Multi-time formula car race winner Jak Crawford returns to kart racing this week for only his second time in 2019. In preparation for a return later in 2019 to his most favorite racing event on the planet, the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals event in Las Vegas, Crawford will enjoy some seat time at the ultra-fast New Castle Motorsports Park. Focusing mostly on formula cars through the year in both Mexico and the United States, Crawford is ready for another return to his first love of karting.
“We have had some very positive results in formula car and Legends car racing this year in three different countries, three different series and with four different teams,” explained Crawford. “I can’t wait to sit in the seat of a kart again this weekend as I return to Nash Motorsportz with Seth and his team. Not sure how I will do, but I am ready to give it a shot.”
Running his long-term #52 race number as the #352 X30 Senior entry, Crawford will be working with his long-time engine building and mechanic combo of Chris Freckleton and Chris Hatfield. Hard to believe, but Crawford has been aligned into the seventh year now with Nash and Freckleton.
This will only be Jak’s second-ever event in the Senior karting category, after competing in the SKUSA SpringNationals event in California earlier in 2019. Crawford, only 13 years of age at the time, was extremely fast in the pre-race on-track sessions, but then when the rain came in for qualifying, the young driver lacked experience at the unique wet Fontana track.
Crawford added, “At the SpringNationals, that track was very strange in the rain and there were people going beyond track limits. I am usually fast in the rain, but there was something weird about Fontana in the wet. Before the rain came, I was as fast as anyone so I think I can do good in Indiana with Seth and Hattie, but especially Freck’s materials.”
The New Castle Motorsports Park facility is one of the fastest in the country. The track layout and design benefits the shorter and smaller drivers and the draft plays a major role in overall lap time.
“I have done well at New Castle with podiums but no wins yet,” continued Crawford. “I have also had a lot of bad luck including a blown engine and getting ran over with a kart on top of me, so I am hoping for some luck this weekend. To me, New Castle is not a driver’s track, so it is not one my favorite karting places except for this one week and it will be my favorite because I am happy to be karting again. We will push it to the limit for sure and try to stay out of the ambulance this time.”
Back in the kart after some more race wins in the FIA F4 NACAM program in Mexico, more top-fives in USF2000 Championship races and being a pro-driver in Legends car racing, Crawford is aiming for the top step of the podium in karting despite being unable to make the warm-up weekend at the New Castle this past weekend due to a car race conflict.
Crawford explained, “In a car, you just have to show up and perform with no track time. You don’t get to come a week early so I will do my best and whatever the results are, it is what it is. My main goal is to prepare for SuperNationals because this will probably be my only opportunity to race karts at this high of a level between now and the SuperNats. I am always looking for a win in Las Vegas and this week is training for that.”
Jak Crawford would like to thank marketing partners: RE/MAX as well OMP, Bell Helmets, Palmetto MDR and Speedsportz Racing Park.
For more information on Jak Crawford please visit his marketing website at jetpakjak.com. Please follow Jak Crawford via his social media pages: Facebook and Instagram at @JakCrawfordRacing, Twitter @JakCrawfordRac1 or search Jak Crawford Racing.
Photos: Jak Crawford Racing