News

Keep up-to-date with what's happening in the sport in our news section.  Full articles are shown below, for a summary of the news be sure to start at the main index page of UK Karting.  General news and press releases can be emailed to us at newsdesk@karting.co.uk, although please note that a small charge is made for the publication of press releases and promotional news items.

[ News Summary / Site Index | Current News ]
News Archives : [ 2000 ] [ 2001 ] [ 2002 ] [ 2003 ] [ 2004 ] [ 2005 ] [ 2006 ] [ 2007 ]

Current News

BPKC Summer Champs R2   (08/05)

Round two of the Buckmore Park Kart Club Summer Series will be held on Sunday 18th May.  Entries are available in all classes including separate races for the new Honda Cadet Rookie class and Tyre class (if sufficient entries received).

Open Practice is available on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th May.  With restricted testing at Buckmore the dates are ideal for Super One Rotax competitors wishing to test at the circuit before their round in June visits the circuit.

For entry forms and more details please contact Sheila Rose, Club Co-ordinator on 01634 661604.

Full details on the circuit can be found at www.buckmore.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Owner-Driver Pro Kart Sprint   (08/05)

With the first round fast approaching there is still time to enter the Ellough Park Raceway 2008 Owner-Driver Pro Kart Sprint Series.  The first round is Sunday 1st June 2008, kicking off at 8am for the driver sign-on and scrutineering.  At 9am the driving briefing takes places followed by practice laps at 9:30am ahead of the main racing.

The championship will be divided into three classes; Club (185kg driver and kart), Pro (185kg driver & kart), Heavyweight (200kg+ driver & kart), and will run over 7 rounds with the best 6 to count towards the overall result.

The full race calendar for the 2008 series is...
 
Sunday, 1st June 2008
Sunday, 20th July 2008
Sunday, 3rd August 2008
Sunday, 7th September 2008
Sunday, 5th October 2008
Sunday, 2nd November 2008
Sunday, 7th December 2008
 
Entries must be made on the official entry form and accompanied by the correct fee. For more information, race entry forms, and the rules & regs, please contact Sian @ Ellough Park on 01502 717718 or email sian.dewaal@hotmail.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Band Of Brothers   (08/05)

Northern Ireland's Stirling brothers have made history by qualifying for the Bridgestone Cup at Lonato, near Lake Garda in Italy in October - the first time that three members of the same family have qualified for the prestigious race, at once.
 
Reigning British Open KF3 Champion, 14-year old Carl had already qualified after winning the first qualifying race at PFi in Lincolnshire (6 April), but triumphed again at the second round on Sunday (4 May). In a thrilling final, Carl waited until the last lap to make his move for the lead, and then held off his rivals to the chequered flag.
 
"On the last lap, we were three abreast running down the back straight. Afterwards, when I saw the time-sheets, I couldn't believe it - I was half a second a lap slower than the other two guys, but they were slowing each other up by battling so much that I was able to compete with them. It proves that it's not always the fastest man who wins!"
 
In the same race, younger brother Adam (13-years old) earned praise as he powered his way from 17th on the grid at the start, to 6th at the finish and book his place for the race in Italy. "He drove a blinder" said a proud Carl.
 
Not to be outdone, it was 16-year old Craig's job to uphold the family honour in the KF2 class.  
 
After three tough qualifying heats, Craig started the final from 11th place on the grid, but found that set-up changes by his Millennium team had transformed his kart. Carving his way up the order, Stirling found himself in 4th place and pressuring Harvey for the remaining podium spot.
 
"There was absolutely nothing in it, in terms of our lap times" he explained afterwards. "On the last lap, I knew that I'd have one chance to make a move and make it stick. I sat on Jack's rear bumper as we ran down to the back of the circuit and went into the 'Complex' (of tight corners). I dived down his inside and then made my kart as wide as possible as we ran into the last chicane and onto the start/finish straight."
 
Dad, Alan was understandably delighted with his sons' performance. "After Carl qualified by winning the first round, our main focus was to get Adam and Craig in the results to make sure that they qualified as well. I think its all credit to the boys (Adam and Craig) that they stuck to the task, despite difficult heat results and they each produced superb drives in their respective finals. They're going to Italy as three competitors, not to support just one driver."

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net (action shots) and John Belshaw (portrait image).

[ Top ]

Euro Champs Round 1   (06/05)

The first challenge for karting's European Championships which took place this weekend at Angerville in France, produced the most varied result possible with 6 different winners in as many races.

The principal category of KF1 was the focus of most attention, and there were victories for Frenchman Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG-Maxter) in Race 1 and for Britain's Gary Catt (Tony Kart-Vortex) in Race 2. So, two very experienced karting professionals took race wins, but this did not mean that the young hopefuls could be ignored this year. First and third on the grid, Holland's Jack Te Braak (Zanardi-Parilla) and the Belgian Yannick de Brabander (Intrepid-TM) both featured at the front early in Race 1 before having to give way to the greater experience of their senior rivals, Kozlinski and Catt.

Worse, Te Braak was given a 10 seconds penalty for anticipating the start and was finally classified 11th. Once in the lead and having passed Te Braak and de Brabander, Arnaud Kozlinski enjoyed an easy win by a big margin from Catt and the Finn, Matias Laine (Tony Kart-Vortex.)

In Race 2, Catt took the early lead and kept this advantage throughout. French drivers Armand Convers (PCR-TM) and Jean-Philippe Guignet (CRG-Maxter) took the other podium positions. So with that win in Race 2, it is Gary Catt who leaves Angerville as the championship leader. In sharp contrast, team mate and 3 times European Champion, the reigning World Champion Marco Ardigo was classified only 15th in Race 2 after a non finish in Race 1.

In KZ1, the premier class for gearbox karts, the Belgian Jonathan Thonon (CRG-Maxter) asserted his authority in Race 1 winning from Holland's Bas Lammers (Top Kart-TM). Temporary race leader, European Champion  Alessandro Manetti (CRG-Maxter) held 3rd place for a long time before going off to the benefit of the Italian Roberto Toninelli (Intrepid-TM)

In the second Race, Thonon missed the start and this enabled Lammers to grab the advantage. But the Belgian, 6th from the back on the opening lap, provided spectators with a superb spectacle and making his way through the field, finished in the exhaust of the Dutchman!  Behind them, local hero Thomas Mich (Birel-TM) was to utilise all his track knowledge to good effect to claim 3rd place on the podium seeing off Manuel Cozzaglio (Intrepid-TM) and the revelation of the weekend, the young French driver Norman Nato, just 15 years old. Highly impressive in this, his first international race, Norman proved that the younger drivers can shine against their rivals far more experienced in gearbox racing.

The competition was just as fierce in KZ2, gearbox karting's second tier class. Frenchman Tony Lavanant (Energy-TM) resisted from start to finish, the pressure of his compatriot Joffrey Demanse (PCR-TM) and of the Italian Emmanuele Neri (CKR-Pavesi) to win the first race. It's true that he profited from a 10 seconds penalty assessed on Britain's Jack Hawksworth (Gillard-TM), who had dominated initially but was finally classified 7th. In Race 2, Demanse took his revenge and led home Hawksworth, this time achieving a much better result, and Lavanant. In the championship standings, Demanse and Lavanant are neck and neck going into the next round of the European Championships. These continue at Mariembourg, Belgium, at the end of June, where KF1 and KZ2 will contest the second round out of three of their championship whilst the KZ1 championship will be decided, that championship being contested over just the 2 rounds. Jonathan Thonon and Bas Lammers are exactly equal in the standings and already eagerly await the exciting show down in Mariembourg.

Full results are available at www.cikfia.com/News2008/Angerville.htm.

[ Top ]

Parry Leads Stars Champs   (01/05)

After second place finishes in both Rounds 1 and 2 of the Mini Max class in the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow 2008 Championship held at PFi, Matt Parry is the clear championship leader (and it may not escape some close observers' notice that if Matthew's appeal against his exclusion in the final Super One Round 1 race at Clay Pigeon is successful, he will be leading both major national championships).
 
