Last updated at 23:11, Thursday, 01 April 2010

ROWRAH Circuit will host the best in British karting this weekend.

The venue will host the opening two rounds of the 2010 Formula Kart Stars Championship.

Matthew Graham, of Edmundbyers in County Durham, and Nathan Aston, of Dalston, are just two of the 140 drivers who are hoping to emulate F1’s Lewis Hamilton, a former FKS champion who, along with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, is now a patron of the series.

Graham, who finished second in last year’s MSA British Cadet Championship, has now moved up to the ultra powerful KF3 class where speeds of 80mph are commonplace.

Last year at Rowrah Graham put in one of the best performances of the season as he beat the best in the UK in torrential rain to win the cadet final by more than 15-seconds.

Appleby Grammar School pupil Aston enters his second year on the Formula Kart Stars tour looking to challenge for the MSA British Cadet championship and his home track is a perfect place to kick-start his title bid having been Cumbria Kart Club vice champion in 2008.

The racing at Rowrah takes place tomorrow and Sunday starting at 10am both days. Spectators are welcome at a cost of £5 per car.

Rowrah is also part of the Lets Go Karting scheme where anybody from the ages of seven and a half to 16 can try karting for just £5 and vouchers will be available from the track on both days.

First published at 19:29, Thursday, 01 April 2010
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk