Sunday 23rd March, Daytona Sandown Park

To see all the final race results & standings, click here.

A big thank you to all our competitors, what a wonderful day of elite racing. We witnessed some veterans returning with a statement win, a surprising victorious newcomers and a nameless/ faceless winner.

Anthony Wypych gets his revenge over Owen Jenman. What a day for the young man from Birmingham, with Wypych winning the Heats final after coming second to Jenman in the endurance class.

Jack O'Neill is another driver who can hold his head high, winning the Lightweight Endurance this morning before finishing P2 to the Faceless Driver in the Heats.

Alex Pritchard marks his return to the series with an important victory in the Heats. He's the title-holder in this class after winning in 2018, following that up today with a dramatic victory. Commiserations to Ashley-Mayston King, who was winning for half the final before an incident saw him unable to follow up on his endurance victory this morning.

Anthony Wypych made a move on Owen Jenman and is now in the lead ahead of Ross Sandwell, who finds himself in third.

James Dowding still leads the race, although his penalties will drop him out of the top three.

Alex Pritchard is leading in the Heavies, 0.4 of a second ahead of Henry Lopes-Gracey.

Just over a minute to go.

Anthony Wypych and Ross Sandwell are now the remaining two podium contenders. with Wypych a kart's length ahead of Sandwell.

James Dowding, desperate to maintain his lead, receives two penalties for track limits. That'll drop him out of the top three, meaning Owen Jenman is in the lead.

Will Tidnam makes contact with race leader Ashley Mayston-King, who ends up in last place.

There could be a penalty for Tidnam here.

Ashley Mayston-King is defending his lead over Henry Lopes-Gracey. 

Meanwhile, Owen Jenman takes second place over Wypych.

James Dowding still leads the way over Anthony Wypych and Owen Jenman. Jenman just set the fastest lap as he makes a charge.

Anthony Wypych, who has surprised a lot of people today, finds himself in second place straight away.

Ashley Mayston-King, who started in last place, takes the lead in the Heats.

The karts are completing their formation lap before we get underway.

James Dowding and Owen Jenman lead the way in the Inters, with Henry Lopes Gracey and Will Tidnam at the front of the Heavies quartet.

The Faceless Driver is going to win this, he's miles ahead.

O'Neill and Tiley-Gooden are neck-and-neck.

Tiley-Gooden defends on the final corner, where O'Neill has been so dangerous today, to edge him out by 2-hundredths of a second.

Charlie Foster claims fourth place comfortably, ahead of Dom Balasaitis in fifth.

Thomas Williams did brilliantly to fend off the pressure from Karlis Elmanis behind him, finishing in P6.

Jamie Tiley-Gooden has been looking for a way through all race long, and successfully makes his move.

They'll need to work together if they're going to catch the Faceless Driver.

The Faceless Driver has JUST found a little bit pace to distance himself from the battling Jack O'Neill and Jamie Tiley-Gooden behind him.

Not much, but a little bit of breathing room. He needs to stay consistent to win this.

Thomas Williams is ahead of a chain of five karts, who are leaving him no space to breathe.

 The Faceless Driver has taken the lead.

It's neck-and-neck between him, Jack O'Neill and Jamie Tiley Gooden.

Charlie Foster is hoping to gain ground on them as three drivers battle it out.

 The Faceless Driver is getting faster and he's right on the leader's tail now.

They're side-by-side!

Rapid pace from Jack O'Neill sees him pull away from the Faceless Driver early on.

Thomas Williams and Dom Balasaitis are embroiled in a battle for fifth, with a long train of karts behind them.

Charlie Foster has pulled away from that train, currently comfortable in fourth.

Jack O'Neill and The Faceless Driver both make a solid start after a disruptive beginning to this race. Jamie Tiley-Gooden is keeping up with the pace just behind them.

Looks like they jumped the start and some drivers were out of formation... let's try that again shall we?

And we're off!

Full course Yellow flags straight away. Did they get too excited?

