In honour of International Women’s Day, we want to take a moment to highlight the inspiring women leaving their mark on the Larkhall Circuit track!
First up is Zoe Small, a rising sensation at Larkhall Circuit. Her karting journey kicked off at the young age of 11 with indoor karting, and as she recalls, “I was hooked ever since.” Zoe’s dedication led her to compete in three rounds of the BIKC, reaching national finals twice!
Reflecting on the past year, Zoe highlights her biggest accomplishments – transitioning from indoor to outdoor karting and purchasing her own Rotax Kart! In her debut novice race at Round 1 of the WSKC Club Championship here at Larkhall Circuit, Zoe shares, “I was overjoyed at the fact I took the chequered flag in all my heats and the final race and never came last.”
Zoe recognises the shift in efforts to encourage more girls to join the sport since she began her karting journey. She says, “I personally receive lots of encouragement and support from the Larkhall Circuit community and my friends and family.” Zoe definitely encourages more girls to pick up karting, she even joked: “We need to start giving the boys a run for their money!”
Zoe appreciates the friendly and welcoming community at Larkhall Circuit, highlighting the constant help and advice generously offered by fellow karting lovers. She says “Comparing it to other tracks, Larkhall is by far my favourite, especially during the wet winter season.”
As well as the exhilarating rush of racing around the track, another one of Zoe’s favourite things about karting is; “the growing circle of friends I’m making.”
While Zoe is still undecided about the future career path she’ll pursue, one thing is certain—it will be behind the wheel of some kind of race car! Thinking of all the possibilities, she leans towards rally racing, saying, “I recently discovered how much fun it is sliding and drifting about in the wet!”
Here’s to Zoe’s continued success as she not only navigates her personal journey in karting but also contributes to paving the way for more girls to embrace the sport. Wishing Zoe all the best on her exciting racing future!
Next up is Emma Leckie, a fresh face in the karting world who is quickly making a lasting impression on our track. Emma found her love for karting through some rental sessions at Larkhall Circuit, but it was mostly the influence of her dad that reignited her passion for the sport and set her on this thrilling path!
A standout highlight for her was competing in Round 1 of the WSKC Club Championship at Larkhall Circuit – an achievement which fuels her excitement for the upcoming rounds, including the anticipated ASKC and even some ventures down south! Emma expresses, “The past year has been amazing, I’ve visited lots of different tracks and done quite a few races now which is so good!”
Being passionate to see more female representation in the sport, Emma encourages more girls to join the karting community. Acknowledging the financial barriers that exist, she says that even participating in rental karting can be a great way to get more women into karting. She says, “I would 100% encourage more girls to get into karting as it’s such a great sport and teaches you so many things.”
Starting off her karting journey at Larkhall Circuit, Emma describes the track as both fast and technical. Her personal favourite section being the infield after the back straight, with a special shoutout to the boot corner – an ideal spot for strategic overtaking! She says, “I think Larkhall Circuit is a very welcoming track especially for just starting out, people are always willing to talk to you and give you tips.”
For Emma, her love for karting isn’t only just the competition: “My favourite thing about karting has got to be summer nights at the track and you’re on slicks.” Her passion for karting goes beyond the finish line – it’s a lifestyle and a source of happiness!
Looking ahead, Emma dreams big. She envisions a future where motorsport becomes her career, aspiring to join prestigious programmes like the F1 Academy or compete in touring cars. Emma’s rapid progress and enthusiasm for the sport stands as a testament to the growing presence of women making their mark on the racing circuit.
As she continues to carve her path at Larkhall Circuit, we eagerly await the chapters yet to be written in Emma’s exciting racing story!