"I am pleased to have achieved this position" said Matt, "the two Rounds were very different, one being dry and one wet.  As always, there was a bit of luck; Jake Dalton was very quick but his chain guard came off.  On the other hand, my race engine is still held by the MSA pending the Clay appeal, so I was losing time all weekend.  All in all though, I feel I deserve my position."
 
Says Ultimate Team Principal, "Matt is the consummate racer.  He drives to the limit at all times.  It's just his way, and we are extremely proud of his achievements so far this season."
 
Matt joined the Ultimate Motor Sport Team late last year, and moved from an Intrepid to a TonyKart.  He had an extremely successful winter programme with wins at various clubs, including two at PFi.  He won the Clay Shakedown in February this year, which pretty much set the scene for his 2008 Championship bid. 
 
Matt passed the finish line first at SuperOne Round 1 at Clay Pigeon, only to have victory snatched away from him when it was alleged that his engine was not in accordance with the manufacturer's specification.  This was vigorously denied by the Ultimate Team who have, using a similar case in Australia, which was successfully appealed, presented an extremely strong and robust defence appeal which is to be considered by the MSA very shortly.

[ Top ]

Freddie Takes Cadet Win   (01/05)

Iztech Kart Seats would like to congratulate Freddie Lee on his most recent win in Super 1 Honda Cadets.  Lee was using Iztech's lightest ever kart seat weighing in at just 420g!
 
Freddie was also using an extremely light Iztech carbon fibre floor tray as part of his race winning equipment.
 
Once again, congratulations to Freddie, Barry and Alex on a deserved win.
 
For more details on Iztech's products visit www.iztechkartseats.com.

[ Top ]

Under 17 Driving School   (01/05)

Chris Pullman with Ewan Merrett.

Buckmore Park Kart Circuit is launching an under 17-road driver training scheme in conjunction with 'Go Driver Training', a professional driving school.  This initiative is open to any youngster aged between 10 and 16, (minimum height requirement 4'10") and will take place on Buckmore's large tarmac paddock area at weekends and during school holidays from mid May onwards.  The scheme will use dual control cars identical to standard instruction cars, with qualified ADI instructors. 

Buckmore boss, Bill Sisley says "We have been wanting to introduce an under 17 driver training school for a long time as it will dovetail into our Junior karting activities.  We have over 2000 youngsters that already use the venue in our various junior clubs and schools and this is an ideal follow on activity.  The main advantage of this scheme over others is that we will offer personalised driver training, with only one pupil per 30-minute session, with the option for youngsters to take part in up to three 30-minute sessions daily. As well as this, youngsters can take part from as young as ten years old"

Chris Pullman, Buckmore's Operations Director says that the training will be split into 30 minute segments with different levels of instruction.  The first level will cover the most basic driving skills such as start/stop/ steering and gear changing.  Level two will cover hill starts and reversing whilst Level three will concentrate on mirror use and signals, blind spots and advance manoeuvring.

Ewen Merrett, Owner of Go Driver Training (and ex racer himself) feels that the new initiative will be a great success.  He says "Buckmore is the ideal venue and offers a self contained area where the school can be run in a safe environment.  In the future we can mark out the area to simulate normal road conditions.  Our aim is to create a fun environment for youngsters to learn the basics and also to produce safer road drivers"

Circuit supporter John Surtees is fully behind the scheme and says "This initiative is only good news and emphasises my belief that we should be working more with young people to develop their skills in preparation for driving on the road and possibly on the race track too.  I know that Buckmore is totally committed to expanding its links with the education of youngsters and this initiative is a step towards the overall dream of creating a centre of motoring excellence at the venue".
 
The scheme will start running in Mid May 2008 at a cost of £30 per 30-minute session. Demand is expected to be high, so please ring either Buckmore Park on 0845 603 7964 or Go-Driver Training Ltd on 01634 372892 to book today.

[ Top ]

KKC Staff Opportunities   (30/04)
 
Due to the continued expansion of KKC, we are looking to recruit the following positions to operate from the new trackside Whilton Mill Kart Store.
 
Sales & Shop Manager (Full Time)
A 40hr working week, which will include selected weekends.
Based on salary.
 
Warehouse Assistant (Full Time)
A 40hr working week.
Based on salary.
Your responsibilities will include ensuring that adequate stock is available for orders to be fulfilled, with a good understanding in stock rotation. A good phone manner is essential.
 
Shop Assistant (Part Time)
To help with the running of the shop during race weekends.
Salary based on a day rate.
Selected weekdays may apply.

Individuals must have good customer care skills and a good knowledge of karting in general.  Also a good level of competence in computers is essential.
 
Please apply in writing to:-
Job Vacancies
KKC LTD
Station Road Ind. Est.
Ampthill
Bedfordshire
MK45 2QY

Or email nick.kkc@btconnect.com   

[ Top ]

Buckmore Employee Award   (30/04)

Buckmore Park are delighted to announce that Alan Wood, our senior Race Director and Club Co-ordinator, won first prize at the recent Medway Tourism Ambassador Awards held at Dickens World in Chatham.  The inaugural awards supported by Visit Kent and Medway Council were hotly contested and the winners were chosen based on nominations from Medway and South East customers.  The superb first prize trophy was presented to Alan in recognition of his contribution as an individual to the local tourism, hospitality and leisure industry.

Alan, who has been with Buckmore for many years, is also responsible for our website updates and is a highly respected and valuable member of staff who is only too happy to go that extra mile to help Buckmore's customers, both kids and adults. 

Well done Alan!

[ Top ]

MSW Kart Shop In 7th Heaven   (29/04)

Hertfordshire based MSW Kart Shop have be granted exclusive area rights to be agents for the UK's top pro kart manufacturer 7Kart.

As well as offering karts and spares from the Rye House shop, proprietor Josh O'malley and Manager Matt Webb are actively involved in the highly successful Rye House Endurance race series using 7Karts.  "Other companies may offer karts for sale, but we feel the technical backup and advice given track side by MSW is hugely beneficial".

This statement is also endorsed by 7Kart themselves who will be working hard with MSW to ensure the customers get the best service required. 7Kart themselves support and attend the rye house pro kart series and are will always be available for help.

Magnificent 7 indeed!  Visit www.kartspares.co.uk for the MSW Kart Shop website.

[ Top ]

Formula TKM Festival 2008   (29/04)

The Regulations and Entry Form for this year's Formula TKM Festival is now available at www.tal-ko.com.

From the event guide: "The Festival is a very popular annual event that is designed to bring together TKM drivers from all over the UK and Europe. Both experienced and novice drivers have a full weekend of racing designed to provide as much track time and entertainment as possible. With a procedure that does not require control fuel or tyres and with the amount of racing, this truly is outstanding value for money."

The 2008 Festival will be held at Whilton Mill on 8th-10th August.

[ Top ]

RetroRacer At Teesside   (29/04)
 
RetroRacer International meeting at Teeside 2nd, 3rd & 4th May.
 
The 2008 series of RetroRacer, The British Historic Kart Racing Series kicks off this weekend at the Teeside circuit this weekend - 2nd, 3rd & 4th May.

Interest in the series has grown to the extent that there will be large grids of historic karts racing, necessitating A and B Finals to be held such are the numbers. The racing of historic karts initiative set up in the UK in 2005 by RetroRacer has attracted 6 Dutch entries and 7 from Germany, with many more coming to the open practise sessions.

The meeting is hosted by the British Historic Kart Club, with practise sessions between the races arranged for the non-racing karters making the trip.

For more information on the series visit www.retro-racer.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Ellough & BDKC Event Dates   (25/04)

Ellough Park and the Beccles & District Kart Club have announced their 2008 calendar.  The dates are...

