The final round of the 2025 England Deaf Karting League season took place at Daytona Milton Keynes on 29th November, bringing together a strong turnout of drivers, families, and supporters for an exciting and challenging finale to the championship.
This event was especially memorable as it was the first night race of the season, with racing held under floodlights and surrounding lamp lighting around the circuit. Despite the fantastic atmosphere, the weather conditions were extremely difficult, with heavy rain throughout the evening making the track wet, slippery, and unpredictable. Even so, all drivers showed great determination and completed the event safely, with many enjoying the unique challenge of night racing in the rain.
The event followed a structured race format designed to fairly split the field and reward performance at every stage. Drivers competed in Group A and Group B sessions, followed by Heat A and Heat B. From there, qualifying times determined progression into the finals, with the fastest drivers going into Final A and the slower times going into Final B. This system ensured close competition throughout the field and kept the racing competitive from start to finish.
Final B proved to be the most difficult race of the night due to the worsening weather conditions. The circuit became extremely wet, leading to frequent spins, slides, and recovery moments. Control and consistency were key, and simply finishing the race was an achievement in itself. In these tough conditions, Matthew Hogg delivered a strong performance to take first place, followed by Cameron Phoenix in second and Zeke Phillips-Vessey in third place. At just 15 years old, Zeke’s drive stood out as an impressive performance in very challenging conditions.
The final A provided a much closer and more competitive race, with drivers pushing hard and several battles taking place throughout the field. The racing was exciting to watch, with positions changing and consistent pressure across the grid. Dave Sumner secured first place after a strong and controlled drive, with Jasper Fitzgerald-Woolfe finishing in second place and George Wilkins taking third position.
The women’s category also produced excellent racing, with strong performances across the field. Rachael Mallard took first place, followed by Lena Reading in second and Nina Caswell in third.
The fastest laps of the night highlighted the pace of the leading drivers in difficult wet conditions. The overall fastest lap of the event was set by Jasper Fitzgerald-Woolfe with a 1:40.577s, while the fastest lap in the women’s category was recorded by Rachael Mallard with a 1:43.886s.
At the end of the 2025 season, the championship standings confirmed a highly competitive year across all categories. In the women’s championship, Rachael Mallard was crowned champion with 173 points, followed by Lena Reading in second place with 160 points, and Erika Lever-Hogg in third with 126 points.
In the overall championship standings, Jasper Fitzgerald-Woolfe secured the title and got 204 points in a very close battle, becoming champion of the 2025 season and successfully defending his crown for a second consecutive year. George Wilkins finished in second place with 200 points, while Daniel Hopkinson completed the top three with 198 points, narrowly missing out in a tightly fought championship.
Following the racing, everyone attended a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony to celebrate the end of the season. Drivers, teams, families, and supporters came together to reflect on the year’s achievements, with trophies presented across all categories. The event was proudly sponsored by SignVideo, whose support helped make the awards evening a great success.
That was the last round of 2025, and we are now looking forward to the 2026 season with excitement for more racing, new challenges, and continued growth in the England Deaf Karting League.