Dominant at Superone and levelling up at ukc
Superone
While part of the XKART team took on Whilton Mill for the opening round of the UKC, the rest of the squad headed north to the iconic Rowrah circuit in Cumbria for Rounds 1 & 2 of the SuperOne Series.
Set in the heart of the Lake District, Rowrah is one of the UK’s most technically demanding tracks — fast, flowing, and with elevation changes that punish mistakes and reward bravery. It’s the perfect place to shake off the winter rust and put all the off-season preparation to the test.
Leon Barlow led from the front with an outstanding weekend of pace and performance. Across both rounds, Leon was consistently at the sharp end, taking fastest laps, pole positions, and securing a double podium finish. His confidence in the kart and sharp racecraft were clear to see, and it’s already shaping up to be a strong championship campaign for him.
After a long winter break, Lewis Holt and Archie Doherty returned to race action, using the early heats to rebuild momentum and race sharpness. Both drivers showed measurable progression throughout the weekend — Lewis looked more settled with each session, and Archie found his rhythm in the finals, pushing forward with smart, confident overtakes.
Making his full race debut with the team, Lucas Steele took part in his first weekend under the XKART awning. Having joined late in 2024, Lucas impressed the coaching team with his focus and willingness to learn. He grew in confidence with every lap and built a solid foundation to develop from across the season.
Cassadie Southall had a strong and consistent showing in the midfield, delivering close battles and intelligent drives throughout both rounds. His awareness and pace made him a standout in several heats, and his results reflected a clear step forward in performance. Elijah Hartley continues to build momentum with every race weekend, and Rowrah was another step forward in his development. Across both rounds, Elijah showed growing confidence behind the wheel—his race starts were sharper, his decision-making more assertive, and his pace improved session by session. What stood out most was his consistency and attitude in tough conditions.
Overall, the weekend delivered exactly what the team needed — a mix of results, driver development, and promising glimpses of what’s to come. SuperOne is always competitive, and the team showed we’re more than ready to be part of the fight in 2025.
UKC – Ultimate Karting Championship
The opening round of the Ultimate Karting Championship (UKC) took place this past weekend at the renowned Whilton Mill circuit, and XKART was there with two promising young drivers—Zak Jennings and Molly Pugh—both competing in the ultra-competitive Rotax class.
Whilton Mill is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most technically demanding tracks. With its high-speed corners, tight hairpins and constant elevation changes, it offers the perfect proving ground for developing talent. And when you combine that with the level of competition UKC brings, it’s easy to see why this is one of the toughest tests in UK go kart racing.
For those wondering how to get into karting, championships like UKC show exactly what the top level looks like, where the sharpest junior drivers test themselves against the best, and every lap is a learning opportunity.
Zak Jennings Shows Grit in the Rotax Grid
Racing under the Zenico Racing banner, Zak Jennings stepped up to the UKC stage with clear focus and solid pace. Throughout the weekend, he showed he could hang with a stacked grid, holding his own in race situations and steadily improving lap after lap. Zenico Racing is a digital platform and content hub that’s helping to break down barriers in karting, using YouTube and other social media channels, real-world insights, and behind-the-scenes access to make the sport more accessible, relatable, and understood by newcomers and fans alike.
Molly Pugh Builds Confidence
For Molly Pugh, Round 1 was a chance to learn, build confidence, and gather valuable track time. Each session at Whilton Mill added to her development, and her composed approach throughout the weekend reflected her potential. As one of the few female drivers in the field, Molly continues to play a part in the growing movement of girls competing in top-tier karting, focused, fast, and determined to keep climbing.
Why the Chassis Matters
Both drivers ran the newly updated 2025 TB Kart chassis, praised for its consistency, responsive handling, and predictable feel, essential qualities when pushing hard on a demanding circuit like Whilton Mill. With its refined geometry, improved brake cooling, and strengthened frame sections, the chassis offered the feedback and stability needed to help both drivers find the limit.
Looking Ahead
This weekend wasn’t about trophies. It was about development, data, and digging deep. XKART karting isn’t just about pace, it’s about progression – and with Zak and Molly both gaining critical experience in one of the UK’s most elite Rotax championships, the season is off to a promising start.
Follow their journey through UKC, SuperOne, The Kart Championship and beyond, and keep up with the team’s progress as the 2025 campaign continues.
RAISING AWARENESS – The Brain Tumour Charity
Molly Pugh is taking on a personal challenge in support of The Brain Tumour Charity, a cause incredibly close to her heart. In 2012, Molly’s dad underwent surgery and radiotherapy for a brain tumour, treatment that saved his life but left lasting effects, including a dementia diagnosis.
On 7th June, Molly will be skydiving to raise funds for the charity, which provides vital support to those affected and helps fund life-saving research.
She’ll be joined in the jump by her cousin Marc and XKART Team Manager Louis Harvey.
You can support Molly’s efforts and donate here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/molly-skydive
PARTNER PROMOTION – SCAN COMPUTERS
This week, we’re shining the spotlight on one of our incredible partners – Scan Computers – a name synonymous with cutting-edge performance and trusted by gamers, creatives, and professionals across the UK.
Scan is more than just a tech supplier – they’re powering the future of sim racing and esports through elite hardware partnerships with brands like iiyama, Samsung, and Thrustmaster. Whether it’s high-refresh monitors for fast reactions, SSDs for lightning load times, or the precision of pro-grade sim hardware, Scan supports those pushing the limits of digital performance.
Their support helps bridge the gap between real-world racing and virtual driver development – and we’re proud to have them in the XKART corner.
Explore their world-class tech lineup at www.scan.co.uk
Article by Janine, On Track Marketing
Photography by Stu Stretton Photography