BDKC MSA Sprint Championship
26/27 April
28/29 June
26/27 July
29/30/31 August
27/28 September
25/26 October
29/30 November
 
Ellough Park Owner Driver Pro Kart Sprint
1st June
20th July
3rd August
7th September
5th October
2nd November
 
Ellough Park Open Grand Prix (arrive & drive using the corporate kart fleet)
 20th May
17th June
15th July
19th August
16th September
21st October
18th November
16th December
 
Ellough Park Cadet & Junior League (arrive & drive using the corporate kart fleet)
30th April
28th May
25th June
30th July
27th August
24th September
29th October
26th November
29th December (open endurance)
 
If you're interested in any of the above events please contact RL Circuits on 01502 717718 for further details, or visit the Ellough Park website at www.elloughparkraceway.co.uk and the BDKC website at www.bdkc.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Bayford Prokart Enduro   (24/04)

An impressive total of four past champions graced the Prokart entry in the first action of the fourteen race summer championship as round 1 got underway at Bayford Meadows on 20th April.

The Prokarts always provide drama and the opening qualifying session was no exception! After weeks of testing in preparation for the championship two teams suffered a major set-back after heavy contact at the Rise. Of the two karts, Mark Phee was able to take the start of the sprint race but KM Racing had to make a mad dash to their workshop for another chassis.

Pole position starter Frascati Racing lost out to Mark Phee on the run up to the first corner, the opening laps saw the pole starter relegated even further down, but Frascati were just being ultra cautious and by half distance they had regained the number one spot and pulled out a small race winning advantage.

Titan 1 and Titan 2 came through to finish in second and third places respectively with Blue Lizzard fourth ahead of first lap leader Mark Phee in fifth place.

The ninety minute feature race followed much the same pattern as the earlier sprint race with Frascati dropping down the order in the opening laps before charging through to claim the spoils, the winning margin at the chequered flag a comfortable twenty six seconds.

Titan 1 and Titan 2 again made the podium; Titan 2 just scraping third after a fantastic final 30 minutes drive that saw them rise from fifth to third place.

www.Kartnuts.co.uk kindly sponsored the clubman award which went to Wirefree Racing on this occasion; the team impressed everybody with their speed in the ninety minute feature race, running as high as second overall.

Results:
1st Frascati
2nd Titan2
3rd  Titan 1
4th  Wre Free
5th  Blue Lizzard
6th  PDQ
7th  Cosport
8th  White Racing
9th  SZR
10th KM

[ Top ]

TKM 2-Stroke Bodywork   (24/04)

The Motor Sports Association has clarified its special dispensation to drivers in the Formula TKM 2-stroke classes which will ease the introduction of CIK homologated crash tested plastic bodywork and bars in the classes.
 
Currently karts from the 2004 & 2007 TKM homologation periods must use the full CIK crash tested plastic bodywork and mounting bars as from Jan 1st 2008, but users of older karts from the 1998 & 2001 homologation periods were given a dispensation from this rule until Jan 1st 2009.
 
Now the MSA has agreed an extension and full clarification on the regulations which will make the future much easier and clearer for drivers of all TKM homologated karts.
 
With immediate effect the karts from the 2004 homologation period which were left out of the original dispensation must now use CIK crash tested plastic bodywork but they do not have to use the CIK crash tested mounting bars if these don't fit without chassis modifications
 
From Jan 1st 2009 onwards all karts older than 2007 that do not already have the correct mounting points for crash-tested CIK bodywork, must use the new style CIK plastic bodywork elements. But they do not have to have the CIK crash tested mounting bars if these don't fit without chassis modifications.  
 
Effectively it means that drivers of older karts will still be able to use them with no problem simply by modifying mounting bars to take the new CIK crash tested plastic bodywork, which in most cases is a simple job.
 
Alan Turney, Managing Director of Tal-Ko Racing, organisers of the Formula TKM classes, said: "We are delighted that the MSA has sensibly clarified this situation. Without it we would have faced the prospect of many karts simply becoming unusable even though they are only a few years old. This will ensure that owners get a full homologation life from their karts."
 
The full wording of the clarification is as follows:
 
With immediate effect, the MSA extends the exemption shown in Kart Race Yearbook B3.3.14 to include TKM homologated karts for the period 2004/2006 inclusive on condition that the plastic elements of CIK crash tested and homologated front fairing (K.182/183), front panel (Nassau panel) (K.184/185) and sidepods are fitted to these karts of 2004 - 2006 manufacture in compliance with K.169.  The sidepods, front fairing and front panel may be from different homologations.  These regulations will become effective for all TKM homologated karts up to and including 2006 from 1.1.09.

[ Top ]

HUK Stars Of Tomorrow   (23/04)

HUK Racing would like to congratulate all its drivers on their strong performances at the Stars of Tomorrow championship last weekend. Luke Whitehead, still in only his first season of MiniMax, put his BRM  BB01 2nd on the grid for the final and finished an impressive 5th whilst Andy Smart finished an excellent 3rd in his Junior Max final. 
 
HUK Racing specialises in providing awning space, driver training, mechanics and technical support at the PFi, Fulbeck and Wombwell club meetings as well as the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow championship. We are currently expanding our facilities and are looking for drivers to race with us so, to find out how you can become a part of our team, and from only £60 per day, please contact Mark Ward on 07740 175500.

[ Top ]

'W' Plate Meeting   (22/04)

SYKC are proud to sponsor the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and are lucky enough for them to to pay us a visit on the morning of the 'W' Plate meeting being held on 10th/11th May.

This will make a flying start to the days proceedings which will include 3 heats and B / A finals (where applicable), Parade car for all final winners, Raffle and Mrs Brian Wilson will be our Guest of Honour making the trophy presentations inc. Driver of the Day! Will we have a visit from the Wombwell Wombles?? Or are they still drying out from last year!! Hopefully the weather will be kind to us.

Saturday evening we will be B-B-Qing and tickets will be limited (£3 per person) so book yours early to avoid disappointment. We will also have games and karaoke for all.

Don't miss out on a great weekend and the chance to win the coveted 'W' plate.

Entries are starting to arrive so don't be late - see our website for a regularly updated list of entrants at www.sykc.fsnet.co.uk.

All entries to Judith Hambleton, The Croft, Redbourne Road, Hibaldstow, N. Lincs DN20 9EE Tel 01652 659740 / 07946 299818

[ Top ]

HKRC Resurfacing Project   (21/04)

In anticipation of the Hunts Kart Racing Club's 50th Anniversary, HKRC has invested in a total resurfacing of both its circuit layouts, continuing to encompass all the established characteristics of a circuit that is part of many drivers calendar of varying kart classes during each racing season - hosting Super One Championships, Stars of Tomorrow and the TKM Festival.

The circuit resurfacing project has been managed by the HKRC Committee, who in partnership with Buckingham Group Contracting has taken on this long awaited project. HKRC has had to remove the April meeting from their race calendar for 2008 to allow the project to be completed, along with many other site works that are being undertaken by the HKRC team. The weekend of 10th/11th May will bring back many karters to the circuit with great expectancy to drive a safer and improved track format, reinstating corners that had been changed over the past years as part of intermediate improvements. The final surface choice will offer good grip, less abrasion on tyres, and improved circuit drainage.

The complete circuit layout has been looked at corner by corner, identifying areas requiring improvement to address some outstanding safety issues and maximise overtaking opportunities. The 'hump kerbs' have all been removed and replaced, new exit kerbs at key locations have also been introduced - both in line with CIK standards.  One of the key changes is to 'Circuit 2'; Bust Stop 2 has been removed leaving a straight run in to Hangar along Yamitsu Straight.  All works have been considered and implemented in consultation with John Symes, the MSA's technical manager.

Works at the track are progressing very well and on schedule. All old surfacing has been removed; ground works for the small track tweaks/widening have been completed; new CIK apex and exit kerbs are ongoing, and the track surfacing has been completed this week.

All works will be completed in plenty of time to enable us to finish off painting of kerbs etc and be up and running for the May race meeting - so get your entries in quick, we're anticipating a big entry!

Circuit 1 will be used in May, and Circuit 2 in June so that all entrants will get the opportunity to try both circuits as soon as possible!

We at HKRC are really excited about the improvements, and looking forward to the first meeting on the new circuit in May, look forward to seeing you there!

