WELCOME TO ROUND 2 OF NKC 2026!
After a year out, we’re back at Rowrah. One of our favourites on the calendar, it’s a fantastic track to drive with some of the best corners in the country. The racing always delivers and with this round being mixed grids, we can’t wait to see how the racing unfolds. This is the round where drivers can really start to build important championship points so remember to take your time out there, make your overtakes clean and avoid penalties at all cost. Remember, the drivers with the most points will be the first of the year to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as North-South Challenge champions!
The forecast is typically Cumbrian. It’s not clear yet what we’ll see but it looks nailed on that you’ll need wets at some point this weekend. Don’t forget to get your order in with Dartford Karting so you’re not caught out:
There’s plenty of practice available at this round with all the racing taking place from 9.00am on Sunday. All drivers to attend the driver briefing at 8.30am on Sunday morning.
Transponders will be checked on Saturday afternoon so please make sure they’re fitted after lunch. You won’t be allowed out on track without your transponder fitted. If you’re hiring one, please collect it on Saturday morning – see timetable.
Format
Round 2 is a MIXED GRIDS format.
Each driver will race in 3 heats with a start, middle and back position decided by the Alpha Timing algorithm. We will notify you when the grids have been done.
The points scored in the heats will give the final grid positions.
Friday practice
Sign on for Friday practice is to be done in person in the cafe from 8am. All drivers practicing need to collect a wristband before they’ll be allowed on circuit. You can still book online here or feel free to pay on the day when you sign on. Practice groups for Friday are different to Saturday.
Remember that practice is not racing. Contact with drivers won’t be tolerated and you risk either starting heats from the back like a novice and/or points deductions and/or exclusion.
Sign on / Scrutineering
Sign on for Saturday and Sunday is done on Alpha – Sign on here
You must submit your engine number (s) and chassis number here by 8am Sunday morning – Complete online scrutineering
Saturday Practice Groups
Practice groups for Junior Rotax and Senior Rotax can be downloaded here:
Download Saturday practice groups.
Novices
Please can all drivers check the entry list here. If you are a novice (starting heats from the back), please check that there is an N next to your name. If you are not a novice but have the N next to your name, please let us know so we can remove it and make sure the grids are done correctly.
Timetable
There are six practice sessions scheduled for Saturday from 9am. Junior Rotax has been split in two to give plenty of room while drivers learn the track.
Sunday is a full race day starting with Senior Rotax Heat 1 at 9am. A lunch break of 45 minutes has been scheduled after the heats but please keep an eye on the Alpha Racehub app for any schedule updates.
We reserve the right to shorten races if required due to time or light.
Nominated fuel station (Rotax only)
Fuel must be purchased from Esso, Oakhurst service station, Lamplugh Rd, Cockermouth CA13 0QT. The petrol station is open 6am-10pm every day.
Click here to view on Google Maps.
The only fuel permitted is E10 regular unleaded. NKC will use this fuel as the control for testing, so please ensure you purchase the correct fuel.
TKM drivers are exempt and may use any pump fuel.
Inter Max exhausts
Please collect your exhaust from the cafe on Friday or Saturday morning.
All exhausts are sealed and allocated randomly via a number draw.
Regulations and cost can be found here.
Pit bays / Paddock
Rowrah are looking forward to welcoming you all from 9am on Thursday. The team will direct you to your bay or to the free paddock area to setup.
Do not use other people’s bays or encroach on their space.
NKC App
The NKC App is having some updates made relating to how you login. We will email details over in the next few days
Hopefully we’ve covered everything but if not, drop us an email with your questions. Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.
Fuel FAQs
We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the nominated fuel station but if you have any questions not answered here, feel free to email us at race@kartcup.co.uk.
OFFICIALS
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| NKC organisers | Oli Nitch-Smith |
| Event Managers | Matt Hildred / Gez Owen |
| Clerk of the course | Gary Livesey |
| Assistant Clerk | Nigel Pritchard |
| Chief Steward | Matt Hildred |
| Steward | Tom Storrar |
| Grid Marshal | TBC |
| Timekeeper | Marion Fell |
| Scrutineers | Chris Strong |
| Assistant Scrutineer | Charlie Bell |
| Assistant Scrutineer | TBC |
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
Health & Safety
We are expecting a large number of drivers, so it is important to stick to the Health & Safety rules to keep everyone safe. Spectators are welcome at no charge.
- Dogs on leads at all times. Clean up after them.
- Traffic movement in the paddock must be kept to a minimum and limited to early morning/evening where possible.
- Please keep young children nearby and safe.
- Only officials will be allowed onto the live circuit.
- Trollies are not permitted on the live circuit. Wait until the circuit is neutralised and you have permission to enter from the grid marshal.
- Scooters and bicycles must not be used when the track is live (including lunch breaks). Electric scooters or bikes are NOT allowed at all at Dunkeswell Raceway
Paddock
You may arrive any time on Thursday from 9am. Gates will remain open all weekend but the barrier will be down from 10pm every night, If you arrive after that time, please park at the top and wait for the barrier to open in the morning.
The paddock is going to be busy, so please be courteous and don’t take up more space than necessary. Only park in either your booked space or a space that hasn’t been booked. Please leave the paddock clean and tidy and take old tyres home with you.
