A teenager from Bargoed has won the Welsh Karting Championship, raising thousands of pounds for charity in the process.
Luke Evans, 14, won the IKR MSA Minimax Welsh Championship, while also raising over £2000 for Cancer Research UK by racing at as many tracks as possible in the run up to his victory.
After first trying indoor karting with TeamSport Cardiff when he was 10 years old, Luke quickly developed a talent for the sport. He has now competed in over 600 races and holds the cadet lap record at the track in Cardiff.
Speaking after his victory, Luke said: “The first time I visited TeamSport I met Alex Camilleri (Cam), a mechanic at the company, who gave me tuition which helped get my lap times down. From there I was hooked and I each time I went he really encouraged me to push myself and improve.
“I came up with the idea to race at other TeamSport tracks and to do it for charity. I’ve raised over £2000 for Cancer Research UK by racing at as many tracks as I can over a couple of days. My current record is 17 tracks and I’m hoping to do this again now that TeamSport have more venues across the country.
“The last four years have been great. I can’t thank my dad enough as he works tirelessly to help fund my dream, and Cam at TeamSport who also helps out as my mechanic and mentor on race days. Winning at the Welsh Championship felt amazing and I’m now hoping to compete in Super One series British championship.
Dominic Gaynor, TeamSport’s Managing Director said: “Luke is a talented young lad who’s sure to do well. Indoor karting is a great entry point for a career in the racing, so many F1 racing champions started out karting. Our cadet academy is set up to give youngsters who are keen to improve a structured tuition programme, whereby they can progress at their own rate in a fun and safe environment.”
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Luke Evans had won the Welsh Indoor Karting Championship.