Stirling Fairman claims karting title in comeback season after 2011 crash

Motorsport.com driver Stirling Fairman is a second-generation racer for JC Karting and as of this past weekend, he's also a Southern Florida Karting champion, doing so at the age of 16. Stirling took an interest in karting when traveling with his father Neil (a Ferrari Challenge competitor) in 2007, but only thought of it as a fun hobby at the time.

A rough start and triumphant return

In 2011, things changed. He wanted to be more than your occasional weekend karter. He wanted to be a champion. However, it didn't go quite as planned at first. "I decided I would start to take it more seriously and join a team and start racing in 2011, Stirling told Motorsport.com. "In my first race ever, I was hit into the wall and really, never wanted to race again."

I learned so much throughout the 2014 season.

Stirling Fairman

"Three years later (2014), I decided to give it a second chance. I worked hard and practiced every weekend, competing my first race of the TAG Senior Fall Championship season and securing a podium. I started to work harder and harder and managed to get a couple more podiums throughout the season, taking pole in five out of seven races. I learned so much throughout the 2014 season."

Apparently, he learned quite a lot because he's now the 2014 Southern Florida Karting champion, earning the crown this past weekend in a field consisting of 30 racers. "I would have never imagined that I would be capable of achieving a championship in my first full-time season. My team, JC Karting has been so good to me, always putting there 100% effort into the program."

Not taking any breaks

After a hard-fought championship title, the young Fairman isn't about to sit back and enjoy his triumph. No, as any true racer would, he's preparing for his next venture, "After a long season we are now getting ready for the Florida Winter Tour." He will be taking part in all three rounds of both the ROK Cup and Rotax weekends in the Senior category, aiming to add some more trophies to his growing collection.