Regular updates of the works are being posted on the HKRC web site - keep checking on progress at www.hkrc.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Stars In His Eyes   (21/04)
 
James Appleton used the advice reigning Super 1 champion Chris Rogers gave to him in the best possible way, by winning the second round of the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow Championship at PFi yesterday (19/20 April). 12-year old James - who races with the NJR team - took a convincing victory at the rain-soaked Lincolnshire circuit.
 
He started his Stars campaign well on Saturday's opening round, with an encouraging 6th place in the Final which convinced the team that they had a strong platform to build upon for Sunday's racing. And it certainly looked that way when James took a convincing win in his first race of the day. He said: "I started in 4th place (on the grid) and it was raining hard but I got to the front, pulled away and opened a massive gap to win."
 
In his second heat, James started from 23rd place and tigered up to 8th place. Despite this, he wasn't entirely happy: "I started dead last, but wasn't quite quick enough to get further."
 
In the third heat, another superb performance saw him muscle his way from 9th place into 2nd - "I got up to the front of the chasing pack in just two laps but the leader had got away and I just couldn't catch him. Still, I was happy with 2nd."
 
James' results gave him pole position for the Final and prior to the start, he was very cool - but only about the race - "I was sat on pole and said "Dad I'm getting really stressed". He said "Why?" and I said, "Because I haven't done my RE homework."
 
With the rain teeming down, Clerk of the Course, Nigel Edwards ordered a start at "jogging speed", which James delivered. However, once the light had gone green, he rocketed away from his unsuspecting rivals. He explains: "Within two to three corners I was a second ahead. My team-mate, Jake Dalton, had got up to 2nd and was very quick.  Unfortunately, he had a mechanical failure and that helped me to extend my lead. But I was really disappointed for him."
 
However, a mistake midway through the race saw him lose time and the 2nd-placed man, Matt Parry close to within a metre. However, Parry too made an error allowing James to re-establish his lead and keep pushing to the chequered flag. James was keen to thank Chris Rogers, Nick Jest of NJR and Ricky Grice for their superb help and support throughout the weekend. Now lying at the sharp-end of the table, James is confident that he can build upon Sunday's success: "I'm up there now (in the Championship standings) and want to be on top at the end. But I'm now one of the drivers everyone else would like to beat, so we'll see..."

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

MSA British Cadet Championship   (21/04)
 
The MSA British Cadet Kart Championship kicked off this weekend (19th/20th April).  In Round 1 Hazz Truelove got his British Championship bid in the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow series off to a perfect start at the well appointed PF International kart circuit.  Passing defending champion Brett Wykes on the opening laps of the final, he opened up a large lead over new second place contender Trevyn-Jay Nelson.  As the rest fought over the remaining podium places, the diminutive Truelove, the 2007 Super One champion, extended a handy gap.  Ben Barnicoat took up the chase, but a clash saw him drop back, a ten second penalty for driving standards extending his misery.  Next to take up the cudgels was Roy Johnson but he too was unable to break away, unlike Scottish champion Charlie Robertson, carving through to the front of the squabbling pack and then closing down the gap to leader Truelove, Johnson staying close behind.  "On the first lap I tried to push Brett but he was a little slower so everyone bottled up, and so I passed him and pulled away.  Then the engine started bogging down, so I moved the carburettor settings and it came back to me," explained Truelove (pictured right), who astonishingly had only set the thirteenth fastest race time.
 
In Round 2 Truelove, from fifth on the grid, vaulted over Alex Gill and poleman Barnicoat to take up the lead again in what were very tricky conditions.  Drizzle and cold weather combined to keep the karts on wet weather tyres throughout Sunday's second round, many sliding off the track.  In a repeat of Round 1, Truelove eased out a large lead as the rest battled behind, Toby Sowerby almost managing a breakaway.  But he was reeled in and passed by Robertson and Sam Vanderpump - up from tenth on the grid, before plummeting down the order. This time Robertson got close enough for a successful move to take the lead but Truelove fought back to take his second win of the weekend.  "I knew if I blocked Charlie then Sam would catch us up so I let Charlie through then got him back in a more favourable place," said Truelove.  A slightly aggrieved Robertson added: "Haz gave me a little push to get me back again." 
 
Round 1 Results (all Comer engines)
1 Hazz Truelove (Zip)
2 Charlie Robertson (Zip)
3 Roy Johnson (Zip)
4 Brett Wykes (Zip)
5 Trevyn-Jay Nelson (Zip)
6 Alfonso Skriczka (Zip)
 
Round 2 Results
1 Truelove
2 Robertson
3 Sam Vanderpump (Zip)
4 Skriczka
5 Johnson
6 Wykes

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Charity Karting Event   (21/04)

Naomi House children's hospice are holding a charity karting event at Wessex Raceway, the South's premier indoor karting venue, on Thursday 19th June 2008.
 
This fantastic Team Endurance race includes 30 minutes of qualifying, 120 minutes of racing, post race trophy presentation, and refreshments in Wessex Raceway's superb trackside dining facility.
 
The cost for a team of five is £250, with 50% of the money raised going directly to Naomi House!  Doors open at 5:30pm for a 6pm start.
 
If you would like information on booking a team (maximum of 5 per team) please contact Wessex Raceway. Places are limited so please contact Wessex Raceway as soon as possible to book your place on telephone 08445 762420 or email enquiries@wessexraceway.co.uk.
 
For more information on Naomi House visit their website at www.naomihouse.org.uk.

Get a thrill out of giving!

[ Top ]

ABkC Cadet O Plate   (18/04)

Cumbria Kart Racing Club will be hosting the ABkC Cadet O Plate as part of their club meeting on 11th May, adding another reason to be there alongside competitive racing and a friendly atmosphere.  Incorporating Comer and WTP Cadet classes, the winner will of course get to race with the coveted 'O' plate.  The meeting will also feature the NKF ICC classes, so there are plenty of opportunities to race for everyone.

Even better news is that at a recent meeting the ABkC have agreed to downgrade the license required for the WTP O Plate from an A licence to a minimum requirement of a Novice B licence PLUS five signatures. The Comer Cadet O plate will remain at a National A licence.

Entry forms, regs, and tyre & fuel forms are all available on line from www.cumbriakrc.co.uk.

Whether you're entering the O Plate, looking to race in the club meeting, or just wanting to watch the spectacle, make sure you're there on the 11th May!

[ Top ]

Walker Vows To Bounce Back   (18/04)

British Super 1 title challenger Jonathan Walker has vowed to put his frustrating start to the domestic kart racing season behind him, and return to form at the first round of the European Championship at Angerville, France in two weeks time.
 
The 19-year old crashed heavily during testing, spraining his wrist, which then plagued him for the remainder of the weekend.
 
The Three Sisters circuit at Wigan leaves little room for error. Unfortunately, with the meeting hit by sudden and frequent rain showers, judging where the grip was became very difficult. Jonathan explains: "I went down the 'Valley' section and hit a patch of water and speared straight off into the barriers. It was a big accident, and I wrote-off a brand new chassis in the process."
 
Matters didn't improve when his motor seized during Timed Qualifying. Walker had only completed four laps when the engine let go. His frustration was further compounded when he discovered that he was 6th quickest and just a tenth of a second off the 3rd fastest time - "I think I could've gone quicker, but the pain in my wrist was getting so bad that I couldn't pull the front-brake lever."
 
This forced him to consider abandoning the heats in favour of racing solely in the two finals. However, as the organizers called the drivers to the grid for the first race, Jonny put his kart down on the third row of the grid. Driving through his obvious discomfort, he battled to a creditable 9th place.
 
In the second heat, he managed to get up to 4th before dropping back to 5th.
 
The first final proved to be a trial for the Gillard driver. Lacking pace, his team tried desperately to cure the problem - even putting a jacket around the engine to maintain its temperature down the circuit's long, wind-blown main straight. "We just couldn't get the engines to rev over 15,000 rpm" he said dolefully. "I was losing a second up the straight".
 
Sticking gamely to the task in hand, Walker climbed back into his kart for the second final, despite describing his wrist as "…mangled. It just killed all the time."
 
