A SUCCESSFUL racer from Northwich is the latest driver to sign for a newly launched kart team.

Experienced campaigner Jonny Elliott, 29, is ready for a new chapter in his career after signing for Team X-Kart.

The role will not only see him racing, but passing on the knowledge he has gained from competing all over the world.

Elliott believes he can make his mark again in Team X-Kart, a new team formed to race in the Italian-made ‘TB Kart’ go-kart which has been re-branded as X-Kart and introduced in the UK.

He was invited to test the speed machine by X-Kart founder and Team X-Kart manager, Matty Street, and was later invited to join the ranks.

Elliott will join the team in the Whilton Mill Club Championship, which is due to start at the end of March.

“I’ll be racing in the senior categories this year but there are a lot of youngsters on the team and I’m looking forward to helping with their coaching and development," said Elliott.

"Alongside that, I want to take some podiums – I’ve had a couple of years off the circuit but I’m ready to make an impact with Team X-Kart this year.”

He began racing in 2008 when he was 16, starting out at the Daytona indoor circuit in Manchester.

His talent was immediately noticed, and his speed quickly increased in line with his love of the sport.

He progressed to outdoor racing the next year and in his debut year he took third place in the Cheshire Kart Club Championships.

Elliott's karting career has taken him all over the world to date and he has secured a number of victories and podium finishes.

In 2013 he finished in the semi-finals of the Karting World Championships in Denmark and in 2015 he won the Club 100 Karting Championships.

He came fourth in the British Pro-Kart Endurance Championships in 2016 and two seasons later he made the final of the British Rental Kart Championships, reaching the top 10 of almost 100 drivers from all over Europe.

Elliott has also been part of teams that have won 24-hour endurance races.

“Right from the start I knew that karting was something I would love and that I had the talent to succeed in," he said.

"I’ve always loved how competitive the sport is and I’ve been lucky to race all over the country and internationally."