West Cumbrian kart star Jonny Edgar proved to be the quickest kid in America on Sunday by winning the Superkart USA Super Nationals at Indianapolis. 

The 11-year-old from Asby had been invited to race in this event by the Benik team after winning the prestigious Florida Winter Tour with them three months earlier.

After two action-packed days of racing, 44 drivers lined up for Sunday’s Final.

Despite being narrowly beaten in the race by his Benik team-mate, Lachlan Defrancesco, Jonny had amassed more points throughout the whole weekend to claim the overall victory. 

Reece Gold, who finished 4th in the race, some 60 yards adrift, took second spot ahead of Defrancesco when all the points were collated.

Jonny had led Sunday’s Final until just a few yards from the finish. Defrancesco had followed close behind him and took advantage of slipstreaming to win by a yard or so. 

The same thing had happened in Saturday’s main event when Jonny lost out by a couple of feet to Jason Welage. On Sunday, however, Welage couldn’t maintain his earlier pace and he finished fifth behind Gold.

Apart from being a fantastic personal triumph, Jonny’s success at Indianapolis has provided a major boost for the comparatively small Benik team run by ex pats Ben Cruttenden and Niki Mitchell who migrated to Florida from Kent several years ago. 

Jonny said: "It's a very good team to be with and they’ve given me lots of support."

Within a few days of flying back from America he will be racing at the PF circuit in Lincolnshire where the Kartmasters Grand Prix was due to get under way yesterday. It’s one of the top four domestic championships available for cadets. 

Earlier this year Jonny captured his third consecutive ABkC Open title and now has a commanding lead in the British Championships with two rounds to go.