The race proved to be a disaster. Forced off at the first corner, Jonathan rejoined the circuit only to tangle with Irishman, Raymie Eastwood. With the kart's floor-tray detached in the crash and lifting the front wheels off the ground, Jonny decided enough was enough and called it a day.
 
"I just need to write Wigan off and look forward to Angerville" he said. "Hopefully I'll be able to break into the top fifteen and make the cut for the Championship finals".
 
To keep up to date with Jonathan's fortunes throughout the season, visit www.jonathanwalkerracing.com.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Loughborough Win BUKC   (18/04)

Loughborough University took the top 2 places in the final of the British Universities Karting Championship this weekend at Llandow, South Wales.

The British Universities Karting Championship (BUKC) is an arrive-and-drive 2-stoke TKM based series and was contested by 56 teams from 32 universities over 5 race days during February, March and April '08.

The BUKC final at Llandow decided the title in what had become the closest and most competitive season in history of the championship. Just 2 points covered the top 5 teams. So close was the championship that no one had any idea how well they had done until the final championship results were announced. Ben Dainton, captain of the Loughborough squad says that the team are delighted at the result which had come as quite a surprise: "The top 3 title contenders, including our A team, did their best to throw it away at the final. Even at the end of Round 9 we still thought that Swansea had won. We honesly had no idea that our teams had won. Being joint on 1st and 2nd is just unbelievable."

Results:
1st: Loughborough A: 399 pts
2nd: Loughborough B: 399 pts
3rd: Oxford Brookes A: 398 pts
4th: Swansea Metropolitan A: 398 pts
5th: Plymouth A: 397 pts

The full report and results can be found at www.bukc.com/news.

[ Top ]

Stars Champ Wins S1 Opener   (17/04)

Darren and Ken Masters of Kart Tech would like to congratulate their nephew and grandson, reigning Stars of Tomorrow champion, Brett Wykes on wining the opening round of this years Super 1 Kart championship.

Wykes was on excellent form in the opening round of the Super 1 series winning two of his heats in the Cadet class and taking second place in the third.

Brett's performance put him on pole for the final but problems just a few laps in and then a mid-race re-start made a race win in the final look far from guaranteed.  Following the restart and with a little bit of good luck and gritty determination Brett managed to retake the lead halfway through the last lap and went on to take his first win of this year's championship.  In such a competitive championship, beating many drivers who either receive sponsorship or are members of large teams shows just what can be achieved through skill and the desire to win.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Lloyd To Be Guest At Stars   (17/04)
 
2007 BRDC Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship winner, Daniel Lloyd will return to the scene of many of his karting triumphs this Sunday (20 April), as a guest of the series.
 
Daniel - who currently lies 5th in the Ginetta Junior championship's points table in his rookie year - will be present at PFi, Lincolnshire to talk about his experience of making the switch from karts to cars.
 
He says: "When Carolynn (Hoy) invited me to display my car and represent the Ginetta Junior championship, I couldn't say 'no'. I'm having a brilliant time and so far things are going very, very well for me and the team - so I'm delighted to be able to promote the series and talk about it." He added: "I do miss karting and I've got a lot of friends who'll be at PFi, so it'll be great to watch the racing and see people."
 
16-year old Daniel has impressed many paddock insiders with how quickly he has adapted to sportscar racing and at Rockingham last weekend, the Tockwith Motorsport driver was challenging for his first podium.
 
Daniel will welcome any questions about the championship, the Ginetta Junior itself and the difference between racing karts and cars. 
 
Also on display at the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow race control centre will be fellow Stars old-boy Nigel Moore's mighty Ginetta G50.
 
For more information about Daniel and his career, visit www.daniellloydracing.com.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net and Oliver Read.

[ Top ]

MSA British Kart Champs   (17/04)

Richard Bradley followed up his recent ABkC O Plate success with a double win at the same track, taking maximum points for the weekend, despite an engine failure in one of the heats.  He had topped the timed qualifying session over this team-mate Lee Bell, and took the first heat from Mark Litchfield.  Lee Bell was able to uphold the honours of the Simon Wright Racing Developments team in the other heat when Bradley's engine seized on the second lap.  "It's very annoying, but I'm fast enough," said Bradley (pictured), soon proving it as he stormed up from grid eight and was waved past into the lead by Bell.  "There was no point fighting and I thought I'd see where Richard was faster," explained Bell. But Bell's engine hesitated at the start of the second final and he dropped to fourth, whilst Bradley pulled away.  "It was just a case of conserving the lead, then I saw I had a massive gap so I could relax," said the winner after a sudden heavy shower made the track treacherous.  Mark Litchfield was his closest contender, with Chris Rogers struggling to keep up the pace in third.  Budget strapped privateer Denis Gorman made a very creditable fifth when Jordon Lennox-Lamb overshot a corner.  "The brake lever on the steering wheel caught on the Nassau panel," explained Lennox-Lamb.
 
Results Round 1
1 Richard Bradley (Wright) 15 laps in 10m 36.42s (61.16mph);
2 Lee Bell (Wright) + 1.01s;
3 Sam Tordoff (Alonso);
4 Chris Rogers (Octane);
5 Mark Litchfield (Tonykart);
6 Jordon Lennox-Lamb (Topkart);
 
Results Round 2
1 Bradley 15 laps in 11m 57.44s (61.62mph);
2 Litchfield +0.77s;
3 Rogers;
4 Bell;
5 Gorman;
6 Lennox-Lamb;
 
Championship Positions
1 Richard Bradley 100
2 Lee Bell 92
3 Mark Litchfield 91
4 Chris Rogers 90
5 Sam Tordoff 87
6 Jordon Lennox-Lamb 84

In the MSA British Junior Kart Championship, Carl Stirling and Mackenzie Taylor (pictured) shared top spoils in the two KF3 finals.  In the first Stirling was another to repeat his O Plate championship success, taking the win by a tiny margin over the just turned 12 year old Alexander Albon. In the second final, Albon was squeezed to the outside at the start, salvaging fifth, whilst Taylor and Stirling escaped.  A brief shower of rain saw Taylor extend the lead massively.  "Definitely the wet was to my advantage, all credit to Ricky Flynn for the setup," said Taylor. The rain stopped before the end of the race, with Rikki Gordon leapfrogging John Norris to complete a Scottish winner followed by three Irishmen. 
 
Results Round 1
1 Carl Stirling (Tonykart) 15 laps in 10m 53.15s (60.15mph);
2 Alexander Albon (Tonykart) +0.17s;
3 MacKenzie Taylor (Alonso);
4 Sam Snell (Intrepid);
5 Lewis Hall (Gillard);
6 Chris Swanwick (Tonykart);
 
Results Round 2
1 Taylor 15 laps in 11m 31.45s (60.25mph);
2 Carl Stirling +4.87s;
3 Gordon;
4 Norris;
5 Albon;
6 Matthew Hogarth (BRM);
 
Championship Positions
1 Carl Stirling 98
2 Mackenzie Taylor 96
3 Alexander Albon 91
4 Rikki Gordon 85
5 Lewis Hall 83
6 John Norris 82

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Mackenzie's Delight   (15/04)

Mackenzie Taylor took a decisive KF3 victory at the opening round of the British Super 1 Championship at Three Sisters, near Wigan last weekend (12/13 April).
 
Coming just a week after his Winning Series Karting success at Angerville in France (5/6 April), the Ricky Flynn Motorsport driver has clearly marked himself as one of the favourites to take the Super 1 title.
 
In difficult conditions during Timed Qualifying, Taylor clocked the 7th fastest time - but admitted to making a costly error: "The guys who recorded quicker times were all slip-streaming one another, but I was out on my own and didn't get a tow. At Wigan you can gain a tenth of a second by towing behind someone, and I just didn't give myself that opportunity - I was pushing my own air."
 
Though his self criticism sounds a little harsh - especially when you consider that he was just a tenth of a second off pole position - it worked as a brilliant motivational tool for his performance in the heats.
 