The Lightweight drivers are in the pitlane psyching themselves up. On today's form, Jack O'Neill is the favourite. He won this class in 2018 and is demonstrating all the hallmark traits of a champion six years later. His driving style has shown his experience - he's measured, intelligent and strategic, and has made his overtakes count time and time again throughout the day.

We've just learned from Race Control that there will be a number of penalties applied as everybody pushed the limits in that heat.

We'll see how that affects the Final Grid shortly.

Andy O'Neill finishes ahead of Owen Jenman. The two drivers race in an endurance team together. It's been a fabulous day for the team so far.

Bradley Philpot made his move on Peter Stockwin right at the end to finish in fourth place.

Henry Lopes-Gracey put in a stellar performance, winning the Heavies and finishing seventh overall.

Owen Jenman works his way into P2, nearly five seconds behind Andy O'Neill.

Brad Philpot in gaining on Peter Stockwin for P4.

Henry Lopes-Gracey is five seconds clear of Will Tidnam in second place. He's in and amongst the Inters, in P9 overall.

This is a fast family. After Jack's escapades earlier, it's now time for his brother Andy to shine, he's two seconds clear in the lead.

Ross Sandwell is in second, he's had a solid day so far. Owen Jenman has progressed into fourth and is on Peter Stockwin's tail.

Peter Stockwin will be leading the line for this one, ahead of Matt Ellis.

In the Heavies, Ashley Mayston-King starts ahead of Alex Pritchard.

Three brilliant heats. That last one had all the feelings of a final.

O'Neill takes The Faceless Driver on the final corner! He's been doing that all day. Our photographer captured the moment perfectly.

Sam Hampshire finishes third place, 7-thousandths of a second behind second.

The Faceless Driver is holding on. O'Neill knows how to get past him though.

This will go down to the wire.

Jack O'Neill and the Faceless Driver are exchanging places for the lead.

Their battling has allowed Sam Hampshire & Dom Balasaitis to gain ground behind them.

Jack O'Neill is now in second and closing in on the Faceless Driver and will make his move imminently, with two minutes to go.

The Faceless Driver makes his move and then Sam Hampshire immediately reclaims it!

Jack O'Neill in third place is right behind them. Dom Balasaitis is in fourth.

Ellis McKenzie ends up in a tyre barrier on the first lap, much to his dismay.

The Faceless Driver finds himself in P2, closing down Sam Hampshire.

Jack O'Neill's moving up and takes third place.

After a short intermission for refueling, the Lights are back out for their third heat.

Sam Hampshire & Dom Balasaitis lead the way.

It feels like it's going to rain, just to add more drama for the remainder of the day.

James Dowding has won it in the Inters, Will Tidnam in the Heavies.

James Dowding will be very happy with his day so far. He won the first heat and is winning this race, despite pressure from Alfie Shrubb behind him.

Ross Sandwell is ahead of Anthony Wypych and Brad Philpot is in fifth.

Will Tidnam overtakes Henry Lopes Gracey. Alex Pritchard has made up ground and is in the Heavies fight too.

Henry Lopes Gracey is in amongst the Inters, comfortably winning in the Heavies so far.

Owen Jenman is working his way up the field.

As the train passes and some gaps start to emerge, it's still James Dowding in first place, Alfie Shrubb following his every move.

Third to fifth place are all tightly bunched, with Ross Sandwell in third and Anthony Wypych just behind.

James Dowding, who won the first heat, starts on pole for this race, with Alfie Shrubb alongside.

In the Heavies, Henry Lopes-Gracey starts alongside Ashley Mayston-King.

Daniel Varlan wins after controlling the race. Karlis Elmanis in second, Jamie Tiley-Gooden third.

Jack O'Neill just recorded the fastest lap of the race, finishing in fifth, just behind Thomas Williams.

Dom Balasaitis is in the tyre barrier, shaking his head. He was doing so well but has lost some ground.

Karlis Elmanis is on Daniel Varlan's tail for the lead but can't find a way through.

Jack O'Neill takes Dom Balasaitis for seventh place.

The Faceless Driver licks his lips, gaining ground from that battle.

Charlie Foster is also working his way up the grid after a poor start.

