Dan Wheldon gave us a call to talk about his karting days, what he used to concentrate on with his own kart driving and what it takes to be a top quality kart driver.

Dan is probably the UK's most succesful driver currently competing at top level motor racing having won the Indy Car Series title 2005 and the biggest race in the world, and I think the biggest specator event in the world, the Indy 500. Dan Wheldon talks about his karting career as if it was yesterday, mentioning tracks like Rye House and Little Rissington.......What a cool bloke who is still heavily into kart racing.

Here is the Daniel Wheldon Interview -

If the interview doesn't play click here

Daniel Wheldon was simply one of the best karters the UK has ever seen. From a young age Dan dominated the Cadet karting scene winning the 88, 89, and 90 British Cadet Kart Championship. Daniel continued this success into junior kart racing, and eventually into European karting, where he had two mentors in the shape of Mark Rose, and Terry Fullerton. He won the British Junior Karting Championship before winning the prestigous FIA 'Ayrton Senna' Memorial World Cup.

Dan still competes in karting events. The most recent events being the 'Montoya Race of Stars' in EasyKarts, and the Granja Viana 500. In the Montoya Race of Stars Dan was extremely quick and he consequently put the kart on pole, out qualifying Montoya, Luizzi, De La Rosa, Klien, Castroneves, and other motor racing stars. Unfortunately his race was ended when he got clipped into turn 1, causing a big pile up. But it was all for a good cause as all proceeds went to the Formula Smiles Foundation which helps thousands of kids across Columbia.

Photo by F1Racing.net

Dan Wheldon is a true karting ambassador. He clearly shows his love for what he states as the 'purest form of motorsport.' We wish him all the best in 2006 and onwards.

Alan Dove - 30/05/06