Surviving a massive 'moment', he won his first race. "I was coming down the fast 'Valley' section and ran onto a damp section of the track. My kart suddenly snapped sideways and I was thinking 'this is going to hurt,' but I clipped a kerb and the kart flicked back the right way".
 
Mackenzie won the second heat and booked his place on the front row of the grid for the pre-final.
 
As the pack barrelled into the first corner he found himself unable to get onto the dry, racing-line and dropped to 12th - before getting his head down and working his way up to 3rd at the chequered flag.
 
Getting a fantastic start to tuck in behind pole-man Carl Stirling, Mackenzie started the final in a bullish mood. Half a lap later, seeing a chance, he passed Stirling - who immediately had a stab back. Taylor led the pair onto the long main-straight, with the young Ulsterman slipstreaming him and preparing to pass. However, the alert Taylor saw waved yellow flags and pointed first at them and then at Stirling. The Irish driver duly backed out of the move, handing the advantage back to Taylor who then firmly pressed it home as rain began to fall.
 
Demonstrating his superb kart control in the worsening conditions, Mackenzie quickly opened a gap of nearly five seconds. As his rivals slowed, he drove perfectly, corner after corner to cruise to a dominant win.
 
"I'm very pleased with the result" he said afterwards. "I would've been angry with myself if I hadn't won. Once again, the team (Ricky Flynn Motorsport) did a perfect job and gave me the best equipment to go out and win with. That's why I would've been angry if I hadn't. I'm also very grateful to Gordy at GFR for my engines and to Martin and Dan at Pro-Performance - their involvement has really made a difference to me this year."

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Congratulations Luke & Craig   (15/04)

HUK Racing would like to congratulate it's MiniMax drivers Luke Whitehead and Craig Linscer who managed an impressive 1-2 at Wombwell's April meeting using their BRM BB01 chassis.

HUK Racing are approved agents for the BRM chassis and offer full race team facilities at Wombwell, Fulbeck and PFi. We also have one more vacancy for a driver at this weekends Stars of Tomorrow championship.

Should you wish to reserve your place in the team, please feel to contact Mark on 07740175500.

[ Top ]

Track/Event Manager Required   (15/04)
 
Playscape Racing Promotions require Full Time Track and Event Manager:

Europe's foremost Karting company are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to manage our London indoor Karting facility. Responsibilities will include the day to day organization of our circuit team and marshals as well as being one of our team of instructors during race events.

The successful applicant would need to be a personable individual with a vibrant personality, the ability to manage a group of younger staff, and be able to present themselves "front of house" to large corporate groups. The position will require the individual to work within a Rota system with availability for evening and weekend work.

Pervious experience of kart circuits or involvement in motor sport useful, but not essential, as full training will be given.
 
Please forward your CV with covering letter to Enver Meyer at enver@playscape.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Foster-Jones S1 Win   (15/04)
 
Two weeks after winning the British Open Championship, Robert Foster-Jones returned to the same circuit and was again the class of the field - taking victory in the opening round of the British Super 1 kart Championship.
 
But Robert had to overcome a difficult start to the weekend, after his kart lacked pace during practice and Timed Qualifying: "It was all bad. The kart was exceptionally slow in all conditions", he explains. "We went into Qualifying and the problems continued and I ended up in 26th place! We were wondering if it was down to the chassis, the engine or me".  
 
Finding himself - unusually - back on the 9th row of the grid, Robert knew that he'd be right in the thick of the action. Before the off, his mechanic Mickey 'Moose' Higham told him to "just chip away, don't get involved (in any crashes)". Doing just that, Robert picked his way through the pack to finish in 7th place. In the following race, he took the chequered flag in 9th place and earned himself 10th on the grid for the first final.
 
Still feeling that he lacked power, the team changed all the electrics on Robert's kart and this provided the cure. The 17-year old stormed through to 5th place and gave himself the vital inside line position for the second final.
 
As the field blasted down the circuit's long main-straight and then headed up its steep incline, Robert could see plenty of pushing and shoving going on at the front. With a collision taking the poleman out at the first corner, Robert seized the opportunity and moved into 3rd place. From there he passed the two drivers ahead of him and began to pull away.
 
The rain that had blighted the meeting threatened to return. As spots began to hit his visor with increasing frequency, Rob eased off his pace to bring his kart home without any further dramas.
 
Afterwards, a clearly delighted Foster-Jones said: "My consistency pulled me away (from the field) rather than outright pace, but everything was working perfectly. Moose and Rick (Flynn - boss of Rob's team - Ricky Flynn Motorsport) were relentless in trying to find the problem and solve it. I've also proved that I can get a good result from such difficult circumstances. After Timed Qualifying, I started the day with a mountain to climb - but a winner's confidence made the difference."
 
Robert now lies 2nd overall in the Championship table, just one point off the lead - but says he plans to "move up a space and stay there for the rest of the year."
 
Robert now has a four-week wait until his next race, the third round of the Winning Series Karting Championship on 10-11 May. Ironically, it's back at the Lonato circuit in Italy, where he won the Winter Cup in February.    
 
To find out more about Robert and follow his fortunes through the season, visit www.robertfosterjones.com.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

LTMotorsport.com Launch   (14/04)

LT Motorsport is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, www.ltmotorsport.com, which offers a host of features including details of its race support packages at Whilton Mill, Kimbolton & Shenington circuits.
 
Whether you are just starting out in the sport, or you are an advanced driver looking for that extra edge over your competitors, LT Motorsport can help. Team principal and kart champion, Lee Torrie, runs successful race teams at Whilton Mill, Kimbolton and Shenington circuits as well as regular driver training days tailored to the individual needs of drivers.
 
All of LT Motorsport's drivers have their current results and previous Championship results posted on the website, together with sponsor information.  If you are interested in sponsoring one of our drivers please contact us to discuss the benefits for your business.
 
LT Motorsport also carries a full range of spares for the Gillard chassis.  If you are looking for Gillard spares, a rolling chassis or a full outfit, contact us for more information.

[ Top ]

2008 ARKS Courses   (14/04)

Rye House offer a designated ARKS tests day, usually the third or fourth Saturday of each month.  Not only that, but after the test examinees can spend the rest of the day testing, subject to circuit availability.

For those who wish to, either for convenience or for something more exclusive, it is also possible to book a 1-2-1 arks test on ANY weekday. Pre-ARKS tuition and driver training as also available.

Tests do need to be booked in advance so contact Rye on 01992 460895 ext 2 for dates and prices.

Visit the Rye House website for information on the circuit at www.rye-house.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Honda F1 Sign Will Stevens   (11/04)

The Honda Racing F1 Team is delighted to announce that it has signed 16 year old British karting star Will Stevens under a long-term driver support agreement.

Will is firmly established as one of the leading young kart racers in the world. For the 2008 season he is racing with the prestigious TonyKart Racing Team in the KF1 class competing in all the major European races, alongside participation in the WSK International Series and the World Cup in Japan.

In 2007, Will won the FIA-CIK KF2 European and Asia-Pacific Championships, along with the International Open Masters KF2 title. He was the 2006 WSK Junior ICA Champion and the 2005 MSA British Junior Champion, in addition to winning five previous national titles.

As Will seeks to progress through the junior motorsport ranks, Honda will assist him in developing to the level of performance that is required to potentially become part of Honda's Formula One programme in the future.

Will visited the Honda Racing F1 Team's headquarters in Brackley today to meet Team Principal Ross Brawn and Chief Executive Officer Nick Fry, and tour the impressive facilities of the team's UK operational base.

Ron Meadows, Sporting Director for the Honda Racing F1 Team with responsibility for Honda's Young Driver Programme, commented, "We are delighted to welcome Will to the Honda Racing F1 Team. Will has had a very promising career in karting to date and we very much look forward to assisting his advancement through the ranks of the junior formulae towards achieving his ultimate ambition to race in Formula One. Honda considers the development of emerging motorsport talent to be a key part of our strategy and our commitment to Formula One. We look forward to seeing how Will progresses with our support over the course of the next few years."

