On behalf of all the members of the Army Karting Team we would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to all the Team Army sponsors. Motorsport is an expensive sport and our participation would not be possible without their help. Their money really does make a difference. Motorsport gives soldiers an avenue to de-stress from a high deployment tempo, an opportunity to test their physical and mental endurance and most importantly it aids in retention.
Each year the Army Karting Team run trials for new drivers, these trials are open to all regular and reserve soldiers and officers who wish to get involved with motorsport. Karting is the cheapest form of motorsport and arguably the most fun. This year we ran the trials over two different dates, at the first round we had over 40 potential drivers turn up to an extremely wet and rainy track at MOD Lyneham. The aim of the first round of trials is to spot the people with potential to place into the highly engineered racing karts, so for this first round we use the same kind of karts you would find at an indoor karting centre. By the end of the day we had a shortlist of 12 drivers who were then invited to a second round at Llandow Kart Circuit in South Wales. At the second trials we then placed the current team and the potential drivers out in the Teams Pro Karts for a full weekend. The standard this year was extremely high! Each driver had multiple sessions to show off their skills, although at times this led to some embarrassing spins and crashes. After the second round the team offered seats to seven drivers and we had our 2018 team; comprised of three Pro Karts (Twin engine Honda karts for endurance races) and two Premier Karts (two Stroke Rotax Sprint Karts).
With the team selected all that was left to do was spend a weekend preparing all the kit and equipment needed for the 2018 RAF MSA Inter Service Championship. The championship comprises of teams from different Corps across the Army, the Army Team itself, RAF Station teams, The Royal Navy, The Royal Marines and a few civilian associate teams. Each championship round is run a lot like a Formula 1 race weekend with Friday being used for practice, Saturday for practice and qualifying and then a three hour endurance race on Sunday. Historically the team has won the championship twice and this year our main focus is to win it a third time. You can keep up to date with the team’s progress this season by following their Facebook Page.
Sergeant Ben Lockyer
Images courtesy of Jess Maund Busy Bee Photography
The Army Motorsport Kart Team is one of the smaller and most exciting disciplines in the British Army Motorsport Association (BAMA) ranks, after being established midway through the 2011 season. During its six years in the championship, the team has won two championships in 2012 and 2015 and have been within the top four of all teams every year. The Army team runs three endurance karts and two sprint karts in the Royal Air Force Motorsport Association (RAF MSA) inter-services championship.
Inter-Services Karting Championship – round dates and locations:
14/15 April 2018 – Llandow, South Wales
19/20 May 2018 – Lydd, Kent
09/10 June 2018 – Fulbeck, Lincolnshire
18/19 August 2018 – Rowrah, Cumbria
15/16 September 2018 – Glan y Gors, North wales
13/14 October 2018 – Larkhall, Lanarkshire
