STRATFORD School’s karting team are celebrating after qualifying for the national finals of the British Schools Karting Championships for the second year running.
Two teams managed to qualify for the regional finals held recently and out of 11 teams they finished in fourth and sixth place, which means the fourth placed team of Scott Jeffs (year 12), Jacob Whittington (year 12) and William Bronckaerts (year ten) qualify for the national finals on July 18 at Whilton Mill near Daventry.
During the regional finals the team managed to come back from a setback in the first race when William – starting from pole position – had a coming together with a few drivers at a wet second corner which saw him crash into a tyre wall.
This resulted in the race being stopped. In a new kart – having seen the original one broken in the crash – and with a slightly bruised ankle, William chose to restart from the back of the grid.
By the end he was back in form and had gained a few places, but this did cost the team a few points. However, the brave trio were undeterred and put their all into the rest of the competition and managed to secure their qualification for the finals.
Stratford School’s second team also did extremely well, narrowly missing a qualifying place themselves. The team of Craig Gaden (year 11), Jake Bailey (year ten) and Kyle Derry (year ten) all put in everything they had and ended up in a highly respectable sixth place, just a few points away from a qualifying spot.
Kevin Lister, assistant head and team coach, said: “The boys are really enthusiastic about this sport and it is great that the British Schools Karting Championships gives them an outlet like this to push themselves, show off their driving skills and demonstrate real teamwork while representing their school.”
