Racing History

Chris began racing in earnest in the 1999-2000 seasons as a novice in the cadet class, these initial races acted as a learning phase of Chris’s karting career, he raced well and was very successful for a novice winning all 6 of the mandatory novice races beating more experienced club racers in the process.

In 2001 Chris moved to more powerful machinery and raced in the Formula Yamaha class in the McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future Championship. He eventually finished 4th overall in the championship standings and won the Scottish round at Larkhall. Chris won 4 of the prestigious Will Hoy ‘Hard Charger awards’. During the year Chris also made an appearance in the Scottish championship beating all the local drivers in the process to take a well earned and respected victory.

In early 2002 Chris raced in the Formula Yamaha winter series in preparation for the up coming British Championship; he won all 3 rounds of the winter series held at PFI circuit near Newark.

Unfortunately the 2002 Formula Yamaha championship was cancelled 5 days before the first round of the British championships due to championship organisational problems. This was a great shame for Chris as he had raced and frequently beaten some very well known names who where also racing in Yamaha at the time. Chris regularly beat drivers such as James Bean, James Calado (European Karting), Simon Walker-Hansell (Formula BMW single seater car racing) Adam Christodoulou (Junior Max, JICA and European JICA), Jack Anderson (Renault Clio), Jack Linfoot (gearbox karting) and Oliver Turvey (Formula BMW single seater car racing). In fact Chris was unbeaten from the end of the 2001 season throughout the winter and spring of 2002, racing every weekend and was going into the championship as one of the favourites to become British Champion.

The disappointment of the championship cancellation was turned around by a last minute entry into the Junior Rotax Max class of the British Super 1 Karting Championships. With no pre season testing and lots to learn about this new Formula Chris finished a creditable 8th overall in the final championship standings.

During the 2002 season Chris won ‘Driver of the Event’ at the Kart Masters GP event held at PFI, near Newark, racing on an Ital Corse Kart for the JM racing team. It was at this event that Chris began working with his present mechanic / race engineer Andrew Dawson (nicknamed Carbon).

Chris raced in two major championships in the 2003 season, in the Formula Junior Rotax Max class. He competed in both the British Super 1 championship and Stars of Tomorrow Championship.

In the Stars of Tomorrow championship Chris finished 5th in the overall standings and was event winner from Pole Position at the first round at PFI circuit, Newark. Podium finishes at Nutts Corner, Ireland plus Rowrah in the Lake District along with numerous fastest lap awards gained Chris his 5th position in the championship. He also finished a creditable 2nd in the Midlands championship at Little Rissington having never driven the circuit before the event and 2nd in TVKC winter championship.

In the current 2004 season Chris has continued to race in the Junior Rotax Max class in British Super 1 championship. Chris has been one of the dominant drivers in the class during this season. Chris won the 1st round at Clay Pigeon Yeovil, was on Pole position at the 2nd round at Shennington, and finished a competitive 2nd at the 3rd championship round held at Fulbeck, Newark. He was also placed second at the 4th round of the championship held at the 3 sisters circuit. The Season cumulated in third place in the overall championship standings.

Chris raced exceptionally well with determination and consistency to win the Rotax winter cup at Clay Pigeon, Yeovil and was the winner of the May Day Max Festival, PFI Newark. The Rotax Festival held at 3 sisters Circuit in Wigan was another great victory for Chris meaning he won the biggest trophy in Karting.

One of Chris’s most outstanding races, and undoubtedly his biggest career win, was to become TVKC British Grand Prix winner at the PFI circuit near Newark (this victory entitles Chris to race with the lucrative ‘GP’ plate as his Karts number). Chris also won the 2004 Junior Rotax TVKC club championship with a number of victories throughout the year.

Chris’s short but highly successful career to date includes race wins at both club and national level on the majority of the UK’s premier Kart circuits. He is rarely out of the top ten at national level and always rises to the challenge no matter what opposition he is posed against.

Chris is looking towards the 2005 season where he expects to race in the British Super 1 ICA (Inter Continental A) class as well as outings in European Karting Cup races. This will be a step up in kart performance from his current Junior category kart. He will be exploiting his considerable driving talent against more experienced senior drivers; this Karting category is a feeder championship for car racing championships such as Formula BMW and Formula Ford. It is also the place where the upcoming drivers show their talents to be picked to race for works teams in Formula A Karts at National and International level.

Written by Andrew Dawson (October 2004)