow the cleaning of the track; when it pulled out we thought we were in for a festival from Emmanuel Vinuales. And indeed, after a bad start, the Frenchman achieved the fastest lap time of the race and was catching up on the leaders... when a broken chain forced him to retire. At the front, Henrik Lilja was pulling away to his first European Championship win with his original PVP unit, the chassis and engine designed by the former World Champion Poul V. Petersen. While the Dane enjoyed an undisputable success, a fantastic three-some opposed Lee Harpham, the Czech Adam Kout (MS Kart-DEA) and Gavin Bennett, who eventually crossed the finish line in this order ahead of another duo, composed of Sweden's Stefan Malm (Scherman-PVP) and Finland's Vesa Lehtinen (Anderson-DEA). The German Jürgen Reinke (Anderson-DEA), the Frenchman Alexandre Sebastia (Anderson-FPE), the Dane Henrik Vejen (PVP-PVP) and the Briton David Harvey (Anderson-FPE) completed the top 10 of this first race.
 
The best deal was obviously for Lee Harpham as the Brit with his second place got a good option on the title. "When we were behind the safety car I saw that one of the karts which had retired was Marcel's", he explained. "So I knew that I had a card to play but I absolutely had to score many points. I was second when I missed a gear, which enabled Adam Kout and Gavin Bennett to overtake me again. But I spared no efforts and re-conquered this second spot. Now there is one race left, and the best thing to do is to finish ahead of Marcel in order to secure the title definitively."
 
The second fight was to offer quite a different scenario as Gavin Bennett covered the first lap in the lead with Adam Kout and Lee Harpham right behind him. Only 5th in the early stages of the event, Emmanuel Vinuales started another recovery - once again rewarded by the fastest lap time of the race - and soon competed for victory with Gavin Bennett, the runner-up of the European competition in 2011, and Lee Harpham. While Marcel Maasmann retired due to vibrations in his steering, probably resulting from his accident in the first race, Bennett and Vinuales pulled away, both claiming the final win of the season. The Frenchman was supposed to cruise to victory but he was blocked by a competitor he was lapping on the very last lap, and Gavin Bennett seized this opportunity to pip at the post the outgoing European Champion, certainly not spared by bad luck during this weekend throughout which he nonetheless showed that he was extremely fast.
 
At the end of the race, Lee Harpham managed to hold the return of Henrik Lilja and was able to enjoy his first European Champion title thoroughly. The 30 years old Lincolnshire citizen thus adds his name to the list of results of this prestigious competition. "It's unbelievable", he said with a smile. "I did not enter the European competition in 2010 and 2011. For my return, I was aiming at podiums but not at the title. However, the season went beautifully. Apart from a broken chain when I was leading the second race at Hockenheim, I did not have the slightest mechanical issue. I landed three wins and stepped seven times on the podium in eight races! I am obviously very happy and would like to thank all those who made this title possible."
 
It will go down in history that the top 10 of this final race of the 2012 campaign was completed by Adam Kout, Britain's Christopher Needham (Anderson-FPE) and Paul Platt (Anderson-FPE), the steady competitors Vesa Lehtinen and Stefan Malm, and another Brit, Carl Kinsey (Anderson-FPE).

With the added results of the eight races minus each Driver's least good results, Lee Harpham thus lands a fully deserved title ahead of Marcel Maasmann, Henrik Lilja, Gavin Bennett and Adam Kout. France's former Champions Damien Payart, absent from Le Mans, and Emmanuel Vinuales just missed the top 5, ahead of Henrik Vejen, Vesa Lehtinen and the young Dutchman Romano De Ruit, one of the discoveries of the season, who was however very unlucky in the Sarthe as he was a victim of the collision at the start of the first race and also forced to retire from the second one. But, just like Lee Harpham, Romano belongs to a new generation determined to aim at the European crown in the next few years. See you in 2013!

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New Cadet Engine   (28/09)

Eurokart Ltd will be taking delivery of the new cadet motor Iame Gazelle and orders for the new motor are now being taken.
 
We will be providing support for this motor at Championships and club level.
 
Eurokart will be at Kimbolton and Ellough Park for testing so book now!
 
Contact Ian for prices and booking dates on 01502 567174 or email win@eurokart.co.uk.

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A Kartcam For Only £16.99   (28/09)

Get your 2013 season off to the best start and order the essential Karting gadget now for only £16.99.
 
Our cameras are small, lightweight and easy to use, ideal for recording on-board footage from your day's racing.
 
Aimed at all drivers who want to record their races for analysis, promote themselves on the net, provide promotional videos to current or potential sponsors or you just want to have footage to look back in years to come, Kartcam.co.uk has the ideal solution.
 
Kartcam has proved it's one of the most versatile and cost effective products on the market having sold units worldwide to many karters and racing teams.
 
The camera can be positioned almost anywhere on the Kart giving you the best, most realistic view of the track, steering angle, throttle and brake positions.
 
For more info on Kartcam Cameras or to purchase your camera please visit www.kartcam.co.uk.
 
You can also email us at enquiries@kartcam.co.uk.

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Easykart Championships 2012   (28/09)

Cadet - Jenson the Champion:
After round 7 at Whilton Mill, with the dropped scores and best rounds calculated up, there was no doubting the fact that Jenson Murchison, was the easykart Cadet Champion of 2012! Brimming from ear to ear, he rode around the Welsh paddock on his push bike, stopping to answer one simple question - "What's the plan of attack for today then Jenson?" With a cheeky grin and a confident voice "Winning" is all he had to say on the matter as he shot off into the distance. Ready to wipe the smile straight off his face was Ethan Hawkey and e-plate champion 'returnee' - Sam Faulkner.

