Ten year old Kristian Brierley from Askam-in-Furness has been announced as the first recipient of the Association of Kart Racing Schools (ARKS) scholarship for 2010.  The scholarship was introduced this year to compliment the MSA’s Let’s Go Karting initiative, which offered members of the public the opportunity to experience driving a competition kart for just £5. The ‘ARKS’ board asked the twenty ‘Let’s Go Karting’ centres across the country to nominate the names of drivers that they felt could benefit from the scholarship, which will provide further training and the use of a brand new kart for all of 2010.  From written applications, three drivers were invited to Bayford Meadows Kart Circuit during December for a final assessment.  Joining eventual winner Kristian Brierley - who was nominated by Cumbria Kart Club - were two 12 year olds; Will Clark, nominated by Shenington Kart Racing Club and Sam Scott-Wildman, nominated by Brighton’s Q Leisure.  All three young men underwent informal interviews followed by an intensive driving session which was overseen by the judging panel of Gerard Cox from Project One Racing, karting coach Scott Malvern, seat manufacturer Steve Tillet and Ian Ward of ARKS and of the venue Bayford Meadows.  The trio acquitted themselves superbly both on and off the circuit and the general consensus of the judges at the end of the day was that they would all be worthy winners of the prize on offer.  However, a decision had to be made and after much discussion the judging panel agreed that the raw driving ability and the commitment shown by Kristian with the support of his family mirrored the ARKS board’s vision for its first scholarship winner. Kristian will be a busy young man in 2010 starting with his appearance on the Karting Show stage on Saturday 16^th January at the NEC to collect his prize of a Zip North supplied Comer Cadet, complete with a full package of trolley, wet weather tyres and all his racewear.  The pictures show Kristian being interviewed and receiving his prize from ARKS' Graham Smith, accompanied by the MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton, and flanked by his family.