Jack O'Neill started last and has found himself in eighth and making ground on the guys in front. He's just set the fastest lap in the race.

In fact, the top sixteen drivers all just recorded their fastest lap.

Daniel Varlan and Karlis Elmanis begin to pull away from the bunched up karts behind them.

Jamie Tiley-Gooden finds himself in third.

The Faceless Driver is working his way up the grid already after starting at the back.

The Lightweights are back out.

Max Murray is on pole, with Daniel Varlan behind him and Karlis Elmanis in third.

The Faceless Driver has just spun out under full course yellows and will have to start from the back!

That was VERY hard to cover. Positions were changing multiple times per lap and there were so many battles throughout the field.

This really is the pinnacle of two-stroke racing.

James Dowding has JUST edged out Owen Jenman and Anthony Wypych, with 0.2 seconds separating the top three.

In the Heavies, Lopes-Gracey edged in ahead of Will Tidnam and Ashley Mayston-King in third.

That was intense.

The Heavies are all bunched up in the aforementioned snake.

Will Tidnam has found himself in the lead, fractionally ahead of Henry Lopes Gracey and Alex Pritchard, the three drivers inseparable.

Owen Jenman is tailing James Dowding, watching his every move, gaining distance lap-on-lap.

There's a large snake formation in the middle of the pack between fourth and twelfth position.

Some light rain has started to fall as the Heat progresses.

Kuba Wozniak and Andy O'Neill are battling for the fourth position.

Five second penalty for Bradley Philpot for advantage by contact.

Lots of jostling for the lead as we get underway.

James Dowding has pulled clear from the pack from eighth position. Owen Jenman is in second.

The drivers are out and following the safety kart before the chaos begins. Two races in one here.

Alex Pritchard leads the line in the Heavies, Sam Ruddock in the Inters.

The Faceless Driver poses for the camera as he finishes that Heat comfortably in the lead.

Jack O'Neill  made a very late move on Jamie Tiley-Gooden to finish in second. Wow!

The Faceless Driver is going to win this comfortably.

Jamie Tiley-Gooden is a second ahead of Jack O'Neill.

Dom Balasaitis makes a move on Charlie Foster and will finish in third.

Jack O'Neill takes Charlie Foster at Turn 6.

Daniel Varlan just received a 10-second penalty.

The Faceless Driver is starting to pull away from the guys behind him.

Jamie Tiley-Gooden is his closest competitor.

Jack O'Neill is testing Charlie Foster for third place.

The Faceless Driver takes the lead!

Jamie Tiley-Gooden is in second place.

Foster slips down into third, with Jack O'Neill in fourth.

Four minutes left!

As we complete the first lap, Charlie Foster manages to take the lead early on.

James King is in the tyre barrier!

Each driver will start one heat at the front, one in the middle, and one at the back.

We're about to get underway for the first heat.

Owen Jenman has set the fastest lap so far and is the only person to break the .46 mark - 0:46.979.

William Woods is second with 00:47.130

Balasaitis' time was unmatched in the end. The Lights are now out of their karts, changing with the Inters/Heavies as we speak.

Jamie Tiley-Gooden laid down the fastest time, and then Ellis McKenzie did the same.

Jack O'Neill then reclaimed his fastest lap, before Dom Balasaitis records 00:46.476.

Jack O'Neill is setting the fastest laps so far. He's just recorded 00:46.931.

The Lightweights have hit the track for their ten-minute practice. We'll keep you posted on who's setting the early pace.

Ashley Mayston-King got the better of Alex Pritchard earlier on today, and the two drivers will do battle again in Heats. Pritchard is technically the reigning champion in this category, having won the title in 2018.

Henry Lopes-Gracey, will fancy his chances against both of them, having finished runner-up in SuperChamps at this circuit last year.

William Tidnam is a late entry to this category. He is a double SuperChamps champion at Daytona Sandown Park, and will feel fresher than Pritchard and Mayston-King.

Congratulations to the winners and runners-up from the DMAX National Championships Endurance class this morning.

