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South African Rotax Mini Max karting champion and the lad who made such an impression at last year’s under-13 Grand Finals in Italy, Troy Snyman eyeing claiming another ticket to Portugal for the Mini Max Grand Finals this season as he also steps up to Junior Max, when the home hero finally arrives at the first national championship round at his home track iDube this weekend.

“It’s been a long wait to get racing after lockdown and I cannot wait to get in the kart,” the Pietermaritzburg youngster confirmed. “I have worked hard at keeping fit through the lockdown and we have won most of our regional heats at iDube, and I’d say we are one hundred percent ready to fight at the front.

Being young enough to still race the under 13 class, Troy will enter in both Mini and Junior Max this weekend, where he plans to defend his national Mini title this season, while making as big an impression as he can in the bigger, far more powerful Junior kart. "I am a bit too heavy to get down to a really competitive weight in Mini, so it's going to get interesting if any of the lighter guys are really quick, but what's life without a challenge?"

Troy is also relishing the challenge of driving two very different classes this weekend: "The Junior kart is much more powerful and heavier, so harder to drive too, but it's also so much faster and a real buzz to race flat out. “There are a few quick kids coming to town from Jo’burg and the Cape who are not going to make it easy for me, but we will be looking to impress in my first Junior Max national.

We have four rounds and 14 races to go and the champion in each class gains that ticket to what they call the Olympics of Karting and I have two bites at the apple this year and while either will be difficult for different reasons, I’m ready to give it my best shot. “Bring it on!” 

The iDube national is being run to strict Covid-19 restrictions and no spectators are allowed, but be sure to follow the action via live streaming via www.kart.co.za on Sunday.