On Track For A New Challenge

The name of Tollbar will be launched on the track in 2009 thanks to a group of fearless Sixth Formers who are gearing up for the British Schools Karting Championships.

Two teams of three drivers will have their first taste of this national competition at a practice session in Leeds in January - then it will be off to the first round qualifiers, again in Leeds.

And should Tollbar be among the winners here, the regional and national finals beckon.

"Mr Hammond was e-mailed about the championship as part of CAS but it was a bit more detailed than the normal activity," explained Mr French, who is overseeing the entrants.

"We asked around the Sixth Form and quite a lot of people were interested. They have to fund themselves for the first round which costs £42 each but it they get through that, it's all free from then on."

"A few of them have done karting before but not all, although I think they might go and have a practice at the Chequered Flag."

Although this year Tollbar's teams are restricted to Sixth Formers, the British Schools Karting Championship is aimed at students aged 13-18 and next year Mr French hopes to open it up to younger age groups. All karts, suits and helmets are provided and the championship is a team-based knock-out competition. The overall winning team earns a trip around the Williams F1 Team museum.

Last year, this team came from Bosworth Community and Sports College, Leicester. In the final at Buckmore Park near Chatham in Kent, they competed against 19 other schools and were crowned BSKC 2008 champions after almost five hours of racing.

The final was the culmination of two months of hard racing by school teams across the length and breadth of Britain - 228 teams from 82 schools took part, a total of almost 700 drivers which was 10 times more than the previous year.

In 2009, Tollbar Sixth Formers will boost to this number still further - and will be aiming to add a different kind of trophy to the college cabinet.