After a seven-hour, 320-mile journey from home, we arrived at Rowrah—one of the most technical and unforgiving circuits on the calendar. It was our first time back since the accident last year, and the forecast promised a weekend of relentless rain. With a grid of 44 drivers split into groups and a B final to fight through, the goal was clear: reach the A final.
🔧 Friday Practice – Finding Rhythm in Uncertainty
Friday began with wet tyres and a damp track, but the rain held off. The weather teased us all day, never quite committing, and the sessions ran on slicks. Riley adapted quickly, building pace across each run:
- Session 1 (Wet): 1’00″71
- Session 2: 49″61
- Session 3: 47″95
- Session 4: 47″30
- Session 5: 47″46
It was a solid start, and despite the looming clouds, Riley looked composed and focused.
🌀 Saturday – Changing Skies and Changing Fortunes
Saturday brought more uncertainty. The skies threatened, but the track stayed dry. We were joined by Grumps for support, and Riley started the day in grid 2 for practice and qualifying.
- Free Practice: 47″65 – 19th out of 22
- Qualifying: 46″94 on lap 7 of 9 – a confident run on brand-new slicks
Heat 1 (B vs C) – Slicks in the Storm
With the track dry, we gambled on slicks like the rest of the grid. Riley started 23rd and made early progress, climbing to 18th by lap 1. But by lap 3, just as he set his fastest time of 57″05, the heavens opened. On slicks in the wet, survival became the priority.
Despite the chaos, Riley held his nerve:
- Lap 5: up to 15th
- Lap 6–8: battled through recovering karts, finishing 18th
A post-race drop-down penalty pushed him back to 23rd out of 29, but his drive in treacherous conditions was nothing short of heroic.
Heat 2 (A vs B) – Steady Climb
After a long wait, Riley lined up 24th. The track had dried, and he chipped away at the field:
- Lap 1: dropped to 25th
- Lap 2–6: climbed to 22nd
- Lap 9–10: up to 20th
- Lap 12: best lap of 47″07
Post-race penalties bumped him to 19th. After both heats, Riley sat 33rd overall, placing him in Group C for Sunday’s superheats.
Setup Struggles
Saturday wasn’t without its challenges. Riley reported a lack of front-end grip. After checking alignment, we found it was out—resetting it helped. We also adjusted the throttle cable to accommodate Riley’s growth, moving the pedal slightly back.
🌧️ Sunday – Rain, Repairs, and Redemption
The forecast promised rain, but the skies kept us guessing.
Superheat 1 (B vs C)
Riley started 22nd on a dry track. A steady race saw him drop a couple of places early, but he fought back:
- Lap 11: a brilliant move on the final corner brought him back to 23rd
- Post-race penalties returned him to 22nd
- Best lap: 47″42 on lap 8
After the race, Riley flagged a lack of top-end speed. We swapped carbs and discovered the throttle was only opening 85–90%. A quick fix freed up the cable, restoring full throttle and bringing back the performance we’d been missing.
Superheat 2 (A vs C)
Still dry, Riley again started 22nd. A scrappy start dropped him to 26th, but he clawed back:
- Laps 7, 9, 10: gained places
- Finished 23rd, bumped to 22nd after penalties
- Best lap: 47″11 on lap 12
Now came the wait. Riley’s combined superheat result was 34th. With Saturday’s results, he sat 36th overall—just outside the cut for the A final. That meant one last chance: the B final.
🔥 B Final – The Repercharge
Lining up 6th, Riley knew the top 4 would progress to the A final. The track was dry, but drizzle loomed. We held off tyre decisions until the last moment and adjusted pressures for the conditions.
- Lap 2: fastest lap of 49″93 (2nd fastest of the session)
- Lap 3: the rain came—chaos followed
- Lap 4: up to 3rd
- Lap 7: dropped to 4th
- Final lap: a breakdown for the leader gifted Riley 3rd at the line
We passed scrutineering and Riley was through to the A final.
🌊 A Final – Wet, Wild, and Worth It
The rain returned with vengeance. Wet setup, wet tyres—no debate. Riley started 33rd out of 34. It was survival mode.
- Lap 1: up to 30th
- Mid-race: radiator bracket broke, but Riley pressed on
- Lap 4: best time of 59″50
- Finished 32nd, but a drop-down penalty placed him 33rd
We’d made it. Through the B final, into the A final, and across the line.
đź’¬ Final Thoughts
It was a weekend of grit, unpredictability, and perseverance. From the emotional return to Rowrah to the last-minute drama of the B final, Riley showed maturity and determination beyond his years.
Huge thanks to Ambition Motorsport and Joe Weaver Racing for their support throughout the weekend. And to Grumps—for making the journey to Cumbria.
We have decided not to take part in the final round at Whilton Mill. We are ending our 2025 The Kart Championship on a high after reaching the A final. We will look to do another event instead, but not before a few repairs. We are also reviewing plans for 2026, with a likelihood of moving in to the Senior category.
