Four weeks of action for karts enthusiasts

KART racing fans are in for four weeks of action on the trot at Nutts Corner Circuit, Dundrod, and Kirkistown on the Ards Peninsula as the sport starts it’s run up to the British Superkart round and UK Cup at Bishopscourt on June 2.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Apr 2012, 09:00 GMT

This Saturday 21st April sees Kirkistown the focus of the non gearbox classes in the third round of the Northern Ireland championship and after the recent Ulster Karting Club hosted double header Northern Ireland and Ulster Championship round at Nutts Corner Circuit then hopes are high of big turnouts.

The following Saturday 28th April then sees the incredibly fast Superkarts in action at Kirkistown as part of a joint car race and kart race meeting. Both the 125cc and the 160mph capable 250cc Superkarts will be in action in what will be their full race practice before the British championship round on 2nd June at Bishopscourt.

Nutts Corner Circuit will be the focus of the tough Ulster Championships on 5th May with the non gearbox class drivers contending the third round of the series.

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In the Jack Graham Motorsport of Ballymena supported Mini Max class, Banbridge’s Conor McPolin took a superb third in the finals which is now showing that he is taking well to the class after winning last year’s GP in Cadets.

The Nigel Stewart motors of Gilford supported Prokart class has remained fairly close at the front with Nigel Stewart being the one to beat overall after holding off Mark Murphy and John Laffin to keep the pressure on the podium challenge.

Unquestionably the big success story this season is the World Formula class and the AG Wilson Civil Engineering Contractors of Portadown supported class will no doubt have capacity grids again. Last time out the top three were hardly separable but in the end the defending Northern Ireland champion Daniel Conlon from Dollingstown managed to hold off the challenge by last year’s runner up David Lilburn from Dromore. Derek Wilson also once again showed his form by crossing the line in fourth and no doubt he will be keen to retain the pressue over the next few weeks.

In the 125cc Superkart class, Gilford’s Matt McGaffin put in a very solid performance last time out with a fifth to his credit, even more impressive as Matt is still classed as a novice in the class. Scarva’s Brian Jones finished just outside the top ten but he too is still fairly new to the sport and will no doubt make progress now that he has a few meetings behind him.

Scott Greenaway took a well deserved fifth to make up for engine troubles earlier in the year and that places him well in the championship. Richard Dewart hit the trouble last time out but no doubt will be back in the podium hunt over the next few weeks.

May 12 will see Kirkistown back in action for the King of Kirkistown K plate meeting.

Racing on each of the next four Saturdays gets underway with the first of three heats starting at 10am with the finals in mid afternoon. Full details can also be obtained at the newly formatted NIKA web site www.nikarting.com or www.ulsterkartingclub.com.