Having issues in the Pre, Bailey Campbell, Andrew Dutton and Jenson Murchison would have it all to do in The Final. Hawkey was on absolute fire, dominating the day with pole, fastest laps and race wins - the expectant crowd demanded a clean sweep with a main final victory too. Alongside was Faulkner, struggling slightly, compared to the sparkle that once made him so central at the start of the season. As the pack crawled around the final corner, the Union flag dropped and they screamed into life with Ethan & Sam flying into turn one. 'Flying' - in completely the wrong direction was the unlucky Shayne Harrison who dropped from the front to the back of the grid. Poor Dutton didn't even make the start. With all the confusion prevailing, newly crowned Champion Jenson couldn't believe his luck as he inherited third with Adam Sparrow fourth. With his head down, Hawkey was driving as hard as he could, trying to break away from the following drivers. It wasn't to be. Murchison sized up Sam and quickly disposed of the early title favourite with a confident dive down the inside. Next in his sights, was Ethan. Back in the pack and putting on a brilliant display was Bailey who was slicing his way through the competitors like a man possessed. Adam Sparrow as the highest placed Greenhorn, was having a mature race with consistent lap times while keeping his nose clean. A strategy that may prove effective. An exhilarating dice was developing between Jason Gavagan, Krishaan Sivagnanam and Jacob Wardle in the midfield with Jacob coming out on top. With the Yellow and red flags on show, the cadets had the opportunity to display some true bravery when a slight shower emerged with the slick shod drivers at full racing speed. It didn't deter them too much with the engines remaining on full throttle as they negotiated the slippery surface. As the race drew to a close, Hawkey seemed to have it all in the bag despite Murchison haunting him like a bad dream. The last lap was to prove a changing point. Coming out of the spoon and heading downhill towards the Carousel, Jenson got a run on Ethan and pulled out of the slipstream to take the lead. The crowd held their breath as the hard chargers turned into the corner - contact was made. Jenson took the lead and Ethan was spinning off onto the grass. Maybe it was an overambitious move by Jenson. Or perhaps Ethan was too late in defending. Either way, it didn't matter. Ethan was out on the spot. Jenson finished the lap, deliriously crossing the line to take a well-deserved victory as Champion! In a season that has been provocative to say the least, Jenson stepped up when the opportunity presented itself and never looked back. Despite this heartache for Ethan, he too can hold his head up high. His driving has improved tremendously, showing that he - is a title contender.

1st Jenson Murchison - 2012 Champion
2nd Sam Faulkner
3rd Adam Sparrow
4th Bailey Campbell
5th Jacob Wardle
6th Benjamin Harby

Junior - True Team Mates, True Friends and a True Champion:
Zack Nickson & James Lay arrived in the picturesque venue with the stress and pressure that may have distracted them from their beautiful surroundings. Looking focused and determined to an extent that I have not witnessed from these two, they pressed on with the task in hand of qualifying. First to draw blood, Lay who took pole with an impressively quick lap. Worryingly for Zack, he was over six tenths off James.  Full credit must be given to Brandon Williams who appears 'inspired' with his recent bang on song performances.

As the juniors lined up for The Final, a thousand yard stare on Lay's face was scary. Brandon looking for another winner's trophy was an ever threat to James because it wasn't only a championship at stake, but another race win. Thinking that Lay might play the conservative game, Williams was in for a shock. With Zack on the third row, it must have seemed like a mission impossible to the young fella, but to underestimate Nickson would be a mistake. If anyone can claw their way through to the front, it's him. With the British flag being waved, chaos erupted with karts spinning off the track in every direction. Brandon got ahead of James and led the field around this daunting circuit. Williams admirably attempted to pull away from Lay with qualifying laps but James had other ideas. Zack with his championship hopes disappearing into the distance was having a nightmare dropping down the order. With the field settling down Nickson like a true pro, regrouped and began the fight back. Pushing himself to the absolute limit in his bid to catch the leaders. All did not appear well with the set-up of the number 5 kart but his tireless chase of the front runners awarded him with sixth, fifth, then fourth position. Having a truly brilliant race, 'Greenhorn' Jack Leese was flawless in his quest of the top two, as the three of them swapped the accolade of fastest laps. No doubt aware of the hard charger, Lay - who in all fairness, did not look troubled, then pressurised Brandon for the lead. Unable to resist James, or perhaps aware of the consequences for mistakes, Brendon gave room and allowed the prospect Champion through as he took command of the race. With the grit between his teeth Lay began a demoralising attack of fastest laps earning him another record in the process. Almost 10 seconds ahead, the reality of the situation must have been dawning on Zack's shoulders. His kart, looking positively fatigued was no match for the planted machine of Lay. In stark contrast, Thanassi Barnicoat after a dismal start was storming through the order like thunder and added insult to injury by demoting Nickson a further place. It didn't matter - With the smell of Victory upon him, James brought home Williams and Leese to an ecstatic crowd who had just witnessed, a Champion in the making.

1st James Lay - 2012 Champion
2nd Brandon Williams
3rd Jack Leese
4th Thanassi Barnicoat
5th Zack Nickson
6th Jack Golding
 
Light - Luca Brings on the Hirst:
History is a matter of fact. It can't be changed altered or diminished. However, the present day script can be argued over - making dreams a reality and allowing nightmares to come true. After his dominating performance in 2011, you could forgive Jake Hughes for having the confidence of a Champion elect. Qualifying was to add fuel to the fire when he snatched pole from AJ Morris by just over a tenth of a second. Alarming for the other title hopeful, (Luca Hirst) who was two tenths off the pace and languishing down in fifth. The heat and Pre were to be 'character building' for AJ with one mechanical problem after the next - Perhaps missing the lucky charms of his mechanic Darren Pawley. The easykart hierarchy promised quick and decisive action over questionable driving standards and they meant it. In all credit to the officials, never before had the community witnessed one penalty after the next to ensure that the emphasis remained firmly on - 'fair play'. Also suffering was Masters driver, Richard Moxom who was unfortunate to be involved in an on track incident that sent him to the back of the grid for the final. Enjoying a good turn of fortune was Gary Poynter, driving flawlessly and within striking distance of the top five runners. Ending in style, was his aim.

