The incredible challenge of a 24-hour karting race

Thirty minutes in a kart is usually enough to leave most drivers feeling physically battered, so when my next-door neighbour William mentioned he was taking part in a 24-hour race featuring multiple 90-minute stints, I thought he was mad. But a few weeks later I found myself embedded with Team Deneros at Buckmore Park in Chatham, Kent, eager to see how its first attempt at the race would unfold.

Captained by friends William Mount and Jack Etheridge, Team Deneros is made up of two father-son duos and another pair of mates thrown into the mix. Split into Pro and Rookie categories, the Buckmore Park 24 Hours welcomes teams with a mixture of experience, largely made up of amateur teams of casual racing enthusiasts, to online racing celebrities and the occasional pro driver.

“Team Deneros finds itself in the thick of the action having qualified 13th”

“This year’s event sold out in seven minutes,” said Philip Ling, Buckmore managing director. “What started as something we thought we would just give a try, the 24 Hours has turned into our biggest event each year.” Team entries are set at £2250, but that includes supply of a kart, fuel, tyres and no maximum on the number of drivers per team to spread the cost.

The adrenaline pumps as the 25 karts and drivers line up for the Le Mans-style start, and as the national flag drops Team Deneros finds itself in the thick of the action having qualified 13th. As the red mist descends, the team is bumped down to 21st, but there’s a long way to go.

It’s pure back-to-basics motor sport, sitting nicely between the online world of sim racing and low-cost tin-top enduros. Drivers get to experience all the perks of racing in the real world, without the overheads of running a car and stresses of a potential DNF.

In true Le Mans traditions, the weather takes a turn for the worse and the drivers battle fatigue. Then, with two-and-a-half hours to go, the team makes a strategic decision to go all-in with an extra-long final stint. It pays off. As kart No20 crosses the line for the 1421st and final time, Team Deneros has come home 10th overall and third in the Rookie class. Leaping onto the pitwall for the finish, the team is ecstatic.

Now, where can I sign up for the next one?