Heavies:
P1 - Ashley Mayston-King
P2 - Alex Pritchard
P3 - Alex Tucker

Inters:
P1 - Owen Jenman
P2 - Anthony Wypych
P3 - Kuba Wozniak

Lights:
P1 - Jack O'Neill
P2 - James King
P3 - Daniel Varlan

As a reminder, Inters will be sharing a grid with the Heavies.

Endurance winner Owen Jenman is a veteran in this category. In 2018, he finished third overall, with only Bobby Trundley & Chris Alcock ahead of him, who have both gone on to glory after the series.

Kuba Wozniak is another fierce contender. He won a SuperChamps title at Daytona Milton Keynes in 2022 and then won the Race of Champions afterwards. 

Professional-racer-turned-YouTuber Brad Philpot is competing in this category. His racing portfolio is immense – most notably winning the SP2T Class VLN Nüburgring twice. He’s also competed in the British Touring Cars championship. Despite all of that – he hadn’t raced here at Daytona Sandown Park until testing last night.

Ross Sandwell is a local driver who has been on multiple SuperChamps podiums, as well as finishing sixth place in the 2024 Race of Champions.

Kieran Hyde-Moody is also no stranger to a podium here at Daytona Sandown Park.

Over to the Heats for a preview of this afternoon's racing. The drivers are currently sat in their briefing and getting their headshots taken.

The Lights is our most stacked category, and possibly our most difficult to predict.

A good place to start would be Jamie Tiley-Gooden. After winning just about everything there is to win at Daytona Milton Keynes, he’s since gone on be crowned a Club 100 champion, as well as winning the Elite Karting Series which has rounds at all three Daytona venues.

Having said that, it was Dom Balasaitis, Tiley-Gooden’s long-term podium rival, who made it count when it mattered most at Daytona’s 2024 Race of Champions, beating Tiley-Gooden in the final to be crowned the grand champion. These two go head-to-head once more.

James King finished second place to Balasaitis in the aforementioned Race of Champions, fresh from his second-placed performance just now in the endurance class. He knows the two young lads very well and will be keeping up with them, if he's not already worn himself out.

Two young lads from Daytona Sandown Park who have progressed through the ranks are Ellis McKenzie, a lap record holder in the SODI karts and Jamie Warner, both of whom have won Daytona’s Junior InKart championship and are ready to test their raw talent against the more experienced guys.

Karlis Elmanis has home advantage, having raced at Daytona Sandown Park for years, winning championship titles along the way.

Jack O’Neill absolutely stormed this class in 2018 and is the reigning champion. We’ve already seen what he’s capable of earlier on today.

And then there’s the Faceless Driver. Nobody actually knows who he is, but he’s proven before that he’s rapid.

Phew! The final moments of that race were intense. The podiums are underway.

Congratulations to our three winners, Jack O'Neill, Owen Jenman and Ashley Mayston-King.

Wypych makes a mistake on the final corner and Jenman takes the win. What a battle!

The winners are:

Wypych has taken Jenman on the penultimate corner of the penultimate lap and is going to win this!

Wypych and Jenman are side by side on the last lap!

The battle for P3 in the Heavies is another exciting one. Nakar is gaining on Tucker.

On the inside of Turn Four, with under five minutes to go, Jenman makes his move on Wypych and takes the lead in the Inters.

This is going to go to the wire.

The story of this race has to be Anthony Wypych and Owen Jenman's dual. They've been neck-and-neck for the entirety of the race, with only .4 of a second between them.

James King and Daniel Varlan are within a second of one another, with King ahead of his Milton Keynes SuperChamps rival with just under ten minutes to go.

Just as I write that, Andy O'Neill has received a ten-second penalty for track limits, leaving Kuba clear in third.

Kuba Wozniak has been battling with Andy O'Neill in the Inters. He's just made his move and finds himself in third, eight seconds behind Wypych & Jenman who are still battling it out.

The faster guys on the field set their fastest laps early on and now driving a little more cautiously to avoid any penalties.

Alex Tucker has just overtaken Adam Nakar for third-place in the Heavies.

Justin Elliott has received a ten-second penalty for exceeding track limits. He's seventh-placed in the Inters, but this will drop him right back.

