
The WSK Super Masters Series is the formal start to the OKJ season for all the karting manufacturers.
Friday started with a super fast practice, which I was able to convert into a P4 qualifying spot (Out of 83 drivers) and P2 in my qualifying group.
In Heat B-D, I started P2 on the off-pole side. My start wasn’t great, and I was in P4 going into turn 4, the mechanics' corner. A sudden hit from behind saw me spin and my engine stall, leading to a DNF.
In my second heat, Heat C-D, it was super foggy and cold. I started P2, fell back and battled back to finish P4.
Saturday brought its own trials. The day's first heat, Heat D-E, was a rollercoaster, with a promising start from pole position, the race unravelled to a P11 finish, later adjusted to P10 after penalties.
Heat A-D saw me running strong in third before an incident ahead saw me go off track to avoid, losing me a few places and ultimately claiming an eighth-place finish.
The culmination of the qualifying heats left me in P28, setting the stage for a challenging pre-final B, with nothing to lose. I started P14, pushing hard, navigating through the pack to finish in P9, adjusted to P7 after penalties.
The grand finale on Sunday was a mess. From a P21 start, it was never going to be pretty. I surged forward, but the quality of the drivers at the back isn’t what it is at the front! It’s more bumper cars than racing. On lap 6, I was caught up in the after-effects of a crash, and I fell to last place with a pushed-in bumper. I crossed the finish line in a disappointing P25, a position adjusted to P29 following my bumper penalty.
Reflecting on the weekend, it's easy to see the setbacks, the what-ifs, and the might-have-been. But within every challenge is an opportunity, a chance to learn, to grow, and to emerge stronger.
My journey this year is just beginning, stay tuned!
Thank you to my team Forza Racing, Niklas Franz Jamie Croxford, Dean Panrucker, Luca Cavalli, Machac and my performance coach John Noonan.
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Instragram: @jack.iliffe
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