The Pre was a fantastic display of race craft between the title hopefuls as they passed then re-passed each other on several occasions, with Hughes taking the win coming out of the final corner on the final lap! It was thrilling to watch and really was the stuff of legends. Could the Birel driver make it a double whammy? or would Luca keep the title in the family? Far from his qualifying performance, Hirst had stepped it up a gear. Psyching himself up on the dummy grid, Luca knew that it was now or never. With the pressure of the Championship almost becoming unbearable, all he had to do was finish ahead of Jake to be crowned the Winner. The Final was set with Hughes and Hirst on the front row followed by Sam Dimelow and a brilliantly placed Jamie Crease on his return to the easykart championshp. After aborted starts the flag finally dropped but Sam was spinning out of contention. Hughes took command of the race and led Luca with Jamie in tow. After skilfully dragging himself to sixth place, lady luck was to desert Poynter who was off the track after being the victim of contact from behind. The top two pulled away from third placed Gordon who was dicing fiercely with Crease for final podium honours. Crease putting on an exceptional show on his return. Back with the leaders and it was a real title fight that had everyone on tenterhooks. Hirst was like a lion chasing its prey.  The e-plate kart seemed, twitchy - nervous even as it slide and struggled for grip compared to the every looming shadow of Luca behind. Smelling blood, Hirst made his move at the top of the hill with some late braking by diving down the inside of Hughes. This was it. One swift blow and Luca would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the race. Crossing the finish line ecstatic, no one could doubt his hard work, dedication and perseverance he has displayed throughout the year. Commiserations to a shell shocked Hughes, losing out by a mere four points. These two really are destined for greater things. Special mention must be given to Moxom for an outstanding drive who finished 6th after starting 24th and claims Masters honours for 2012.

1st Luca Hirst - 2012 Champion
2nd Jake Hughes
3rd Kieran Gordon
4th Jamie Summerhayes - Karting magazine Driver of the Day
5th Grant Hunter
6th Richard Moxom

Heavy - Joe Wins the Battle, but Smith Wins the War:
With the heavyweight Championship already decided the final round was all about the runner up spots. William Smith appeared at ease with it all but Joe was a man on a mission. Although William was the Champion, both could be equal on race wins by the end of the day if Joe could dominate. It's the consistency of the tallied up points that have favoured the new Champ. With this in mind, Joe was desperate to claim both victories to prove a point. This wasn't just about race wins - it was about pride. Having a dismal day, Carl Churchill was the victim of bad judgment or simple bad luck as he found himself facing the wrath of the stewards on more than one occasion. This would stop him playing any further part in the championship standings. Mark Lawrence and Matt Brooks were on fine form to fight for third by Qualifying 6th and 4th respectfully. Simon Mace was having a weekend to forget as he struggled to bring the kart up to pace whilst suffering mechanical issues. In stark contrast, Michael Roots was enjoying a fine return to form as he re-joined the easykart championship by qualifying third.

With Joe Paterson dominating qualifying, the heat, Pre final & getting a new lap record in the process - The final was a foregone conclusion. Only a mechanical issue could stop the motivated driver. In The Final Rootsy lined up alongside Joe with William and Matt Brooks occupying row 2. After a few aborted starts the Union Jack waved and the pack jostled towards the first corner. Neil Fisher in his haste to move to the right hand side of the circuit, sent the 'traffic cone divider' airborne causing chaos behind. Suffering a good old thump from an unknown assassin, William Smith was out on the spot with a bent axle. Joe, as expected - remained in the lead and began to control the race.  Having a good start and a believed change of fortunes, Jack Bruce drove brilliantly around the outside of the squabbling pack along Dragons Straight, heading towards The Spoon and obtaining 6th for his efforts - Wasted though when the pack, unable to control themselves started a knock on effect that relegated Bruce to 12th by the exit of the Spoon corner. With a boxing ring proving more favourable for some than a race track, the heavyweights continued to hammer blows out of each other whilst the top three sprinted away. Brooksy pressurised Rootsy hard who in turn was looking for a way past Paterson. They exchanged best times of the race, but those witnessing the battle, couldn't help but feel that Joe was controlling events rather than pushing his machine to the brink of beyond. If this was the case, it was a brave decision with the scent of victory being so close that Michael and Matt were both mouth-wateringly wet as they could almost taste it. With only a second separating the top 3 a small mistake is all it would take for the other to benefit. It didn't happen. Michael, try as he might to pass the 'runner up' couldn't make it happen. Paterson had complete control of the situation and led home Rootsy closely followed by a deliriously happy Matt who later learned that he had been promoted to third in the championship for his strong end of season campaign. Commiserations to Mark Lawrence who lost out on third in the standings but he can take some comfort in the knowledge, that he is the highest placed Master driver in 4th.

1st Joe Paterson
2nd Michael Roots
3rd Matt Brooks
4th Phil Ingram
5th Roland Breadner
6th Andrew Gould

For more information on Easykart visit www.easykart.co.uk.

Report by Andrew Gould.

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Kart Regulations Amended   (28/09)

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) wishes to clarify the wording of the following regulations as approved earlier this month by Motor Sports Council.
 
The full amended wording, which supersedes any previously published versions with immediate effect, is as follows:
 
U12.7. For Short Circuit Karting only, kart engines must not be run in the pits or paddock.
 
U12.7.1. Kart engines may only be started in an area designated by the organisers, which shall include the live area of the circuit. When starting engines the driver must be seated correctly in the seat with all four wheels of the kart on the ground. Exceptionally non-centrifugal-clutch classes may start their engines, in the same designated area, with the kart positioned on a trolley in a position that will not endanger others.
 
U12.7.2. Gearbox karts may run their engines in an area designated as above by using suitable blocks under the rear part of the chassis.
 
U12.7.3. Any kart engine started in a designated area (12.7.1), other than in the live areas of the circuit, as detailed above, must not run for more than 10 seconds.
 
Date of implementation:  Immediate.
Reason:  Safety, to restrict the unsafe practice of starting engines in awnings and throughout the paddock.
 