Commenting on today's announcement, Will Stevens said, "I am extremely proud to be joining the Honda Racing F1 Team and this provides me with a great opportunity to progress my career towards my goal of reaching Formula One. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me so far in my career and especially Honda for their commitment and support of my future. I intend to do my very best to ensure that their belief in me is rewarded."

[ Top ]

Parrott & Bowyer Unstoppable   (11/04)
 
Jason Parrott overcame clutch, brake and start-line problems and even a snowstorm to win his first international race in the WSK series last weekend. The 20-year-old was comfortably in the top five all weekend with the support of MGM Racing and IAME and won the Final ahead of Mark Litchfield by driving with finesse in almost impossible conditions. He's now second in the championship, four points behind Round 1 winner Will Stevens but is facing a financial battle to compete in the full series and will prioritise the World & European Championships.
 
You can read a full report on Jason's weekend here.
 
Meanwhile Tim Parrott Motorsport, which Jason runs alongside his father, were in action in the Super One at Shenington. This was another snowy meeting and got started late after the track was cleared. Minimax driver Callum Bowyer qualified second then scored a first and second in the heats to put him on pole for the Final. There wasn't enough time to run the Finals so the results were declared from the grid positions, handing Callum the win.
 
More about Callum's day can be found here.

Photograph courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

BPKC Summer Champs R1   (11/04)

Buckmore Park Kart Club Summer Series kicks off on Sunday 20th April.  Entries are available in all classes including separate races for the new Honda Cadet Rookie class and Tyre class (if sufficient entries received).

Open Practice is available on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th April.  With restricted testing at Buckmore these dates will be ideal for Super One Rotax competitors wishing to test at the circuit before their round in June.

For entry forms and more details please contact Sheila Rose, Club Co-ordinator on 01634 661604.

For more details on Buckmore Park visit the website at www.buckmore.co.uk.

[ Top ]

Masterful Start To Italian Open   (11/04)
 
"A Good weekend - a very good weekend..." That from JRP team boss Mark Berryman, following the first round of the Italian Open Masters at Lonato (29/30 March).
 
And he had good reason to be pleased - as his Italian-based independent team masterminded a KF2 win for Luke Wright, and 4th place in KF3 for new signing Mitchell Hale.
 
15-year old Luke had marked himself out as the man to beat from the very start of the weekend - winning his first heat from 5th on the grid, and coming out on top in the second following the disqualification James Thorpe. But a first bend gravel trap trip in the third heat meant a 9th place finish. In the Pre Final Luke both started - and finished - the race in 3rd place, leaving it all to play for in the Final.
 
Mark takes up the story "Luke didn't make a mistake all weekend. In the Final he was up against some seriously fast drivers, but he took advantage of all the opportunities presented to him and drove a great race. To be honest, he could have gone even quicker - but this result will give him loads of confidence and show him that he can be the fastest and he can win."
 
Lonato was also the first JRP outing for Mitchell Hale. He got off to a flying start in his new berth, despite only having been racing for 15-months. Two 3rd places and a win in his heats saw the 14-year old from Bristol in a perfect position to lead the Final for several laps, but he eventually finished in 4th place.
 
Mark says "Mitchell made a few mistakes down to his lack of experience, but that's something we are going to be rectifying - he's got a great mental approach and the desire to win, and that's what counts. He'll be joining the rest of the JRP team contesting all the key European races using Maranello chassis and TM engines."
 
The next stop for the JRP team truck is Jesolo, near Venice this coming weekend (12/13 April). Luke and Mitchell are both in action at the second round of the Italian Open Masters, and Mark is expecting good things from both of them - "Mitchell's impressed me with his speed and the way he's applied himself to the job in hand and Luke's going there to win, so that's what I'll be expecting to see - or there'll be trouble!"

[ Top ]

Brand Is Street's A-Ed   (10/04)
 
Ed Brand remains unbeaten in the British Super 1 Championship after being declared the winner at a wintry Shenington in Oxfordshire last Sunday (6 March).

The 13-year old - who comfortably won the opening round of the Championship at Clay Pigeon in Dorset on 16 March - arrived at the snowbound circuit early on Sunday morning, and immediately joined fellow drivers, marshals and mechanics to help clear the track. Ed says: "About three to five inches of snow had fallen over night and completely covered the circuit. After my win at Clay there was no way I wasn't going to race, so I grabbed a spade and did my bit."
 
However, with the racing getting under way late in the morning, a curtailed programme was necessary. Only the heats were run, leaving the crucial finals to be axed.
 
Ed demonstrated that his Clay Pigeon win was no fluke by taking two heat wins and a 4th place. This gave him sufficient points to be declared the winner once all hope of running the Finals had been abandoned.
 
Despite having a 39 point lead in the Championship, Ed remains cool about his performance: "I'm quite relaxed and chilled about the whole thing really. I just did my job (on Sunday). There's along way to go, so I'm not even thinking about the championship just yet."
 
His team boss, Paul Carr of Paul Carr Racing agrees: "When you're in Ed's position you've just got to keep your head and keep at it. That's the way to be British champion."
 
Ed's Super 1 title hunt will resume in June when he travels to Buckmore Park in Kent for the 3rd round.
 
Before then, he will be keeping himself sharp by competing in a couple of club races - the first of which will be at his 'home' track of Whilton Mill near Daventry in Northamptonshire on 27 April.
 
To follow Ed's fortunes throughout the season, check out his website www.edbrandracing.net for the latest news.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Stirling 'O' Plate Victory   (09/04)

Carl Stirling clinched another stunning win in the Bridgestone Cup KF3 Qualifiers held at PF International on Sunday 7th April, following hard on the heels of his KF3 Open Championship title success a week earlier at the British Open Championship held at Wigan.
 
Carl, who with his brothers Craig and Adam from Moira in Northern Ireland, are competing in both the Super 1 and Stars of Tomorrow Championships in 2008, arrived in England ready and eager for this year's challenges, fresh from six straight wins in KF3 in all the races held at the Nutts Corner Easter Championships on Easter Monday and Tuesday, had this to say about his third straight win in three consecutive weekends:
 
"In Friday and Saturday testing for the 'O' Plate I was consistently quick in both the wet and the dry and led for much of the Final, having overtaken the leader before the rain came on. As the rain intensified I was aware that I was actually acting as a pace car, so I eased off a bit. However the race was red flagged which I hadn't anticipated, but I still secured the win with the results, as they always are, being taken from the preceding lap.  What I did find amusing was the suggestion that anyone was robbed. Winning this weekend's Qualifiers may help to dispel that notion".
 
With the great support provided by Dean Panrucker and everyone else in Millennium Motorsport as well as Gordy Finlayson at GFR on the engines, I am looking forward to the competition at the first round of Super 1, again at Wigan this weekend.

[ Top ]

French One-Twos At Nogaro   (08/04)

Unknown to most foreign drivers, the "Paul Armagnac" circuit at Nogaro smiled on French drivers on the occasion of the first event of the 2008 CIK-FIA European Superkart Championship. Benjamin Mahé and Damien Payart dominated the meeting and left it on Sunday evening with equal points as Payart won Race 1 ahead of Mahé and Mahé took his revenge in Race 2 beating his compatriot. If a "bonus point" had been allocated to decide between them, it would probably have gone to Benjamin Mahé, who had initially achieved pole-position in practice before scoring his first European win in Race 2, whereas Payart already has two European and six French titles under his belt.

Though counting many favourites, the British contingent was never really in a position to present a real threat to the two French leaders. In Race 1, Lee Harpham, Malcolm Crowe and the reigning Champion, Gavin Bennett, had to take the start from the pit lane following the problematic start of their karts. Only Harpham, second in practice, allowed himself the luxury of being ahead of Mahé and Payart in Race 2 before having to make a pit stop because of a puncture. Bennett and Crowe had varying luck: because of a small incursion into the turf around the circuit, Bennett had to be content with 8th place and Crowe was forced to retire due to mechanical problems. Out of all the Brits, John Riley and Trevor Roberts showed themselves the most consistent and scored as many points as possible before the next two events, which could be more to their favour.

