Karting ace Sam Stephens leads the Dunkeswell Kart Racing Championships.

SAM Stephens was in action in the sixth round of the Dunkeswell Kart Racing Championships.

For the previous three rounds, Sam and his Mechanic (dad) have been battling with mechanical problems with his old second-hand kart, to the point where it was not fit to race at a competitive level in July.

Despite this, 14-year-old Sam was still in the lead in the Minimax Class and on course to be the overall Dunkeswell club champion 2012. Faced with the prospect of Sam not being able to finish the season, Sam’s parents managed to buy him a new Lewis Hamilton Kart to enable Sam to continue his racing career, although he still has a second-hand reconditioned engine.

On practice day, there were lots of teething problems as they tried to set up the new kart for Sunday’s race.

Sam was reasonably happy with the set up on race day, but struggled in the qualifying heats as not having wet tyres for the new kart he had to race on slicks in the wet conditions.

Sam was placed fourth on the grid in the final, but by this time the track had dried out and the Worle School student finished in a respectable third place overall. Consequently, Sam is currently 25 points ahead in the championship as he goes into the final rounds in September and October.

However, Sam will be in action over the Bank Holiday weekend in the South West Championships, which is a one-off held at the Mansell Raceway by Dunkeswell Kart Racing Club, and attracts drivers from all over the country, where Sam hopes to be successful in the Minimax Class.

Sam is grateful for current support from Barber Co, Worle Autos and Demon Tweeks, but would still appreciate any offers of sponsorship, however small. All enquiries to deb.stephens@sky.com

Please find attached a photo from TelT Photography.