Wins on the Road & One That Got Away 🚐🏁
April was one of those months that really summed up racing life. Big wins, new experiences, long days, cold nights… and a reminder that sometimes things completely outside your control can change a season in an instant.
Plenty happened — and not all of it showed on the results sheet.
6 April – NATSKA at Clay Pigeon
First Visit | Double Race Day Win
April kicked off with a first-ever trip to Clay Pigeon Raceway for a NATSKA weekend, and it turned into a memorable one for more reasons than just the racing.
It was also the first night sleeping out in the race van, which we’re currently in the middle of converting. Let’s just say… it worked — but it was a little cold. Still, it felt like a proper racing milestone and the start of many more weekends on the road.
Once on track, the results spoke for themselves:
👉 Race Day Win on Saturday
👉 Race Day Win on Sunday
Two strong, controlled days of racing and another two NATSKA rounds won added to the season tally. Clay Pigeon was a new circuit, but the pace came quickly and everything just flowed. (Yes… I’d been on the sim practising before we went.)
The weekend wasn’t completely drama-free, though. As the light started to fade on Saturday evening, we had to change the bearings on the rear axle ahead of Sunday’s racing. Rushing a little against the clock, the rear axle holder wasn’t tightened correctly, which led to a slightly wonky finish in the second race on Sunday. It was one of those small garage mistakes that can easily happen late in the day — frustrating at the time, but we just about got away with it. Just another reminder that karting isn’t only won on track, but in the paddock too.
On Sunday, the day was briefly interrupted by a red flag after a driver on the grid spun and went off the circuit backwards. Thankfully, the driver was absolutely fine, but it caused the ambulance to come onto the track and led to a long delay — giving everyone time to reset before getting back to business. (And it resulted in a great photo with some of the boys while waiting.)
Despite the interruption, the weekend ended on a massive high.
Late April – Camberley Club Day
Honda 160 | A Tough One to Take
The fourth Saturday of the month meant it was time for a Camberley race day, heading back into the Honda 160 grid.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t go quite to plan — and for reasons completely outside our control.
Right before the event, the grid was split into two separate competitions, with half the drivers moved into Honda 200 at the very last minute. That decision had a big knock-on effect.
With only two drop rounds allowed for the season:
- This became Round 3
- Round 1 had already been missed due to February half-term
- This effectively ended any realistic championship chances on the spot
That’s racing sometimes — and it’s a tough one to swallow.
On track, though, the performance was still there. Despite running a GX160, I was finishing ahead of most of the GX200 drivers, showing that the pace and race craft were exactly where they needed to be.
Unfortunately, the final ended early after just four laps when a rear wheel hub failed, forcing retirement from the race. Not how anyone wants to finish a day — especially when things were looking strong.
April in Perspective
April showed both sides of racing:
- Two more race day wins and a successful new venue
- First proper weekend living out of the race van
- And a frustrating reminder that reliability and regulations can be just as decisive as pace
Even when results don’t fall your way, every weekend still adds experience — and that counts for a lot over a full season.
Next up: May, more racing, and more chances to turn speed into results.
As always:
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Onwards 🏎️💨