Jerome Wickham, a rising kart racing talent from Bellefontaine, has emerged from a grueling summer stretch with impressive results, completing six races in just seven weeks across two major series.
Competing in five Kart Racers of America (KRA) events and making the trek to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for the Route 66 Sprint Series, Wickham continued to gain momentum in only his third season behind the wheel of his 60 mph, 9-horsepower Briggs & Stratton-powered Magik Kart USA machine.
Wickham secured three top-four starts, including 2 pole positions, during this stretch, demonstrating consistency and speed as he pursues a championship title. The highlight of his summer campaign came on July 12, when he claimed a career-best 2nd place finish in KRA Race 8, after leading a quarter of the laps in each of his last two outings.
“This stretch pushed not just physically, but also mentally,” said Wickham. “Racing in near 90-degree heat and against the best in the country has been a challenge, but also an incredible opportunity to grow as a driver.”
The summer campaign began on June 1, with a tough break at New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana. Wickham was on pace for a strong finish when he was struck by a kart rejoining the track from a spin—just one turn from the checkered flag. The collision dropped him to 19th place, his lowest finish of the season. However, the young driver bounced back with four consecutive top-5 finishes, showing grit and focus.
Currently, Wickham sits 3rd in the KRA Championship standings, just under 50 points from the top spot. With five more KRA races and two national events remaining, the #12 team has its sights firmly set on a championship run.
Supporters can follow Jerome’s racing journey and access behind-the-scenes updates through his social media platforms. To support his season—and his mission to raise awareness for X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH)—fans can purchase merchandise or make donations at OpenFender.com by searching for Jerome Wickham.
All proceeds help fund race expenses and fuel Wickham’s long-term goal of becoming a professional race car driver and an inspiration to others from his hometown and beyond.