Note: the reason for this amendment is that following approval by MSC it was noted that this regulation is not practical for Long Circuit Karting, which uses Car Racing Circuits. Additionally, it was anticipated that gearbox Karts, with a non-centrifugal clutch, would be permitted to be started on a stand as there is a method of control to stop the wheels rotating.
 
U17.29.6. For classes that include a minimum driver weight only mandatory items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as required by 13.1-13.3, are to be included when the Driver is weighed.
 
Date of implementation:  Immediate.
Reason:  Safety. To negate the use of 'weighted' items such as rib protectors etc. Mandatory PPE includes helmet, gloves, boots and overalls, all as defined in U13.1-13.3
 
Note: the reason for this amendment is that following MSC approval it was noted that the regulation as written would put competitors at an unfair weight disadvantage within minimum total class weight by using potential additional non-mandatory safety items such as Rib Protectors. By simplifying the regulation we can ensure that drivers who are too small will not be permitted to enter the relevant classes. In addition to the change it is agreed to clarify 2012 Kart Race Yearbook regulations for the relevant Junior Classes to ensure a specific minimum driver weight is given, as follows with red additions:

Formula Rotax Junior Max
D1.8.2 Weight. Minimum of 148kg including driver at all times (driver min 40kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 108kg. Minimum

Rotax Mini Max
D4.8.3 Weight. Minimum of 135kg including driver at all times (driver min 37kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 98kg.

KF3
D2.6.1 Weight. Minimum 145kg with driver at any time (driver min 40kg).  The minimum weight of the kart (without fuel) to conform to CIK regulations. Maximum kart weight without driver is 105kg at any time.

FORMULA TKM
D3.8.2 Weight (on completion of any part of the event)
Junior TKM 123: min 123kg with driver (driver min 38kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 85kg
Junior TKM 128: min 128kg with driver (driver min 42kg).  Maximum kart weight without driver is 86kg
Junior TKM 135: min 135kg with driver (driver min 49kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 86kg
Junior TKM 142: min 142kg with driver (driver min 59kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 83kg
Junior TKM 148: min 148kg with driver (driver min 67kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 81kg
Junior TKM Extreme: min 138kg with driver (driver min 46kg). Maximum kart weight without driver is 92kg

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Kart Parts UK   (27/09)

Kart Parts UK are pleased to be supporting the annual event at SYKC - Cock of the North. This will be held on Saturday and Sunday 13th and 14th October. Why not come along and join in a great weekend at this family friendly club with a great track which is also anti-clockwise!
 
This meeting is usually very well attended so please make sure your entries reach the competition secretary before the deadline of Saturday 6th October. For further please information visit www.sykc.co.uk.
 
Kart Parts UK are one of the leading online retailers supporting Gillard, OTK and Intrepid karts. Kartpartsuk.com would like to remind everybody that they offer free delivery on all their orders to UK Mainland addresses, on all of their products weather it is for a single bolt or a complete engine there is no charge! Kart Parts UK have one of the widest stock choices available in the UK and with the free next working day delivery and excellent customer service what are you waiting for. They stock everything from complete karts to Arai helmets which are all offered quite possibly at the best prices in the country. They are also constantly adding new products and ranges to there already fantastic range.

Kart Parts UK are also stockists of the championship winning Gillard, Intrepid and Tonykart/OTK range of karts and spares including the Gillard Cadet kart, the '110'. We are probably the only website that stocks a full range of these 3 great chassis and spares and all with free next day delivery.

If you would like any information on any of the above range mentioned or spares then please contact us on 01775 712633 and talk to a member of the sales team, email info@kartpartsuk.com or visit the website which shows their entire product range - www.kartpartsuk.com.

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Super One Rotax Series   (26/09)

With another big entry the meeting ran right up to 6pm after the rain started mid-afternoon at PF International, the best appointed circuit in the UK. Friday practice day was wet, but Saturday was fine and sunny for the penultimate round. Repechage were held in MiniMax and Junior Max and one title, that of the Max 177 class, was provisionally settled, the rest going down to the wire although Sean Babington is firmly in the driving seat in senior Max.
 
Honda Cadet
As always it was likely to be a close contest and Rory Hudson, Elliot Harvey, Kiern Jewiss and Sandy Mitchell all showed they were ready for the contest at the top of the time trials whilst points leader Luke Wooder was only ninth. With Elliot on pole for the first final, he was soon put back to third by the eager Mitchell, breaking away leading Jewiss and Wooder. Harvey soon towed Hudson to the front, Mitchell displaced to a distant fifth dicing with Jewiss who had fallen as far at tenth. Wooder went out ahead, reeled in by Elliot but a altercation on the last lap saw Harvey drop to 16th, Jewiss sneak through for the win followed by Wooder, Mitchell and Hudson. Wooder was then penalised a lap to put him almost last for the second final grid. The rain had just started and almost all the karts were now on wet tyres. Jewiss slid a little wide at the first hairpin, Hudson gratefully accepting the lead which he would extend to the chequer. Harvey - having stormed through the pack - and Mitchell argued over second place throughout, whilst Chris Lulham and Gordon Mutch were strung out behind, Jewiss falling away to tenth. Wooder stormed up to eighth but his championship hopes have been blunted. Harvey made a big dive for second but overshot and hit the barriers, not losing third.
 
MiniMax
Frantic racing ensued amongst the top contenders for honours, sometimes the youngsters over-reaching themselves. All the usual suspects were at the front of the grid except Connor Hall who languished in 26th after a technical exclusion earlier. Philip Rawson's lead was short lived as Guan Yu Zhou leapfrogged past Lando Norris then into the lead.  But Rawson fought back, Zhou had a turn, then Connor Mills and meanwhile Hall had reached the battle. But Zhou tipped up on the back of Rawson, running himself wide and letting Mills take the lead, Harrison Thomas following. Rawson soon re-grouped to go ahead once more. Thomas tried a run on the hard defence of Rawson, but failed only to find that him, Zhou and Rawson all got 10s penalties.  Rawson appealed and was re-instated in the win, Mills, Norris, Dave Wooder and Hall behind. For the second final, Rawson had a great break at the start only for the race to be stopped to attend to a stranded kart and driver and on the restart he had to fight hard with Mills.  The track was now very wet. As the first pair impeded themselves on the last lap, Hall briefly took the lead only to be shouldered wide out of the last corner, Mills taking the honours from Rawson with Zhou having a great comeback to fourth.
 
