Go-kart champ gives Jamaicans tips

With one race meet remaining in the 2013 Jamaica Karting Association (JKA) championship, Thomas Issa is now under intense pressure to produce his best if he is to win the Abe Ziadie Memoral Trophy and Driver of the Year title locally.

Along with Joshua Sirgany, Issa is also aiming to secure a podium finish at the Rotax Grand National Championship which takes place in New Orleans, USA, from November 14-16.

As part of the karters' final preparation, 23-year-old Ben Cooper, world-renowned go-kart champion, has been invited to the island to give a pep talk and share his experiences with Issa and Sirgany.

"Ben Cooper will be at the Palisadoes International Raceway today, helping out the guys with their preparation," a senior member of the JKA told Automotives on Friday.

Cooper was born on April 29, 1990, in Gravesend Kent, United Kingdom. He won this year's European Rotax Max champion in the DD2 class. Also among his achievements are winner of the Florida Winter Tour Championship in the Rotax senior class (2012), and Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in the DD2 category (2012).

In 2011, he won the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in the senior class, as well as the European Rotax Max champion in the senior class. In 2009, Cooper was the WSK International Series champion in the KF2 class. The previous year, he was winner of the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in the senior class.

And he was the European Rotax Max champion in the senior class in 2007.

Issa is expected to complete his final race at the Grand National on November 16, then return to Jamaica the following day for the local championship. His closest rival for the driver of the year title is young Mark Moodie, who is followed by Fraser McConnell.

Ahead of the final meet, leaders of the respective go-kart classes are:

50 cc

1. Ryan Chisholm

2. Zander Williams

3. Mattea Issa

80 cc

1. Mark Moodie

2. Duncan Stanley

3. Thomas Gore

Rotax Mini Max

1. Justin Sirgany

2. Senna Summerbell

3. Marc Anthony Eaton

Rotax Junior

1. Thomas Issa

2. William Myers

3. Jonathan Law

Rotax Senior

1. Fraser McConnell

2. Matthew Williams

3. Collin Daley Jr

Rotax Masters

1. Dr. Mark Minott

2. Sheldon Morgan

3. Peter Moodie Jr