Samuel Oram-Jones Moves To KF2
Tweet| 5 December 2012 |
press release
Milton Keynes-based youngster revs up for new season and move to KF2 by appearing in the first online edition of The Dandy
Kart ace Samuel Oram-Jones is to feature in the very first online edition of iconic children’s comic, The Dandy.
Sammy made the step up to KF3 this season, one of the top British and international foundation level karting categories, and his appearance in the DC Thomson & Co publication, sister title to The Beano, coincides with confirmation he will make the move to KF2 from 2013, with the 15-year-old beginning his season by taking in the Winter Cup event at the South Garda circuit in Lonato, Italy at the start of next year.
“It has been an enjoyable few weeks for me,” said Sammy, “and I feel very privileged to be included in the very first online issue of The Dandy, which goes on sale today.
“Virtually everyone has heard of The Dandy and Desperate Dan and I just can’t wait to see it now.”
The feature on Sammy in the new Dandy TV weekly show, which includes the best news, gags and games reviews, sees the youngster try out F1 Race Stars, the new video game from Codemasters that takes ‘Formula One racing over the top’, as well as a look at karting itself, with Sammy in action at Daytona Milton Keynes.
“We went to the track at Daytona and I was driving around for about half an hour,” Sammy said. “I did quite well. It was wet there and I was told I was doing the same times as [Jenson] Button and [Lewis] Hamilton when they were there, which was nice to know.
“Then I raced the co-presenter that was there with me and finally I tested the video game. It is very good. It is basically Super Mario but with Formula One. I will definitely buy it when it comes out...”
Sammy is now looking forward to 2013 and will head out to Lanzarote soon to begin his testing programme for the new season, which will see him again compete in Europe and nationally in the 2013 British Super One MSA TKM Series.
pics by Chris Walker - www.kartpix.net
“This year was a different challenge to what I had been doing before in the UK in MiniMax, but I definitely felt ready to race in Europe and KF3 and feel I did the best with what I had,” Sammy stated.
“The highlight of the season for me came at PF International in the CIK-FIA European KF3 Championship event at the end of July and to take four podiums in the heats was very pleasing. I was a bit unlucky in the finals, but if things had carried on the way they’d started, I could have definitely got a top-three finish overall. That event reflected the whole season really. Lots of potential but sometimes, sadly, the equipment let me down.
“I was pleased with how I performed during the year, however, and I think I did enough to prove I deserve to move to KF2.”
So what is the target for 2013?
“I am going to be working with Piers Sexton Racing again over the winter, like I did when I made the switch from MiniMax to KF3. That proved very useful and should help me get as fast as I can straight away,” continued the 15-year-old.
“I am aware the drivers’ in KF2 should be of a higher standard. You have got people there that have been doing it for a few years and those that do it professionally, rather than do it to try and use it as a springboard to single-seaters and circuit racing. They are actually being paid to do it because they are good drivers. There will also be people from KF1 competing too, now that KF1 is no more. It is going to be very competitive, but I am confident and convinced I can do well with the effort I put in.
“My main goal is just to try and be a front running driver in KF2 and then we will take it from there.”
Sammy’s father and manager, Emil, meanwhile is confident now is the right time for his son to move up to KF2.
He is also hopeful that the youngster’s appearance in The Dandy will help to continue to raise his profile.
“Sammy did tremendously well this season in his first year in KF3,” said Emil. “We feel he will gain more by going to KF2 though, than spending another year in KF3. It is not going to be easy, but Sammy showed this year he has the speed, given the right equipment, and that is something we are working on now to get in place for 2013. I am not sure it is all ‘Dandy’ yet, but we are going in the right direction.”