Junior Max
With newly crowned EuroMax junior champion Harry Webb fastest in qualifying, from Raoul Hyman, Josh Price, Ross Gunn and Kyle Fowlie it was always going to be a competitive affair. After an initial battle between Price and Gunn, with Tom Harvey and Fowlie joining in initially before falling back, it came to an end when Price overshot.  He missed out part of the track leaving Gunn with a big lead over Hyman, Harvey and Webb, then Luke Knott, who had just pipped Danny Keirle. The latter fell behind Fowlie.  There was a twist when Harvey was given a 1 lap penalty and Webb a 3 place penalty. Fowlie reeled in Gunn during the opening laps of the wet second final, everyone trying different lines, so a block pass put Fowlie ahead to draw clear by over a second. Behind that pair Webb, Luke Hughes and Hyman were having a good battle over third, the Euromax winner on the podium. Keirle has won his appeal against exclusion from the meeting at Rowrah, meaning he can now drop that round on his points tally.
 
Max 177
David Griffiths and Tom Holland put some pressure on Lucas Orrock in the class for the bigger drivers.  But Griffiths was closer than ever, and admitted going better than recently, but never quite close enough to put a pass on Orrock during the first final. The spray was horrendous in the second final, and from the outside of the front row Griffiths fell back to sixth at the start, Orrock in front and tip-toeing round the hairpins. Griffiths was getting great drive out of the corners, leapfrogging his way up to close on Orrock. Holland had a last run on Andrew Cole to take third. Closing right down on Orrock in the corners, Griffiths finally made a move stick with a high up run round the outside on the banked turn coming over to the bridge. Orrock knew second was good enough to take the title again, with a round in hand, and didn't want to offer any great resistance.
 
Senior Max
Sean Babington has been the man to beat all year, and now racing as EuroMax senior champion, but for once was not on pole for the first final. That honour went to Jack Barlow with Charlie Eastwood alongside, Babington and Harrison Scott behind.  What a quality field! Eastwood got away best, Scott and John Stewart hard on his bumper with Babington carving through to finally take the lead down the main straight to turn one. Eastwood had to run out wide, and fell to fourth, Edward Brand also in the mix and soon to take third from Stewart. Scott maintained second but a long way behind Babington. Babington was immediately in his customary first place, the track now of course soaking wet, leaving Eastwood fighting off James Singleton, John Stewart and Scott. Eastwood fell to sixth, Stewart assumed second, then Singleton found better pace, Stewart falling behind Thomas Arme for fourth. Babington has more or less won the British national title, needing very little at the last round. Formula 1 former champion Jack Brabham's grandson Sam was guesting, getting a very creditable 16th in the timed qualifying but having no luck in the finals.
 

Results:
Honda Cadet
Final 1: 1 Kiern Jewiis (Project One)15 laps in 17m06.67s; 2 Sandy Mitchell (Project One) +00.81s; 3 Rory Hudson (Project One); 4 Matthew Hayden (BRK); 5 Gordon Mutch (Project One); 6 Sam Munro (Project One). 
Final 2: 1Hudson 12 laps in 16m30.15s; 2 Mitchell +04.56s; 3 Elliot Harvey (Zip); 4 Chris Lulham (Project One); 5Mutch; 6 Connor Grady (Project One). 
 
MiniMax
Final 1: 1 Philip Rawson (Kosmic) 16 laps in 16m24.39s; 2 Connor Mills (Tonykart) +0.61s; 3 Lando Norris (Tonykart); 4 Dave Wooder (Alonso); 5 Connor Hall (Tonykart); 6 Dan Zelos (Tonykart).
Final 2: 1 Mills 13 laps in 17m11.68s; 2 Phillip Rawson (Kosmic) +02.16s; 3 Hall; 4 Guan Yu Zhou (Tonykart); 5 Jack McCarthy (Tonykart); 6 Norris. 
 
Junior Max
Final 1: 1 Ross Gunn (Tonykart) 17 laps in 16m46.69s; 2 Raoul Hyman (Alonso) +01.58s; 3 Luke Knott (Tonykart); 4 Kyle Fowlie (Gillard); 5 Danny Keirle (Jade); 6 Jay Goodwin (Tonykart). 
Final 2: 1 Fowlie 13 laps in 16m43.49s; 2Gunn +01.22s; 3 Harry Webb (Tonykart); 4 Luke Hughes (Kosmic); 5 Hyman; 6 Keirle. 
 
Max 177
Final 1: 1 Lucas Orrock (Kosmic) 17 laps in 16m36.47s; 2 David Griffiths (GMS) +00.56s; 3 Tom Holland (Alonso); 4 Matthew Nicholson (Tonykart); 5 Dominic Russell (Tonykart); 6 Tom Pyttlik (Alonso). 
Final 2: 1 Griffiths 13 laps in 17m07.25s; 2 Orrock +01.23s; 3Holland; 4 Andrew Cole (GMS); 5 Nicholson; 6 Pyttlik.
 
Rotax Max
Final 1: 1 Sean Babington (Alonso) 17 laps in 16m55.91s; 2 Harrison Scott (Tonykart) +01.64s; 3 Edward Brand (Formula K); 4 John Stewart (Tonykart); 5 James Singleton (Tonykart); 6 Charlie Eastwood (Tonykart). 
Final 2: 1 Babington 13 laps in 16m40.19s; 2 Singleton +02.98s; 3 Thomas Arme (Kosmic); 4 Stewart; 5 Oliver Hodgson (Tonykart); 6 Brand.

For more information on the Super One Series visit http://superoneseries.com.

Photographs courtesy of TSR Productions.

