Best Up and Coming Junior Award

Press release by http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk MALMESBURY schoolboy Louis Harvey was the surprise recipient of the “Up and Coming Junior Award” at the annual Rissington Kart Club presentation ceremony. Harvey, 12, forfeited all chance of winning any championships in 2016 when boldly switching in mid-season from the Honda Cadet class to the Junior TKM category where he would take on older, stronger and more experienced drivers. He had gone along to the awards ceremony simply to support his friends in the sport. But the impact he made in a few races at a higher level during the second half of the season was duly recognised by the Rissington Kart Club. Louis said: “I had no idea I was up for an award and when they started talking about a driver who had changed classes mid-season and moved into Juniors my heart started pounding and I went all hot and cold. "It’s great to get the award as I know it makes everyone who supports me very proud.” Louis took on the new challenge this season with grit and determination and within only a few races was on the podium and collecting prestigious trophies, including second place in both the South West Championship and Midland Championship race weekends. Louis is still trying to secure enough funding to take his driving to the next (and top) level by entering the Super One series which is televised on Motors TV in 2017. Ideal Displays of Swindon are in the process of purchasing Louis a new race suit and race engine in their continued support of the young Wiltshire driver. They are hoping other companies and supporters will come forward and help boost the funds required for race/practise entries, tyres and fuel for the 2017 Super One series. Chris Brazil of Ideal Displays said: "We are continuing our support of Louis as he is a very talented lad, with a great personality and he is a credit to his family and the community.” 4GR8Media.co.uk have also given their support and produced a fantastic promotional video on the young driver. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/aUgDPRs20oY. Donations can be made via Paypal to sponsorship@louisharvey.com or contact Louis via www.facebook.com/LouisHarveyKarting

Personal Support from Mark Higgins Three times British Rally Champion and James Bond Stunt Driver

Press release by http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk SCHOOLBOY karting starlet Louis Harvey has a new fan – James Bond stunt driver Mark Higgins. Malmesbury 11-year-old Louis led the 2016 Honda Cadet Championship at the Rissington circuit in Gloucestershire, but has sacrificed the chance of winning the title by ‘swapping horses’ mid-season. Louis has literally moved into the fast lane by stepping up to the much more powerful Junior TKM series, the class in which subsequent world F1 champions Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton originally made their name in the 1990s. To help finance the move, Louis had to sell on the kart that helped him win a roomful of trophies. However, the sadness was tempered when he learned that his machine was being bought by none other than Higgins. Not only has Higgins won the British Rally Championship three times (1997, 2005, 2006) but he has worked as stunt driver on the last three Bond films, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre. In the latest Bond outing, it was Higgins who was driving the Aston Martin DB10 at 100mph around Vatican City and in the spectacular car chase along the banks of the River Tiber in Rome. “Mark was amazing and spent time talking about Louis’ racing and his own rallying and stunt driving career,” said Louis’ dad Chris. “He kindly wrote Louis a personal message and signed it for his motorsport collection as well as posing with Louis for a picture with his old kart.” Higgins said: “It was great to meet Louis and see his passion for the sport with his dad, I will be following his progress and hope we can have similar results to Louis in the future.” Harvey Jnr had originally intended to move up to Junior TKM racing in 2017. The latest round of the Shenington kart championship saw him practising in both the Honda Cadet and Junior TKM classes thanks to assistance from Jade Karts with a TKM engine and chassis set-up. Louis’ confidence grew through the day and a spur of the moment decision was taken to switch his Sunday race entry to the higher level races. There is now no going back – he has forfeited all chance of winning the Cadet series at Rissington and of course he comes into the TKM tables with zero points. Louis reasoned: “I will be spending the rest of 2016 improving my driving in a much faster and bigger kart to ensure I am in a competitive position for next year.” Understandably, Harvey will take time to get to grips with the new machine. But in the third of three heats he finished a respectable fifth. That performance qualified him in ninth place on the grid against 20 more experienced drivers, and alongside one his oldest karting friends on the circuit Connor Kearney.

Louis Harvey claims fourth straight runner-up finish

Press release by http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk LOUIS HARVEY was back on the podium as he secured his fourth consecutive second place of the season in round nine of the Shenington Championship. The young Malmesbury racer began heat one from sixth on the grid and made one place to finish fifth after a good start. In heat two, Louis started in eighth and knew he had some work to do but a blistering performance saw him rise to second. Louis began the final heat back in 16th place and another excellent drive saw him into fifth by the middle of the race, a position he held until the chequered flag. The hard work in the heats paid off as Louis began the final from the front row of the grid. A setback at the start of the race pushed Louis back down into fourth before he climbed back up into second by lap 11. He continued that momentum to cross the finish line in third place before being promoted into second after Ross Deal’s kart was disqualified for its missing chain guard which had broken off during the race. Louis also obtained a new PB fastest lap and just 3/100ths of a second off the winner’s fastest lap.