Nothing demonstrates a drivers guts, determination and ability better than a drive like the one RL Racings 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 RLs sole representative prior to the teams 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 Jacks engine. The rear axle was bent and could have caused damage to the motor.

With the necessary repairs made back at the teams 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 headedforward.

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.