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DHR European Champions   (25/09)

The circuit of Salbris France was the destination of the final round of the 2012 Euro Max Championship. It proved to be a thriller, with DHR drivers having claimed podium places in Senior Rotax at every round this season they were again the team to beat.
 
DHR drivers started well and secured 2nd,3rd and 5th in timed practice in the order of Lehane, Babington and Hand. It was Babington who went onto dominate the heats with four heat wins from four. He was backed up with fellow DHR team drivers Pierce Lehane of Australia and UK man Ash Hand. Lehane and Hand claimed wins and a brace of top positions in the heats and the DHR boys gridded up 1st, 3rd and 4th for the pre final.
 
Despite the team trying to plan ahead and frantically working championship points out there were far too many permutations so Babington was simply told to go and race for the win and don't think about championship rivals until final 2. He did just this, whilst Babington eased into a comfortable lead pulling away for victory his team mate Lehane also eased away securing a DHR 1-2. Hand slipped to 7th but his pace remained good. Barrie Pullinger and Philip Morin both came to grief in separate incidents leaving them well down the order.
 
Heading into the main final Babington knew no matter who won if he finished 4th or better he was champion and despite a nervy first couple of laps he soon settled into his usual rhythm and drove away from the pack. He maintained his pace and controlled the race claiming the victory and in doing so becoming the 2012 Euro Max Champion. His team mates didn't quite enjoy the same luck in the main final with Lehane pushed wide several times ending his race in 8th place, whilst Pullinger climbed to 13th, Hand 16th and Morin came home in 20th.
 
Babington who won three out of the four rounds spoke afterwards, "It's been amazing! Its feels great and I'd like to thank Dan of DHR, the Ogden team, Freem, Tillett, and all the family for the support!"
 
DHR could boast 3 drivers in the top six of the Senior Euro Max Championships with Babington championship winner, Pullinger 5th and Morin 6th. The team now look forward to the remaining  Super 1 rounds and the Rotax International Open in Zuera 24-28 October.
 
For more information on DHR, Alonso Karts please contact Dan on 07960 047810, email dan@danhollandracing.co.uk, or visit our website at www.danhollandracing.co.uk.

Photographs courtesy of Baz Kaligis and Rgmmc.

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Connor Hall & Coles Racing    (25/09)

Connor Hall showed his class again at the penultimate round of the Super 1 championship at PF International circuit this weekend.

After being excluded from heat 1 as the scrutineers found a screw had fallen out of his air box during the race, he scraped through to start last in the pre-final. However, he soon carved his way through to finish an impressive 5th.

This is where he started the Main final, before the start the weather had changed for the worse and was declared wet. As Connor had only had minimal track time this year at the PFI circuit and nearly all of this dry it was down to Coles Racing to provide a competitive wet set up. This they did and after a restart due to a red flag it was to be decided between Connor Hall, Connor Mills and Philip Rawson who are two of the top seeded drivers in the championship this year. With a great standard of driving between all 3 drivers and a brief spell at the front for Connor he eventually ended up in 3rd place but still a great result for Connor and the team.

Consistency is definately the key to winning championships, apart from being black flagged at the Larkhall round and losing valuable points Connor has been getting closer and closer to a win. With this being his first year in the minimax class he has already had 2 podium finishes, and almost there in all other finals.  With championship rivals losing points this means that the top 6 drivers are all now within reach of the title and clear of the chasing pack. With the final round at Shennington on the 13th and 14th of October it could go any way.

Connor would like to thank his mechanic Daryl Burgess, Coles Racing, Terence at IZone and his Mum and Dad who will one day have a holiday somewhere other than a kart circuit.
 
You can keep up to date with Connor's progress at www.connorhall.co.uk and www.colesracing.co.uk.

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Super Cadet Is Go At Shenington   (25/09)

Super One is inviting late entries for the Super Cadet class which has been resurrected to take place this weekend (28-30 September) at Shenington.

Those still not entered who wish to take part should immediately fax (01869 247981) or email an entry to Sonja Game on sonja_super1@msn.com without delay.

Fuel and tyre order forms will also need to be completed, all the forms can be found on the Super One website here.
 
If you have access to a Super Cadet, or can hire a kart for the weekend to try this exciting intermediate class, now is your chance, and maybe one of the last chances this season.

The race is confirmed and practice will commence at 0930 on Friday 28th September. Drivers need to have a National A licence and be between the ages of 10 and 14, no registration is necessary as guest drivers are permitted.

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Grice Racing's Latest Offers   (25/09)

As the 2012 season begins to draw to a close, the championships take on an even greater level of competition.

FKS Junior Max winner Sam Marsh took the top step on the podium for his championship with a fine win as Jai Nijjar followed him home for hiss first podium in Junior Max at Whilton Mill.

Connor Mills secured 2nd in championship with a clean sweep of wins during both Saturday and Sunday at Whilton.

In Super One, Connor Hall and Connor Mills continued to impress at Wigan with a 2nd and 4th.

At Euromax in Salbris, Junior Max hotshot Ryan Anderton came home 4th in final and 3rd in championship. Ryan is just out of Cadet and so proving that with the correct equipment under him, great achievements are possible.
 
As you read this, Grice Racing will have taken delivery of their first batch of new Iame cadet engines. These exciting new engines are built around the popular supercadet and Jica engines from yesteryear. We have extensive experience in building these engines for some 15 years at world championship level and will be providing test engines for anyone interested who, if happy, can then simply buy this engine for their son.
 
In addition, we can provide a full strip and rebuild (inc. all parts but excluding conrod and balance shaft) of your existing engine for just...
Rotax - £340
BT82 - £180
Rotary/Reed - £180
Comer Cadet - £180

Carb strip/ultrasonic - £60
Dyno power test - £80
 
Plus, for October we ultrasonic your 2nd carb and prepare it FOC as part of our effort to keep costs down!
 
If you're interested in any of the above or hiring an engine for 2013, please call Ricky on 01268 727847 or 07768 047253 to discuss options.

You can also visit our website at www.griceracingengines.com.

