Young racers hoping to climb the motor sport ladder to Formula One are out to prove their worth against more experienced rivals in the UK’s top kart racing championships this weekend.
ELF B4 Group Super One Karting Series – Formula A, ICA and JICA – get under way at Three Sisters race circuit near Wigan with testing on Saturday and racing on Sunday (18th and 19th March). The circuit, at Ashton-in-Makerfield, is one of the fastest and widest kart tracks in the UK.
The Renault-sponsored top three Super One series have once again attracted a high level of entries. At least 30 karters are expected on each grid guaranteeing action packed racing.
Many of the brightest names in national karting have registered for the Renault-backed championships ensuring a high level of competition at the foundation level of motor sport.
Formula A promises to fulfil its reputation as the most important UK karting series this year. Established racers like 2004 and 2005 champion Mark Litchfield (Heage, Derbyshire), and 2003 champ Gary Catt (Sheffield) will have to contend with talented racers from last year’s ICA championship as well as each other.
2005 ICA champion Matthew Bell (Morpeth, Northumberland) and championship runners up Danny Cruttenden (Wilmington, Kent) and Daniel Rowbottom (Kidderminster, Worcs) move to the leading category this year. They’ll join Riki Christodoulou (Four Oaks, W Midlands) and Jason Parrott (Peterborough), both of whom will want to improve on their runners-up position from last year. The 2004 season ended with three drivers tied for points, with second place decided using a dropped score formula. This year could be just as close.
Tiffany Chittenden (Chiselhurst, Kent) who was ninth in last year’s Formula A championship returns to the class in 2006 and will have a female rival in the form of Linda Playfair (Longniddry, East Lothian).
With the top three karters stepping up to Formula A, expect to see some new names making the news in Formula ICA in 2006. Ollie Milroy (Claygate, Surrey), a leading light in JICA in 2005, comes to Three Sisters having already won the ICA class at the Winter Cup held in South Garda, Italy, in February.
Scott Malvern (Ilford, London) who won the Super Libre class at Renault Champion of Champions, is planning to accelerate his career by competing in both karts and cars this year. He has registered for both the Super One ICA class and BARC Formula Renault single-seaters. Stefan Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian), whose brother Paul progressed from karts through Formula Renault to Formula 3 Euroseries, will be among the ICA championship hopefuls.
In the Formula JICA championship for karters aged between 13 and 16, 2005 championship contenders Oliver Rowland (Penistone, South Yorkshire) and Scott Jenkins (Winterbourne Down, S Gloucestershire) also return to repeat the battle that went to the wire last year.
There’s an added incentive for karters in the three Renault-backed Super One classes to get an early advantage on their rivals at Three Sisters. The championship leaders in Formula A, ICA and JICA will all get a behind the scenes look at the world of Formula One as guests of Renault F1 Team during a test day at Silverstone in April.
Making a mark at this level of racing is as challenging as anywhere, with the most successful karters progressing from Formula A or ICA into single-seater or saloon car circuit racing. The six-round series takes in circuits across England and Scotland.
To see fledgling motor sport stars in action at Three Sisters follow the signs from Junction 25 of the M6. For the latest news on the races and championships, visit www.renaultsport.co.uk built by Racecar
2006 ELF B4 Group Super One Series Calendar
18th/19th March – Three Sisters, nr Wigan, Lancs.
29th/30th April – Shenington, nr Banbury, Oxon.
20th/21st May – P.F.International, nr Newark, Lincs.
17th/18th June – Larkhall, E. Lanarkshire.
29th/30th July – Clay Pigeon, nr Yeovil, Dorset.
9th/10th September – Rowrah, Cumbria.
