The final meeting of the 2022 Wera Tools British Kart Championships would see four more champions crowned as contenders in the Rotax and Honda Cadet classes rounded out their campaigns at Whilton Mill last weekend [14-16 October].
Five, hard-fought rounds of the championship had already been completed for the Mini Max, Junior Rotax, Senior Rotax and Honda Cadet classes but it would be the 1200-metre Northamptonshire circuit that would bring the curtain down on Britain’s premier karting series.
A double-header weekend was in store with four-point scoring opportunities available, the battle for not only the race wins but also the coveted titles would ensure scintillating on-track battles as championship protagonists looked to add their names to the BKC roll of honour.
A special Micro Max event also joined proceedings, offering the chance to qualify for the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals at the Kartodromo Internacional do Algarve in November.
Catch up with all the action on the Motorsport UK YouTube channel HERE.
Classes
MINI MAX
It was a thrilling battle for the Mini Max title which came down to just five points after Sunday’s epic Final.
Noah Wolfe [Synergy Racing Developments] came into the weekend in the lead of the category and enjoyed a positive heat result, only to finish outside of the top ten on Saturday thanks to a post-race penalty, bringing DHR’s Scott Marsh well and truly into the mix after the Finals win.
Sunday saw Wolfe finish ahead after the combined Heats but the positions were swapped in the Final. Marsh made up places, Wolfe dropped but he knew all he needed was a solid score – and he duly delivered to secure the coveted title with sixth place.
Whilst Marsh took Saturday’s Finals win, it was left to Harry Bartle [Croc Promotion] to claim his maiden Mini Max BKC victory of the season on Sunday. Added to his Heats top score, he vaulted Sebastian Minns [KR Sport] into third in the championship.
Joshua Graham [Argenti Motorsport] took second place on Sunday, another to claim the best result of 2022 whilst Minns rounded out the podium.
JUNIOR ROTAX
It was hard to bet against Brandon Carr’s [KR-Sport] taking the Junior Rotax title.
A 66-point lead coming into the weekend would take the pressure off the double-header somewhat and by the time the Heats classification were published on Saturday, it was pretty much a done deal.
Even with a lowly 16th place in the Final, Carr could cruise on Sunday, so much so that he spent Sunday’s Final watching from the side lines – his title was secured.
Meanwhile, Reece Lomax [Coles Racing] threw his hat into the ring with a stellar Saturday Finals win – his first of 2022, with Charlie Hart [Sam Pollitt Racing] second and eventual championship runner-up Vinnie Phillips [Strawberry Racing] rounding out the podium.
Another new Finals winner emerged on Sunday, with Latvian Gustavs Usakovs sealing victory for Hunter Motorsport. Former Wera Tools Driver of the Day Aditya Kulkarni [Argenti Motorsport] claimed second whilst Reece Lomax [Coles Racing] rounded out the podium.
Harry Linden [DHR] would enjoy a prosperous weekend to finish his Junior Rotax campaign with third place in the championship.
SENIOR ROTAX
The final race of the 2022 Senior Rotax season would ultimately decide the title and it would be a head-to-head between Callum Bradshaw [Strawberry Racing] and Kai Hunter [DHR].
Hunter took the early initiative with second in Saturday’s Heat classification and from then on in, took maximum points, winning both Finals. But it would all rest on Bradshaw’s position.
Second on Saturday and third on Sunday ensured Bradshaw sealed the title, but only by nine points from Hunter in an edgy final day of racing.
Guy Cunnington gave Strawberry Racing a one-three in the standings thanks to third on Saturday and runner-up spot on Sunday.
HONDA CADET
The Honda Cadet championship this season demonstrated perfectly how dropped scores come into effect in the latter half of the season. Heading into the weekend, Cole Denholm [Synergy Racing Developments] wasn’t even in the top five of the standings, thanks in part to being forced to skip an entire weekend of racing mid-season.
But during all other meetings, Denholm was on fine form, with four Finals wins to his name and by Saturday evening, that became five and the lead of the championship.
In a nail-biting Sunday Final which saw a post-race penalty hand him a one lap addition, it was still enough to clinch the hotly contested championship; a testament to all the hard work done during the season.
Albert Friend [SFR Motorsport] enjoyed a positive Saturday with second place in the Final whilst Leon Rocco-Shenton continued to improve in 2022 with third.
Shenton would then secure his maiden victory of the season on Sunday with a stellar Finals drive, whilst Finlay Lines [Zip Factory Team] took second with teammate Kenzo Craigie rounding out the podium.
Craigie also secured second in the championship with Jarrett Clark [Synergy Racing Developments] third.
MICRO MAX
With a ticket to the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal up for grabs, sixteen eager racers would battle for the coveted ticket, joining fellow Micro Max drivers Laughlin Johnstone [SFR Motorsport] and Daniel Minto [Hunter Motorsport] who have already secured their place.
With just one Final over the weekend, it would be an intense Sunday with Johnstone once again underlining his experience in the category to cross the line out front. But all eyes were behind and that all-important ticket to Portugal and crossing the line in second place, Jensen Chalk [MLC Motorsport] would finally seal the deal after battling hard to win a place all season long.
Archie Lovatt [Sam Pollitt Racing] rounded out the podium positions.
As the curtain comes down on the 2022 Wera Tools British Kart Championships, attentions now turn to the Annual Awards Ceremony, to be held on 14th January 2023 at the National Conference Centre, Solihull. More information on tickets will be available shortly.
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