Photos:
For all Daytona Championship photos and more, please click here.
InKart - The Final
Daytona Tamworth
Daytona Tamworth’s InKart season delivered non-stop action from start to finish, with nearly 50 drivers competing across eight fiercely contested rounds. With two coveted titles on the line, the stage was set for a season of high drama - and it didn’t disappoint. In the Cadet category, Freya Lally emerged as a standout performer, securing a podium in every race she entered and heading into the final round with a commanding 19-point lead over Rocco Jackson. Jack Dowding completed the provisional podium before the finale, but the season also saw impressive drives from part-time entrants such as Gillen Townshend, Lily Catignon, Henry James, and George Marriot, each scoring over 50 points despite limited appearances, a testament to the depth of talent on the grid. Over in the Junior class, Ruben Potter maintained a firm grip on the championship lead throughout the season, with Noah Johnson trailing by 36 points as the final round approached. Oscar Mallet’s consistency earned him a well-deserved spot in the top three, while William Jenkinson showed immense dedication by attending every round and picking up a podium in Round Two. Occasional drivers like Thomas Hedges, and brothers Joseph and Zachary Smith, also turned heads with strong scores despite limited entries, further proof of the growing depth in Daytona’s Junior ranks.
The season finale took place in cup format, testing both the speed and Endurance of every driver as the championships went down to the wire. In the Cadet B-Final, Logan Staunton and Rocco Jackson were locked in an intense 25-minute battle, running side by side for much of the race. On the final lap, Staunton executed a superb overtake to cross the line first. However, a bump-and-pass penalty for Jackson dropped him to third, promoting debutant Rhys Onions into second, a fantastic debut drive. The Cadet A-Final was just as dramatic, with Lally and Jess Kirby engaged in a breathtaking scrap for the win. After trading places in the closing minutes, they drag-raced to the finish line, with Lally clinching victory by less than five hundredths of a second. Jack Dowding joined them on the podium after a strong drive of his own.
In the Junior B-Final, Harry Kennedy dominated with a ten-second victory over Noah Johnson. Harry Gardiner finished just behind but was handed a penalty, which promoted Athena Cooper to third, a great way to round off a strong season. The Junior A-Final ended the season on a dramatic note. Jayden Steatham took the win, though not without controversy. On the penultimate lap, he was investigated for squeezing Reuben Potter into the wall at Turn One. After a lengthy review, race control ruled in Steatham’s favour, citing insufficient overlap from Potter to warrant racing room. Steatham was cleared and kept the win, capping off an excellent season. Potter secured second on the road and, more importantly, clinched the championship. Alfie Kells finished just four tenths behind in third, rounding out a thrilling final race.
Leading into the final round all was to play for...
In the Cadet championship, Freya Lally sealed the title thanks to back-to-back round sweeps, finishing 14 points ahead of Jess Kirby, who also delivered a standout campaign. Both girls represented the Jamie Chadwick Series and proved their calibre across the season earning a historic female P1 and P2 in the InKart series. The Jamie Chadwick effect is in full effect as we see hard work pay off with such impeccable young driving talent stepping up to the plate and clocking unforgetable lap times. Rocco Jackson claimed third place by just a single point over Jack Dowding, an outcome that could have swung either way with the smallest change in results. Logan Staunton also impressed with multiple podiums on his way to a strong top-five finish. In the Juniors, Reuben Potter’s dominant form and two round sweeps made him a deserving champion. Alfie Kells pushed him all the way with standout performances, particularly in Rounds One and Four, but ultimately fell just short. Jayden Steatham took third overall after a season packed with podium finishes and a final-round victory. Series regulars like Harry Kennedy, William Jenkinson, and Oscar Mallet all showed glimpses of brilliance and are expected to be major threats next season.
As the drivers now take a well-earned summer break, preparations are already underway behind the scenes for an even bigger and better InKart season returning this September at Daytona Tamworth, with exciting new additions in store. Stay tuned.
