November 2009
Silverstone Dream Comes True for Harrogate Kart Star
Although it’s had its ups and downs, the 2009 kart racing season finished on a high for Harrogate race ace Adam Parsley.
The 15-year-old chalked up some creditable results against the best in the UK in the new-look Formula Kart Stars Championship, which boasts F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and former world champion Lewis Hamilton among its patrons.
Storming through the field in the final round at Whilton Mill in Northamptonshire secured the Rossett School pupil the Bradley Ellis Hard Charger Award which he’ll collect on stage at an awards ceremony at Kart Mania – the UK’s biggest racing kart show - in Coventry later this month.
But, the meeting also led to an introduction to the organisers of the 2010 Formula Academy – and, last week, the Harrogate youngster climbed into the cockpit of a Formula Ford racing car at Silverstone for the very first time.
“We were offered the test after meeting the series co-ordinator – and, to be honest, it was a dream come true,” said Adam, who has been supported to date by engineering firm The Flow Group.
“I was given the chance to drive a racing car at a circuit where all my heroes have raced before - and I almost had to keep pinching myself to remind myself it was real.
“Cars and karts are very different and I had to get used to a racing gearbox, much sharper brakes as well as the additional weight and speed. I was in the car for almost three hours and had to concentrate hard to try to do everything the instructors had told me - but I loved every minute and I can’t wait to try again.”
The hunt for additional sponsors to help secure Adam a place in the inaugural Formula Academy series in 2010 is now underway and series boss Ken Bowes - a veteran racer and former Silverstone Race School manager - believes the youngster deserves a shot at the series.
He said: “Karting has given Adam the race craft drivers need to compete and he listens to instruction and applies it quickly.
“He couldn’t have been presented with a more difficult baptism of fire as the weather conditions were awful but, despite the conditions and the massively steep learning curve, he didn’t put a wheel wrong and improved his lap times to within a second of one of the other drivers who has a season of car racing already under his belt.
“Of course, he’d need more time in the car before racing in anger but he definitely has the raw ability which we’d be able to hone as the series progressed.”