4th at Winter Cup season opener (February 18, 2007)

Newport kart ace Jordan Chamberlain has continued his impressive start to the season with a fourth place in the Winter Cup this weekend in Italy. The traditional opener to the international karting season is popular with the best drivers in Europe and Jordan competed against over seventy competitors hailing from Portugal to Russia and everywhere in between.

Following on from a race last weekend where he won all his heats and the final, Jordan was confident in the run-up to the Italian race but he knew his biggest rival would be his own team mate, James Thorp. “James is very fast but I’m more experienced,” said the 14-year-old Duffryn High School student.

A win and a fifth place in his heat races ensured him a 4th place starting position in the Semi Final which he converted to a 2nd place finish after a daring move during the closing stages of the race.

Jordan started 3rd on the grid for the final and at the start was straight into second, and then took the lead by lap three. This heralded the start of a battle that lasted most of the race, with participants including his team mate Thorp. Positions were traded at every corner as Jordan refused to give up despite a slight speed deficit, and Jordan’s 4th place was within touching distance of those ahead of him.

Jordan’s first podium in an international race also helped his team, Strawberry Racing, score a well-deserved award as the top Junior outfit. Aboard the World Championship-winning Tonykart chassis and Vortex engine and with his dad as his mechanic, Jordan is confident he can climb several steps further up the podium as the season develops.

Jordan’s next race will be the British Open Championship at Three Sisters in Wigan.