Jack O'Neill is now eleven seconds clear of James King in second.

Anthoyn Wypych and Owen Jenman are still neck-and-neck in the Inters, with Stankowiak just two seconds behind the duo and gaining distance.

Ashley Mayston-King's lead over Alex Pritchard is also increasing as time goes on.

Alex Pritchard didn't have the best qualifying, but is now firmly in second. He's seven seconds ahead of former rival Adam Nakar. These two know all about eachother having competed for a number of years in the original series.

Jamie Chadwick Series' Julia Stankowiak is throwing down some very consistent laps. She's currently in fourth and she's gaining ground on Daniel Varlan ahead of her.

George Lawlor just received a ten-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits. He was fifth in the Lights, but now finds himself in about 12th position, behind Sonny Elton.

Anthony Wypych is a surprise package here. Aged only 17, he's fairly new to Daytona, making his debut racing in Tamworth's SuperChamps this year.

He's battling it out for the win with rapid veteran Owen Jenman, who finished third place overall in Heats in 2018. What a performance so far from the youngster.

Reigning champion Jack O'Neill has built a five second lead over James King, he's in control and it seems this race is his to lose already.

James' brother Ashley-Mayston King is in control in the heavies, also five second ahead now.

Owen Jenman & Anthony Wypych are neck-and-neck in the Inters class, each taking it turns for the lead.

Julia Stankowiak and George Lawlor are also embroiled in a dual. Sonny Elton was part of that but a critical spin dropped him back to eighth overall.

In the Lights Jack O'Neill is in control, three seconds ahead of James King. Daniel Varlan is third and has built a five second gap ahead of George Lawlor. Sonny Elton and Julia Stakowiak are embroiled in a battle for fifth.

In the Inters, Wypych is still ahead, a second in front of Andy O'Neill, Kuba Wozniak in third.

Ashley Mayston-King is a few second ahead of Alex Pritchard behind him in the Heavies.

The karts are in formation following the safety kart for one lap, before chequered flag in a moment's time.

The M25 junction 10 is closed, which is causing chaos on the roads.

There's also a marathon of some description going on locally.

Make sure you leave in plenty of time, Heats competitors.

Jack O’Neill will start the endurance on pole, with a best time of 46.326. He's going to be one to beat.

James King is behind him, Daniel Varlan qualifies in third place.

In the Inters, Anthony Wypych is on pole.

Ashley Mayston-King is the fastest Heavyweight.

Jack O’Neill is leading the way, Daniel Varlan behind him, James King third, Anthony Wypych in fourth, and Kuba Wozniak fifth.

A stacked field featuring proven champions.

Jack O’Neill finished second in this category in 2018 and was crowned Heats champion that year. He’s back and hungry for the win.

Multiple-time endurance winner James King has been spotted testing at Sandown Park a few times this week, fine-tuning his lines for a shot at victory.

George Lawlor & Julia Stankowiak both bring plenty of Sandown Park experience. Stankowiak, just 17 years old, currently sits second in the Jamie Chadwick Series DMAX category.

Meanwhile, Nikolay Angelov is another DMAX O.G., having raced in this category for five years (2014-2018).

And they're off!

The Endurance competitors commence their 10-minute practice/ qualifying.

A mix of experience, history, and raw talent.

Olly Cooper-Welton knows Daytona Sandown Park better than anyone—he managed this circuit before Daytona acquired it in 2000 and holds multiple championship titles.

At the other end of the spectrum, Anthony Wypych is the category’s youngest competitor, entering a grid filled with pedigree. Trial by fire.

Peter Stockwin brings recent Daytona 24 Hours success with King Brothers Racing, while Kuba Wozniak won Daytona’s 2023 Race of Champions.

Owen Jenman, Seb Cook, and Martin Bourke bring DMAX history to the mix, with close championship battles dating back to 2016.

And then there’s William Woods & Joe Hamblett—usually a dominant Club100 team, now fierce rivals once again. This is going to be a spectacle.

This category is stacked with talent.