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RL Races Into Record Books   (25/09)

Steve Armstrong's RL Racing Department are the undeniable kings of Formula Kart Stars, after Sam Marsh added the Junior Max crown to Lando Norris's Mini Max title.
 
Although Lando had put his championship beyond doubt at Nutts Corner back in August (11/12), the scrap to be top Junior went all the way down to the series' very last weekend at Whilton Mill (September 8/9).
 
Sam Marsh was arguably in the box seat for the overall Junior Max spoils, but still needed to produce a champion's performance to see off the challenges from his rivals, including that from his team-mate Josh White. With Lando choosing to concentrate on continuing his impressive learning curve in the Junior ranks, by sitting-out the Mini Max class, the team was able to concentrate on improving each of its drivers' points standings. Norris' older brother, Oli, bounced back from a frustrating season to deliver a string of encouraging performances.
 
Right from the outset, Sam was in sparkling form throughout the penultimate rounds (eleven). He set the fastest timed in qualifying, with Lando 3rd, Oli 4th and Josh in 7th. Having laid down this early marker, Marsh then won the opening heat and finished 2nd in the following encounter, giving him pole position for the final. 
 
He was in imperious form in the final and ensured that he almost had both hands on the trophy when he won it comfortably. Lando crossed the line in 3rd to further underline that he is an exciting talent for the future. Oli claimed 4th with Josh a fighting 7th. 
 
Sunday morning saw Marsh only required to participate in timed qualifying and the first heat to gather sufficient points to clinch his richly deserved, first national championship victory. Rather than risk incurring any unnecessary penalties in the remaining heat and final, he wisely became an interested spectator for the remainder of the day.
 
Looking to bolster his own position in the standings, White stepped up and took a brace of 3rd place heat finishes to give him a front row start for the A final. The Norris brothers locked out row four of the grid, with Oli on p7 and Lando taking the outside slot in p8.
 
Perhaps fired-up by the challenge from his younger sibling, Oli turned up the wick as the race got underway. He carved his way up the order to ultimately finish in a fine 2nd position, ahead of 3rd-placed Josh and Lando just behind - making it an RL Racing Department  2,3,4.
 
"Sam performed extremely well all weekend," said RF Racing Department team owner Steve Armstrong. "He turned up on Saturday, set pole position in timed qualifying, won the first heat and the A final. In that race he simply drove away from the rest of the field. That pretty much sealed the title, so all he had to do on Sunday was race in the first heat and that was it." He added, "Oli's back to where he was at the start of the season. At Whilton we saw the promise he has and I hope Oli will end his Super One season on a high at PF this weekend."
 
Josh White, the 2011 FKS Mini Max champion with RL, completed his 2012 campaign with a well taken 3rd place finish: "You can never write Josh off. He's had a tough season but he never gives in and will scrap for every place. That will stand him in good stead for his future career and is why he was on the podium at the last round of FKS."
 
Lando Norris also impressed his team boss with another fine display: "To come in and mix it straight away with the big boys is very impressive. Lando is naturally fast and hungry for success, every time out. He'll return to Mini Max this weekend (22/23 August, as he bids to add the Super One title to the Formula Kart Stars championship he clinched last month). It won't be easy for him but his experience in the faster, tougher style of racing in Junior Max will have helped in a big way."
 
For more information about RL Racing Department visit www.rlracingdepartmentltd.com.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

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Formula TKM Festival   (25/09)

The DVD featuring action from this year's Maxxis Formula TKM Festival at Kimbolton has just gone on sale.

It includes finals and interviews.

The DVD's are realistically priced at £13.80 including VAT, or £15.60 including post, packing & VAT.

They are available to purchase from Tal-Ko Racing on info@tal-ko.com or 01767 682020.

[ Top ]

Webb Wins Euro Max   (25/09)

Strawberry Racing's Harry Webb has won the Euro Max title at his first attempt following a superb performance at Salbris, France (15/16 September).

"I'm glad it's all over!" he said, puffing out his cheeks after sealing the Euro Max Challenge title in the penultimate race of the Championship. "It is also very special as this is my first year of competing properly in Europe."
 
Webb had begun his campaign in fine style back in February with victory in the prestigious Rotax Winter Cup meeting held at Campillos, near Malaga in Spain. Ironically, it was only his success in Andalucia that convinced him to enter the Euro Max Challenge.
 
It proved to be an inspired decision, as he went on to dominate the series' opening round in Belgium. Webb was again on top in Sweden, putting him firmly in contention for the overall honours as the championship culminated in France.  However, he had to overcome the strong challenge from Holland's Janneau Esmeijer and fellow Englishman Ryan Anderton.
 
If he was nervous prior to his Salbris showdown, Harry didn't show it and coolly took pole position for his three heats after comfortably setting the fastest lap in timed qualifying. From there he guided his Strawberry Racing-run Tony Kart Racer EVRR to three consecutive wins to again claim the P1 position on the starting grid for the first of Sunday's two finals.
 
With his team-mate Guan Yu Zhou immediately behind him, Harry's game plan was to make a clean getaway from the starting line and put as much daylight between himself and his title rivals. The strategy worked perfectly. He and Zhou were in a class of their own, with the young Chinese star wisely not risking a possible collision with his team-mate in an unnecessary fight for the race win.
 
"Before the pre-final, lots of people had put new tyres on their karts, but I was saving mine for the second final," explained Harry. "I knew then that I had to get away in the early stages. I nailed it from the start and the drivers behind me and 'Joe' (as Guan Yu is known to his team-mates). I saw that I'd got the gap I wanted, but had to keep pushing and maintain my concentration. It was pretty nerve-wracking in the last few laps as their fresher rubber allowed them to catch me up."
 
When he returned to the pits, Harry was unaware that he had clinched the title - but his father Steve's grin was an indication: "Dad had a big smile on his face and as I got out of the kart he said 'We've done it!' All the same we sat down in the team's awning and worked out the points. The organisers said that I didn't have to race in the second final [in order to avoid any possible penalties for a collision, or unexpected technical error with his kart] but Paul Spencer the team owner said 'You're still going out there!' and besides, I wanted to go out and thank Joe."
 
