Toby Reynolds RACING

Hi. I'm Toby Reynolds from Willingham in Cambridgeshire. I've been kart racing for some eight years now, starting as many do, under the guidance of a local club. I learnt to race with Red Lodge Top Katz, moving up to Club 2000 when I was given my own 4-stroke Honda Cadet kart for Christmas in 2004. During 2005 I raced regularly at both Red Lodge and Ellough Park in Beccles. Results at those early meetings was encouraging even though learning about kart set up was a steep learning curve for my dad who was the mechanic of the team. The other member, my mum, supplied endless encouragement and could often be seen changing the odd wheel or two when necessary! I was pleased to win a considerable number of trophies during this first year of Cadet racing and, despite several technical hiccups along the way, managed to secure second place in the Red Lodge Cadet Championship.

2006 saw me entering the prestigious F6 Southern Championship series which enabled me to race at circuits such as Buckmore Park, Bayford Meadows, Lydd and Clay Pigeon. Again results were encouraging at each meeting and I was very pleased to secure third place podium position in the overall championship.

2007 saw a complete change. At 13 I was too old for Cadet racing so I had to move on, and the decision I took was not, in hindsight, one of my best. After test driving a Junior Biland I was well and truly hooked, the speed was awesome! Rather then buying a new kart (just in case the choice didn't work out) we decided to race with Saxon Motorsport and enter the Biland series championship and dovetail with the F6 series again. Because of my very light build I had to race with a considerable amount of lead on the kart to bring me up to the class weight. By the time I realised the detrimental effect that this was having on my driving, and that I really should race in a different kart class, my dad had a serious motorcycle accident which meant he could not mechanic me if I switched. So.....with mum chauffeuring me to circuits all over the country, I stayed in the Biland. Despite everything, I won several trophies during the season and managed to secure the F6 Challenge Cup.

2008 saw a complete change again with the delivery of my own Rotax MiniMax kart. With dad still out of action, I needed a mechanic. In steps Bob, Stuart and Ashley Jiggins of Phase One Motorsport. What a result...with their help I collected twelve podium finishes at Red Lodge, several at Kimbolton and Fulbeck as well as securing the MiniMax Championship at Red Lodge and securing third place championship position at Kimbolton in my first ever season of racing at that circuit.

2009 saw me win the MiniMax championship of Kimbolton and take second place in the championship at Buckmore Park in my first and only season of racing there.

2010 and 2011 season I would really like to have moved up to cars but I was unable to secure sponsorship so stayed in karts and moved on to Junior Rotax - but challenging only the championship of Kimbolton, as I needed to focus on my GCSE exams last year and the move to sixth form college and A level studies this year!