British 'Schools Championship' Karting Finale

press release

Perhaps inspired by former karting star Jenson Button’s earlier win in the Australian Grand Prix, pupils from schools and colleges across Britain demonstrated their skills in the final of the British Schools Karting Championship at the Daytona International circuit at Milton Keynes last Sunday (30 March).

The event had whittled down 500 teams drawn from 193 schools, down to 102 drivers spread amongst 34 teams - all of whom were supported by very vocal families and teaching staff. The format saw each team racing to accrue the maximum possible points from 6 heats, with each driver competing in two races.

With big grids of equally-matched karts, the racing was never going to be anything less than close, often spectacular and occasionally bad-tempered. From the crowds thronging the sides of the circuit - to the race officials and visiting dignitaries - the wheel-to-wheel action produced a constant chorus of cries, cheers and comments such as, “Look…at…that! Four abreast into one corner!!” Murray Walker would’ve been proud.

The Chief Executive of the Motor Sports Association (British motor racing’s governing body), Colin Hilton was also an interested spectator, as was Carolynn Hoy, promoter of the Bernie Ecclestone and Lewis Hamilton-backed, Formula Kart Stars Championship.

Carolynn commented, “The BSKC is a wonderful opportunity to introduce the sport to kids and at a ridiculously cheap cost (just over £40 for the entire Championship). I think it’s great and the standard of the driving was excellent. Lee Jackson, the event’s Race Controller said, “There was a lot of talent out there, the racing was amazing.”

It was close too. From the off, the Wellacre School team had been consistently at the front and indeed, at the midway point, topped the points table. However, as the racing neared its conclusion, it became evident that their initial supremacy was under threat.

Championship organiser Will Tew explains, “It looked like it was going down to the wire and indeed it did. At the chequered flag, the 4th and 3rd-placed teams finished on the same points, with the 2nd-placed team just two points ahead of them. The winning Whitcliffe School from Cleckheaton in Yorkshire won by an incredibly narrow 5 points - early leaders Wellacre finished 3rd.”

He was also keen to further point out just how exciting and unpredictable the final outcome had become, saying “Beforehand, St. Cyres (Penarth, Glamorgan) had looked the favourites to take the overall honours. They’d won every race in their regional final – absolutely dominated it. But that was the beauty of this event, every driver and team wanted to win so badly that it was never going top be easy. Which is why, I must congratulate Whitcliffe Mount for such a fantastic result. They fully deserved their victory.”

For brothers Jordan and Ryan Fletcher of the Whitcliffe team, it was only their second experience of driving on an outdoor track, whilst a number of their rivals had extensive karting backgrounds.

Their teacher, Richard Hirst said, “I’m very proud and shocked! When I originally entered the boys, I didn’t think they’d do so well. The first round was held at their home (indoor) track and they blew everyone away but after that, they had to go to Three Sisters and here (Daytona International), neither of which they’d ever seen before.”

Jenson Button started his career in karts and last weekend put himself amongst the early F1 Championship favourites. Sunday’s BSKC race, might just have found his natural heirs

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