After holding on to his advantage from the start, Webb again led Zhou in flying formation to go clear of the chasing pack. Once firmly ahead, he pointed 'Joe' through and tucked onto his rear bumper, protecting his fellow Strawberry driver's lead all the way to the chequered flag.

"Hopefully my European success will get my name out there and we'll see how it goes. I'd like to be a professional racing driver and this is a good start to helping me achieve that goal," he said, adding: "It's my first year in Juniors, so it's an excellent achievement for us to have such a good result. Thanks go to all the team at Strawberry Racing, Cream Engines, and my mum and dad."

Photographs courtesy of Bas Kaligis.

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Global Karting Success   (24/09)

Aaron Drury secured his first victory on the new CRG KT1 B chassis at Kimbolton early September. Showing his speed from early Saturday practice in the mini max class, he dominated Sundays races with a lights to flag victory in the final.
 
Greg Finke had very good pace all weekend and secured victory in the masters class with a very fast lap time that would have seen him right at the sharp end of the 177 category.
 
Just a week later team manager Mike Spencer took the newly developed CRG to a fine lights to flag victory at Shennington in a very strong field of S1 competitors.

After not racing for 3 years he commented, "I decided to compete so we could gauge exactly where we were with the chassis after all of its development. I found it to be so versitale and user friendly, which of course made my job so much easier after a long break from competing."

"Altogether, I'm pleased with the result and it just confirms that we do have a race winning machine".
 
We at Global Karting are offering test drives on the newly developed CRG. To book your place please call either Rob or Mike on 07957 463109 or 07917 116308 or email robhanscomb@me.com.

[ Top ]

Kart Tek Racing   (24/09)

Kart Tek Racing are available to offer the following services at Whilton Mill, Kimbolton, Little Rissington and Shennington...

Awning space from £50 per weekend.
Awning space and advice from £75 per weekend.
Cadet comer engine and carb hire from £50 per weekend, over 20 comer engines in stock.
Zip Lightening hire, including top comer engine, from £250 per weekend.
Kart flat bed service from £40.
 
Kart Tek can offer the above trackside support for all classes including Honda and Comer Cadet, TKM, Junior and Senior Rotax.
 
Kart Tek can also offer ARKS preparation and one-to-one tuition.
 
For more information please contact Darren on 07792 990592.

[ Top ]

Singleton Wins Snr Max Title   (24/09)

The inaugural season of Senior Rotax competition in the Formula One Management backed Formula Kart Stars competition has seen its peaks and troughs but it ended on a high for James Singleton (Coles Racing) at a sun-kissed Whilton Mill near Daventry.
 
The Welshman ended the season with a pair of Challenge victories at the bumpy and demanding Whilton circuit, with Sunday's win securing him the 2012 Senior Max title and with it, his second consecutive trip to the Autosport Awards in December.
 
Formula Kart Stars Senior Rotax Challenges
 
The entry list for Whilton Mill contained every Challenge winner thus far in 2012 and it was Singleton, who won Challenge 8 at his home circuit of Glan Y Gors, who set the pace in Saturday's qualifying session. The first year Senior driver finished the session nearly three-tenths faster than Charlie Turner (Coles Racing) with triple Challenge winners Josh Collings (CRG UK) and Sam Ward (Coles Racing) next in line and the only other driver with a Challenge win to his name in 2012, Ryan Norris (TMR Developments) rounding out the top five.
 
Singleton led a processional heat one from start to finish, beating Turner to the line by 1.7secs with Collings, Ward and Norris following him home at a distance but Singleton's near legendary 2012 bad luck returned in heat two when a mechanical failure forced him to retire whilst leading.
 
Collings capitalised and took the win by 0.4secs over Turner and Norris with Ward and Columbian driver Nicolas Morales (Vital Motorsport) completing the top five.
 
Collings and Turner shared the front row of the grid for the gruelling 21-lap final but both faded in the final with Collings eventually retiring and Turner losing out to a charging Singleton, who took the win by 1.5secs with Norris chasing Turner home for the final podium spot and Ward a distant fourth.
 
Singleton's Saturday form carried over to Sunday morning as he claimed his second straight pole position, albeit by a much smaller margin from Norris, Collings and Turner but despite Collings' best efforts he couldn't quite keep pace with Singleton in heat one, which Singleton won by a fraction over one second with Turner a close third.
 
Heat two began minus both Norris and Collings, who both missed the closing of the grid gate and the race also lost Turner in the opening laps when his kart ground to a halt at Christmas Corner, all of which left Singleton with a comfortable cruise to victory from Ward and Andrew Rees-Reynolds (Adrenalin Racing).
 
Those who expected Singleton to dominate the final and claim the title in untroubled fashion were in for a shock when firstly Morales grabbed the lead and then a brief off course excursion dropped Singleton behind all his main rivals. Turner's bad luck continued when his throttle cable snapped and it was Ward who emerged with a comfortable advantage. Singleton quickly passed Collings to move into third and then set about passing Norris for second.
 
Norris was dispatched at mid distance and then Singleton set about reducing Ward's advantage, catching his teammate with a handful of laps remaining and then pulling off an audacious move through 'The Boot' for the lead, slowing Ward down in the process. Norris then passed Ward for second but couldn't catch Singleton, who claimed the win and the title by 1.6secs from Norris, Ward and Collings.
 
Results:
FKS Senior Rotax Challenge 9
1.   James Singleton
2.   Charlie Turner
3.   Ryan Norris
4.   Sam Ward
5.   Nicolas Morales
 
FKS Senior Rotax Challenge 10
1.   James Singleton
2.   Ryan Norris
3.   Sam Ward
4.   Josh Collings
5.   Nicolas Morales

For more information on Formula Kart Stars please visit the new FKS website www.formulakartstars.com, which has links to the official FKS Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and Youtube feeds, or contact Championship Coordinator Debbie Sellers onn debbie.sellers@formulakartstars.comm  mobile 07759 758636..

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.