Daytona Milton Keynes
Daytona Milton Keynes has played host to yet another incredible season of InKart, where we have seen youth drivers prove their mettle against some of the best rising talent in the sport. In the Cadet class, championship favourites Gillen Townshend, Henry James and Charlie Marden led from the first round, laying down some seriously impressive drives and staking their claim to the all-important season top spot. However, early points setbacks did not stop the likes of determined drivers such as Leo Sibthrone, Lily Catignon and Kimi Densham from storming back into the podium rankings. Delivering performances most of our top senior racers would be pleased with, these young talents have really proved themselves and should be incredibly proud of their achievements this season. This is not to discredit the other drivers who have got behind the wheel this season, venue reports have highlighted all the drivers in both classes this season as ones to watch, as they grow on and off track.
The Junior class has been equally as exciting, with a myriad of talent both returning and bursting onto the scene this season. Names like Dominic Fleming, Dominik Gulbis and Ryan Dennan keep cropping up, consistently scoring solid scores and showing notable improvement throughout the season – a testament to the mantra that commitment and practice leads to stronger and stronger driving. This has been a particularly well-matched season with only two perfect ‘61’ scores being won. These came in Round One by championship favourite Jacob Kent and Round Four by another contender, Arel Kesimgil. Their season long battle has been one to watch, both clocking in high coring rounds back-to-back, alongside the likes of Rayaan Malik, Jacob Noble and Nathaniel Garai. As we enter into the final round and drop rounds come into consideration it is all to play for – the Daytona staff, and no doubt the spectators trackside are on their edge of their seats for this one.
In his first and only race of the season, Joshua Robinson stepped into the Junior division and won the first Heat of the day in dominant fashion, crossing the line with a 12.5-second lead over Arel Kesimgil in second and Declan Pires a further two seconds back in third. In Heat Two, Jacob Noble took victory by seven tenths from Rayaan Malik, with Jacob Kent just a few tenths further back to round out the podium. Kesimgil claimed the third heat, narrowly beating Kent by four tenths, with Dominic Fleming finishing third just seven tenths behind. The final Junior heat saw Malik take the win after a tight battle with Tom Justice, who finished second, while Noble secured third place. In the B Final, Michael Oxtoby-Page snatched victory with a last-lap overtake on Dominik Gulbis, who had a strong drive but just missed out. Teddy Tovey completed the podium. The A Final in the Junior class was exceptionally close, with the top three covered by just a second. Noble took the win after a thrilling battle that came down to the final lap, with Kesimgil in second - securing second in the championship, and Robinson in third, also setting the fastest lap.
In the Cadet class, Leo Sibthorpe opened with a convincing win, finishing nine seconds ahead of George Dickinson in second, who narrowly held off Ryan Cafferkey by just two tenths. Heat Two saw Jacob Noble take the win by seven tenths from Rayaan Malik, with Jacob Kent close behind in third. Gillen Townshend claimed victory in the second Cadet heat, ahead of Charlie Marden in second and Caden Kavanagh in third. Sibthorpe struck again in the third heat, this time winning ahead of Teddy Mullan and Kavanagh, who secured another third-place finish and a spot in the A-Final. Townshend dominated his next appearance, winning by over 15 seconds ahead of Joshua Pink and Toby Meredith. In the Cadet B-Final, Cafferkey delivered a commanding performance, winning by 17 seconds over Meredith in second and Logan Farmborough in third. The Cadet A-Final was equally dramatic, with George Dickinson taking his first championship win after a superb defensive drive, holding off Townshend, who had already secured the overall title, and Sibthorpe who finished third.
Daytona Sandown Park
As we take the final leap into Round Eight of the 2025 InKart Series first season all is to play for. This is the closest battle of all three venues championships, with top quality Surrey racers stepping up to challenge one another for the coveted SuperChamps title, won by so many of Daytonas top pedigree of karting talent. This championship, the first step into any respecting motorsport enthusiasts driving journey is a career launching platform and an incredibly worthy step towards a future behind the wheel of high-performance vehicles. A packed lineup of Cadet racers have graced Daytona Sandown Park this season, with 34 young drivers taking the stage in competition for the championship trophy. The top 10 drivers going into the final round have delivered utter consistency and dedication to the season, showing up time and time again to put their all into competitive racing and regularly clocking impressive lap times. While the Junior class has been no different – 47 top quality racers, new and old have been putting on a show for our doting crowd who, like us, can’t get enough of high-octane racing.