Ashley Mayston-King is a dominant endurance racer and co-captain of King Brothers Racing. A master at his home track, Milton Keynes, he’ll be a real threat in today’s damp conditions.

Then there’s Alex Pritchard, a former DMAX champion who knows how to win. He’ll face a familiar foe in Adam Nakar, who edged him out in 2017 but fell behind him in 2018. Old rivalries reignite today.

Alex Tucker is a wildcard. He won the 2023 SuperChamps title, making him arguably the most in-form local driver in this class.

Buckle up—this one’s going to be close.

If you followed the original DMAX Championships, you’ll remember the name Tom Golding.

He and Tom Sibley put on a show every season. Golding came agonizingly close in 2015, finishing runner-up in Lightweight Heats. A year later? He took the title.

Then came the big leagues. Golding and Sibley both progressed to the Ginetta G40 Championship, where Golding didn’t just compete—he won. Three times.

Our man Tom Fox is here with his super long lens. Tamworth regulars know him as their General Manager, but he's also a professional photographer. He's also super quick in a go-kart.

Triple Threat Tommy.

In the afternoon, there are two sets of heats battling it out – the Lights in one set, and the Inters/Heavies in the other.

The first group will head out at 12:15 for a 5-minute practice, with the second group heading out at 12:30.

They will then battle it out over three eight-minute heats. Drivers will start one heat near the front of the grid, one in the middle, and one at the back. Heats will take place between 12:50 – 15:00, and we’ll be updating you here as they progress.

These heats are worth winning – there’s a maximum 25 championship points up for grabs in each one.

We then conclude the day with two 12-minute finals, with the grid order based on the number of points earned in the two finals. The winner will earn 50 championship points, second place 45, and third place 42 points. Again, there’s a bonus point for the fastest lap.

Bobby Trundley’s story is one of pure racing passion. From Daytona Race School to the professional circuits, he’s the most widely known success story to come from the DMAX Championships.

A five-time DMAX champion, Bobby’s career took off after we introduced him to Damon Hill at a charity event. That meeting led him to Team BRIT, the UK’s only disabled racing team.

Fast forward six seasons, and Bobby now races in the Britcar Endurance Championship, piloting a BMW M240i alongside Asha Silva. We’re proud to sponsor his journey.

There's more moisture in the air than in the last few days, with a 57% chance of rain at 10am.

We've got a few self-proclaimed wet-weather experts here, who will be licking their lips.

We have our first handful of arrivals at Daytona Sandown Park, walking around the (currently dry) track and discussing their racing lines with their accomplices.

The racing kicks off with the solo endurance category:

• 10:00 AM – 10-minute qualifying session
• 10:30 AM – One-hour endurance race featuring all categories (Lights, Inters & Heavies) in a 23-kart grid

The stakes?

• 1st place: 50 points
• 2nd place: 45 points
• 3rd place: 40 points
• 4^th place: 38 points
• 5^th place: 36 points (& so on)
• Bonus point for fastest lap

With so much on the line, expect fireworks. We’ll be profiling some of the title hopefuls shortly.

Glory. Bragging rights. A place in DMAX folklore. And, of course, silverware.

But that’s not all. Our champions will earn an exclusive test with Ginetta at Blyton Park.

• Under 17? You’ll take the wheel of a Ginetta G40 Junior.
• 18 or over? You’ll unleash the power of a Ginetta G56 GTA.

Carlsberg doesn’t do prizes for karting championships… but if they did…

Or maybe it’s more fitting to call it a rebirth.

Between 2012 and 2018, the DMAX National Championships made history. Stories were written, legends were forged, and battles were fought. Now, we do it all over again.

This year, it’s a three-round championship—a reunion of greatness. Next year? Bigger. Better. This is a movement. Are you in?

After more than six years, we’re back! And it feels SO good.

The anticipation has been building for months, and today, the DMAX National Championships roar back to life.

This is where the best of the best come to battle. Returning DMAX legends, Daytona champions past and present, and fearless new challengers—every single driver on this grid has something to prove.

We’ll be bringing you every moment of action as it unfolds. Strap in—it’s going to be one hell of a ride.