Dan Zelos has a fresh spring in his step as the 2013 karting season approaches apaceand the talented young Norfolk speed demon has a new fitness regime and personal trainer to thank as he heads into the forthcoming campaign fighting fit and ready for battle.
Zelos impressed during the course of his rookie year at Mini Max level in 2012, tallying eight top ten finishes from 12 and winding up an excellent ninth out of 40 contenders in the fiercely-contested British Super 1 Series, despite finding himself contentiously excluded from the opening round over a technical issue.
This year, the goalposts have shifted somewhat, and after storming to his breakthrough Mini Max rostrum six months ago at Sheningtonfrom all the way down in 21st on the starting gridthe highly-rated Dereham-based hotshot is eyeing plenty more where that came from...
Im feeling quite confident, Zelos asserted. I improved a lot last season, and to achieve my first national Mini Max podium at the end of it was a tremendous boost. Racing in the middle of the pack really helped to toughen me up and taught me the importance of not looking behind but always concentrating on moving forwards. The mental side of karting is crucial; if youre not strong in the head, youre not going to win races.
Staying with the same team is also an advantage. Ive had a year now to get used to everything at Tooley Motorsport, and we perfectly understand how each other works. Theyre an extremely professional outfit, and there are more Mini Max drivers in the awning this year than last. That helps in terms of testing as we are able to try out a lot more things, and its really important to me to have fast team-mates. I want to be challenged, and if we fight hard and push each other, that will drive the whole team on to greater success.
The calibre in Super 1 is going to be incredibly high, with a lot of strong second-year drivers and some fast rookies stepping up from Cadet level. It looks like being a bumper grid and theres sure to be some hard racing right the way up-and-down the order, but I know the kit underneath me is good and Ive got a years experience in Mini Max under my belt now. Weve done a lot of pre-season testing and racing, and weve always been there-or-thereabouts at the front of the field.
Indeed, in his most recent outing at Three Sisters near Wigana dress rehearsal ahead of the Super 1 curtain-raiser around the high-speed Lancashire circuit this coming weekendthe 14-year-old Northgate High School pupil finished an encouraging second up against many of the same rivals he will face in the British Championship.
Part of the credit for that, he insists, must go to personal trainer Lloyd Thompson from Dereham Fitness, who has been pushing Zelos consistently beyond his comfort zone since the beginning of the year. With Mini Max being such a physical classespecially in breathless 15-minute Super 1 finals that afford not so much as a split-second to relaxthe karate black belt holder acknowledges that his ramped-up gym routine has been a fundamental cornerstone of his pre-season preparations.
Ive made a big effort on the fitness front, and it has proven to be massively beneficial, he affirmed. Lloyd quickly got to know my strengths and my weaknesses, and he is working me really hard in the areas where I need to improve. Every week, he is pushing me that little bit more. I can already notice the difference in terms of my stamina and in my upper body and legs, and I feel a lot stronger going into the season for his help.
I just cant wait for Wigan now! I enjoy Three Sisters; its a good track, very fast-and-flowing and with a lot of overtaking opportunities. The layout is quite technical, and when you really hook the lap up, its hugely rewarding. The racing is likely to be extremely close as the long straight and tow make it so difficult to pull awayits definitely the kind of circuit that sorts the men from the boys!
It will be important psychologically to get off to a good start in the championship, because we dont want to be playing catch-upbut Im optimistic we can hit the ground running in the first round and demonstrate our intentions early on. Im definitely going for gold this year!
If you are interested in getting involved in life in the fast lane by sponsoring Dan, please contact his dad Andy at andy.zelos@weselltyres.com
