Ottery’s Pearson celebrates great karting season
Ben Pearson, 13, of Ottery St Mary, ended the season by winning the karting championship at Clay Pigeon, and, over the season, collecting 19 podium trophies including 12 first places.
He has been entered in six different championships and has won all six, his titles being: NRKA Southern Champion, Blue Challenge Champion, Two Counties Champion, Autumn extravaganza and the Dunkeswell Blue Challenge Champion.
Ben also became the 2010 Two Counties Grande Champion which included the senior drivers and he was ranked seventh in the country at the Grand Finals in Llandow Wales, in August, where all the top drivers were invited. This means that Ben can use the number 7 until August next year.
Ben attended the Two Counties presention evening recently and received five of the six Championship trophies.
The sixth was presented at the karting Christmas dinner last night.
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Ben was also crowned Grand Champion amongst the Formula Blues, even gaining more points than the No1 Senior driver.
His dad, Ian, said: “We haven't decided exactly what we are doing next year as we may need to change engine class. Junior Blue doesn't race in Europe and that may be Ben's next move if funds and sponsorship can be found.
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“If anyone would like to sponsor Ben and would like to advertise on Ben's Kart or support van, we would love to talk to you.” In the final race of the season Ben had a tricky weekend.
Race day was very wet which made driving conditions difficult but, in the first heat, he made the best of a good start and pulled away from the rest of the pack.
In Heat 2, he finished in third as, due to the excessive spray, he could not find away past the two leaders.
In heat 3 engine failure at the start gave him a half lap handicap, but he drove the race of his life, being two seconds a lap quicker than anybody else and finishing third, earning pole for the final.
Ben was really looking to the final but after changing engine, the new one would not start and he didn't begin the race.