Sunday marked the end of another ultra-competitive InKart season at Daytona Sandown Park. Both the Cadet and Junior categories entered the final round with multiple title contenders, setting the stage for a dramatic close to the campaign.
Heading into the final round, no fewer than six drivers were still mathematically in contention for the Junior title, though it would take something special to unseat Felix Sheldon-Heywood, who had delivered a commanding campaign to date. The real battle lay in the fight for second and third, with the standings wide open. Heat 1 saw a strong statement from championship hopeful Leger Dimitriou, who edged out Abhay Parmar and Sheldon-Heywood in a thrilling three-way dash to the flag. The trio crossed the line almost side by side, with Daniel Marutyak just four tenths further back in fourth, a fittingly intense opener. Heat 2 brought more drama as another contender, Daniel Harman, claimed victory with a 1.2-second lead over George Pitch. Harrison McNally held off Caesar Chen by just two tenths to secure third, as the front four broke away early and never looked back. In Heat 3, Sheldon-Heywood bounced back with a clinical lights-to-flag win, controlling the pace throughout and building a comfortable gap. Dimitriou and Parmar both charged through the field to complete the podium, crossing the line in a photo finish, further intensifying the title battle. The final heat of the day produced yet another thrilling conclusion, as Marutyak edged out Harman by just a tenth in a tense, high-speed scrap. Caesar Chen secured his second podium of the day in third, proving a consistent threat throughout. The B Final was a more spread-out affair, with Daniel McNally cruising to a dominant victory, finishing nearly 10 seconds clear of Adam Telford in second. Milan Pillay took third, a further nine seconds adrift. Then came the all-important A Final, the ultimate decider. With all title contenders on the grid, the stakes were at their peak. But there would be no stopping Sheldon-Heywood. In true champion’s fashion, he led every lap and crossed the line four seconds clear, sealing the Junior title with a flawless drive. Dimitriou finished second in both the race and the championship, capping off an exceptional season. Harman rounded out the podium in the final after a tight battle with Dimitriou, while Marutyak’s strong results across the season earned him third in the overall standings.
The Cadet category was just as fiercely contested, with four drivers: Sebastian Mejer, Ted Heywood, Edward Siberry, and Amanze Nwosu still in with a shot at the title going into the final round. Heat 1 saw Nwosu strike early, taking a convincing win with a four-second cushion over Lucio Vaval. Max Heyward claimed third after a close fight, just over a second behind Vaval. Heat 2 brought an instant classic as Mejer narrowly held off Heywood in a photo finish, the two separated by only a tenth. Sean Whelan joined them on the podium in third. Meanwhile, Siberry and Joshua Puttick also crossed the line just a tenth apart in the battle for fourth. Siberry bounced back in Heat 3 with a crucial victory, beating rival Nwosu by 1.5 seconds. Nwosu managed to hold on to second after a tight scrap with Max Heyward, who again impressed with a third-place finish. In the final heat, it was Ted Heywood who took a vital win to boost his championship hopes. Arno Nurijanyan came home second, with Ethan Davis claiming the final spot on the podium. The B Final saw Hadi Chaudry take a well-earned victory ahead of Desmond Bryan in second. Sean Whelan secured third after another strong showing, narrowly missing out on a return to the A Final. All eyes turned to the A Final, where the top four contenders lined up to decide it all. In the end, it was Ted Heywood who stepped up under pressure, delivering a dominant win by 2.5 seconds. Sebastian Mejer crossed the line in second, exactly what he needed to secure the Cadet championship title. While Edward Siberry followed in third. Now with a well deserved championship title under his belt, a season of relentless consistency and race craft has paid off for Mejer.
It was another fantastic InKart season at Sandown Park, packed with talent, thrilling battles, and championship drama. We now look forward to welcoming drivers back for Round One of Season Two on September 21st, with even more excitement to come!
Photos:
For all Daytona Championship photos and more, please click here.