Schedule
The timetable for the weekend can be downloaded above and will be on display in the paddock. For race day we are publishing a running order only. Please make note of the order and listen out for Tannoy calls and Racehub app updates, so you know when your next session is approaching. It is the driver’s responsibility to be on the dummy grid on time.
Please ensure you are on the dummy grid at least 5 minutes before your session starts. If drivers are late, it will affect the smooth running of the event and impact on everyone’s track time. Sessions will not be delayed for late comers. Repeat offenders will be penalised.
Tyre barcodes
Tyres will be scanned in when you collect them. Look after your tyres. Don’t mix them up. Tyre softener is banned. If use is detected, you will be excluded from the championship.
Only laser-etched tyres are eligible for racing.
Scrutineering
All drivers must self-certify when signing on however we will be carrying out safety scrutineering in person at the scrutineering bay on Saturday morning. Karts will be pulled in at random. We may request that you bring your race tyres with you. Only one chassis and up to two engines are allowed and must be signed on in your Alpha account before racing starts.
Rotax 177
Drivers, other than Masters, must meet the minimum driver weight of 83kg kitted up. We will be weighing drivers throughout the weekend.
Novices
Qualifying – If you have nominated to be a novice on entry, unless you tell us otherwise, you will start the heats from the position you earn in qualifying.
Mixed grids – If you have nominated to be a novice on entry, you will start your heats from the back of the grids. If you didn’t choose to be a novice on entry but have decided you’d like to be one please let one of the organisers know on Saturday. The organisers may compel a driver to start from the back should they deem this is required for safety reasons.
Transponders
We only use AMB Mylaps transponders. If you are hiring, please check the timetable to find out where and when to collect.
Signing On & Drivers Briefing
Signing on for the weekend is now open. Please click on the ‘EVENT SIGN ON’ button above.
There will be a driver briefing in person on Sunday morning that you all must attend. Please see the timetable.
Kart recovery
Kart recovery can take a long time and can potentially hold up racing. The clerks and marshals will guide you so please listen to them. You may need to wait until the following session has been before you can return to the paddock.
If you find yourself and kart in a position that is causing a yellow flag, if it is safe, please do your best to move yourself and your kart out of the way otherwise you will impact the racing on track.
Post-session parc ferme
Other than the drivers involved in the session, nobody will be allowed into parc ferme until they have been given express permission by an official. Failure to follow this rule may result in your driver being disqualified from the session or receiving a penalty.
Abusive or threatening behaviour is not acceptable here or anywhere. We understand emotions run high, but parc ferme is not the place to air your frustrations with other drivers. You are expected to leave the area quietly and return to your paddock area without altercation. If you have a problem, you should report it to the steward.
Any driver witnessed abusing another driver in parc ferme will be automatically disqualified from the session. If it’s a practice session a 10-point penalty will be applied to your racing heats. This is very much a case of if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all. If we witness any abusive or threatening behaviour in the paddock from the driver or mechanic/family member or friend you are at risk of being thrown out of the whole meeting.
Formation laps – starting grid position
It seems some drivers may occasionally have found themselves in the wrong grid slot by the time they get to the start line. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure they form up correctly on the rolling up lap. We will be watching for this more closely (see below) and drivers who gain an unfair advantage will be penalised.
Formation laps – tyre warming
Weaving is allowed in moderation. You must leave space to allow drivers to come through to take their position. If you spin, we will not wait for you.
Starts
Drivers to form up in the tramlines. DO NOT leave the tramlines before the lights go out. Cameras are on the starts and you will receive a penalty if you break this rule.
Judicial
We have a great team of officials, but please remember they are human. We can try to give clarity on penalties where possible, but they cannot be overturned without compelling evidence. Official appeals will only be heard after A-finals.
- Some of you will feel you’ve been penalised unfairly
- Some of you will miss yellow flags and be absolutely sure they weren’t there
- Some of you will get unfair nose cone penalties
- Some of you will feel another driver got away without a penalty
We will do our best, but we will not be perfect. Please treat our officials with respect. And please remember that these things do tend to even out over the course of a championship.
Review procedure
We have an incident review procedure in place so please make yourself familiar with it, though please note we are limited to the camera views provided by the live streaming team and sometimes, trackside CCTV. Most incidents will not be caught on camera, in which case, the officials’ decisions will stand unless you have very strong evidence that it is wrong.
Appeals
We have updated the appeals procedure in the regulations. Drivers will be allowed to appeal decisions from A Finals only. .
The system isn’t perfect
Not everything gets caught on camera and even when it does the pictures are often inconclusive, however, this will improve the accuracy of our stewarding.
Communication
Main communication will be through the Alpha Racehub app. Please ensure you download the app and please keep checking for notifications throughout the event. We will use it to update you of timetable changes, call drivers in to the clerk and for all other important information. It is your responsibility to be keep up with the updates to the running of the event so please keep your phones charged and ensure they are checked regularly.
General
Once again, we welcome Stu Stretton and his team as official photographers, so we’ll be treated to some more great images.
Questions
Hopefully we’ve covered most of the questions you may have but if not, drop us an email or message our Facebook page.
See you all there
Oli