The German Peter Elkmann, who discovered a new chassis, kept improving throughout the event and finished the weekend on the 3rd step of the podium in Race 2.

Among the surprises of the Nogaro event it is worth noting a good first European Championship for Lee Morgan (9th in Race 2) and Kevin Busby (11th in Race 1), as well as the promising debut of the new DEA and VM engines. Homologated a few days earlier and without any testing either on a track or on a bench before the French meeting, the Italian DEA engine proved reliable, with an interesting performance level, to such an extent that Mark Owens managed to be classified 6th in Race 2. And the Czech VM engine enabled two out of the three drivers who used it to finish in the points, i.e. in the top 15.

The European Championship, which started on a high note at Nogaro, will continue on 16-18 May 2008 in Germany within the framework of the prestigious DTM event on the Lausitzring circuit.

Full race results can be found at www.cik-fia.com.

[ Top ]

The Carl & Conor Show   (07/04)

The action came thick and fast at Round 4 of the Playscape Academy series at Streatham Kart Raceway in London.
 
The Cadet races featured some close racing, a little too close in the final as an accident saw Giancarlo Tartaro docked one place allowing Carl Stevens to take the win. Prior to that James Beumee had broken the track record, but as it was during training it remains an unofficial time.
 
The Junior racing saw old adversaries Nick Walker and Conor Jux Chandler pitted against each other and exciting racing followed.  Special mention to Aimee Bush - our only lady driver finished last in qualifying and came from the back of the C Final to win it on the last lap. She then produced the party piece again in the B Final to finish second and line up on grid 9 for the A Final!  The chequered flag was taken by Conor Jux Chandler.
 
Full race reports and results are available on the Playscape Academy website at www.playscape.co.uk/academy.

[ Top ]

Taylor Sews Up WSK Win   (07/04)
 
RFM's Mackenzie Taylor rebounded from his disappointment at finishing 2nd in last week's British Open Championship, with a superb victory at the second round of the Winning Series Karting Championship.
 
The win will taste all the sweeter for the KF3 star - who celebrates his 15th birthday today - after last month's opening round of the WSK saw him finish down in 19th place, after a start-line accident took him out of the points.
 
Arriving at Angerville, Mackenzie knew that he needed a good result if he was going to stand a chance of fighting for overall honours in the title chase.
 
Things started well when he recorded the 5th fastest time in Qualifying - putting him on the front row of the grid for the heats in his group. Mackenzie duly took a 4th, 2nd, 3rd and another 2nd to put himself on P3 for the pre-Final.
 
After catching initial leader Nicolai Moller Madsen, Mackenzie passed him for the lead and reeled out a string of fast laps to take an untroubled win.
 
As the field rolled onto the track for the Final, it started to drizzle, but this did little to affect the teenager's confidence. "I was on slicks but knew that my set-up was perfect" he said.
 
At the lights Mackenzie got a good start, although Moller Madsen momentarily headed him towards the first bend. Using the inside line to his advantage, Mackenzie prevented the Danish driver from taking the racing line and preserved his lead.
 
Mackenzie explains: "I'd got my tyres nicely warmed up during the rolling-up laps and this gave me the advantage. I just managed to get my head down and pull away". With the field fighting each other for position behind him, Taylor was able to open up a gap. However, once the race had settled into a rhythm, he found himself being tracked down by Frenchman Brandon Maisano and Dutch driver Jorrit Pex. He said afterwards: "Every lap I looked for Neil (Doran, his mechanic) who waved a finger in the air to say 'keep pushing.' Seeing the chequered flag came as a massive relief, after all those laps at the front." 
 
Winning the race by nearly 5 seconds sealed his dominance of the two Finals - and puts him right back in the hunt - after first round winner Nyck De Vries and 3rd-placed driver, Michelle Gatting, both failed to score points.
 
Mackenzie was keen to acknowledge the people behind his success, saying: "It was Rick's (Flynn, boss of Ricky Flynn Motorsport) ability to set the kart up perfectly for the changing conditions that made all the difference. In the wet and the dry, it was as if it was on rails. His organisation and preparation is second-to-none. Neil also worked really hard all weekend and I hope I've repaid him for his efforts (with this win). My thanks also to Gordy (Gordon Finlayson) and Dougie (Meek) (of Gordon Finlayson Racing Engines) and Martin (Poole) and Dan (Williams) at Pro Performance - they've made a massive difference."
 
With the British season starting next weekend, Sunday's victory must surely mark him as one of the favourites for overall honours in the British Super 1 Championship, which kicks off at the fast Three Sisters circuit, near Wigan next weekend (12/13 April 2008). 
 
"The WSK is the toughest the competition is going to get. It's effectively the World Championship for Juniors and to win at this level in such a short time (this is Mackenzie's first full season of European racing) bodes well for the rest of the year. I wouldn't say I'm over confident but yesterday was a big boost, so we'll see."  
 
Keep visiting www.mackenzietaylor.co.uk to follow his fortunes throughout the rest of the 2008 season.

Photographs courtesy of Chris Walker/Kartpix.net.

[ Top ]

Calling Cadet Racers   (04/04)
 
Dave Taylor of DTMotorsport based near Hooton Park Cheshire, is offering a newcomer wanting to start racing or current Cadet class novice the chance of a brand new Italian EKS ex works chassis for the 08 season free of charge.

Having helped numerous people get started and stay in a variety of Motorsport divisions during his past 45 years involvement in the sport, Dave would like to extend this offer to someone who has not been able to have a "new" chassis. There is nothing like having new equipment but we cannot always start with new.
 
The offer is however subject to the successful driver being ideally, but not necessarily North West based, not a current "hotshot" and able to commit to race at as many Hooton Park (on the 2nd Sunday of the month) and possibly some outings at GYG, as the their budget will allow. The Winner (Girl or Boy) will have to provide their own race gear, engine, tyres etc, and fees for club, race meetings, testing and ARKS test (can be taken at Hooton) and Licence, the offer is only for the full chassis including wheels and seat. This chassis offer is a saving of at least £1500 from the usual Cadet start up budget.
 
This is not a scholarship, a scam or a means to sell karts, as there is and will only be ONE available, applicants will NOT be canvassed or go on a mailing list. References to my genuineness will be available to the winner prior to any commitment.
 
Help and advice, chassis spares backup will be provided as will all tools, generator, compressor, consumables, a trolley, cover, etc and awning space.
 
In order to be considered, please mail Dave at dt-motorsport@ntlworld.com and tell him why you think you should be considered, and what you have / have not got currently in karting equipment. All applicants must have their parents permission (ideally to apply) and leave a HOME phone number / email address, we will check with parents / guardians, but mobile numbers will not be contacted.
 
The winner will be announced at the end of April.

[ Top ]

Wright Victory In Europe   (04/04)
 
Luke Wright scored a dramatic debut victory at the opening round of the Italian Open Masters series at Lonato in Italy last weekend (29/30 March).
 
In only his first full season of international karting, the 15-year old delivered on his early promise with a gutsy drive to victory in Sunday's KF2 final.
 
His weekend started reasonably enough, with 5th place in Timed Qualifying. Although a little disappointed not to be further up the order, the JRP driver would start on the third row of the grid for his heats.
 
The teenager promptly won his first heat, and was never headed once he'd assumed the lead. In the second race, he enjoyed a tussle with James Thorp - and despite finishing 2nd at the chequered flag, was awarded the win after Thorp's motor was declared to be illegal.
 
Disaster struck in Luke's third heat when he was involved in an unavoidable collision with two other drivers. Rejoining in last place, Wright showed his characteristic grit to climb back up the order to finish in 9th place and secure 3rd place on the grid for the Pre-Final.
 
A solid drive saw Luke hold 3rd spot from start to finish and give him his best grid position for a Final this year - "We'd been about two tenths off the pace and my mechanic, Riccardo said to me before the start - 'You've got to get in front, get into the lead. If you're passed, fight back and re-take (the place)' - because I just wasn't fast enough to be able to chase down someone if they