The 2009 season has been filled with many highs and many lows, but has been a huge learning and team building experience for Justine Jackson. Having initially prepared to race in the Rotax Senior Class Championship, Justine was a bit under-prepared when she found out that there would be no Rotax Senior Class for the 2009 season and therefore chose to race in the 125cc Shifter Class Championship, which she embraced in a heart beat as it is her favorite kart to race.
Racemeet One, held at Jamaica’s Palisados International Raceway proved to be a very promising race day for Justine having finished 4th, 3rd and 5th in her three races, despite her lack of testing in the off season. Although the results didn’t reflect her outstanding performance, her competitors’ reception did, as they had nothing but praise for the young driver’s composure under pressure. Racemeets two and three proved to be a bit dismal for Justine having suffered from a lack of pace. But her true potential would later be revealed at Jamaica’s annual Caribbean Karting Carnival which fields numerous regional and international drivers from around the world.
This years 2009 CKC hosted drivers from Barbados, Trinidad, USA, Canada, Brazil and Aruba, the most notable being Pietro and Enzo Fittipaldi, grandsons of former Indy 500 Champion and 2-Time Formula 1 Champion Emerson Fittipaldi. At this prestigious event Justine decided to race in the Rotax Senior Class having finished out the 2008 season as runner up in the championship with four wins. This event was held over two days and fielded karters in seven classes. Having qualified 7th and finished a disappointing 7th and 6th in races 1 and 2 respectively, Justine went on to win the 3rd race of the day (the only Jamaican to win a race in that class on day 1) and finished 3rd place overall in the Rotax Senior Class on day 1 of competition. Having made some major set-up changes overnight for the 2nd day of competition, Justine would improve her form, qualifying 4th and finishing 3rd in all of her races, the most notable of which was race 3 where she started in the 8th position and worked her way through the pack and would once again finish 3rd overall in the Rotax Senior Class on Day 2 of competition.
Justine’s ultimate goal is to race professionally in the industry, more specifically Formula 1. But she has also taken note of the fact that only about 20 privileged and talented drivers achieve that position every year. As such, Justine decided to expand her career, but in a different direction. She is currently pursuing a degree in Motorsports Management at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina, USA. This has been an amazing experience for Justine so far and she has just completed her first semester there and is looking forward to what lies ahead.
Justine’s Comments:
This season has been a mix of really outstanding performances, some dismal performances and awesome opportunities. The highlight of this season would have to be my performance at the 2009 Caribbean Karting Carnival and more specifically race 3 of day 2. This race was a reverse grid race of qualifying and I started in the 8th position. These reverse grid races are the most intense races of the day and contains the most aggressive, side by side, wheel to wheel, not a moment to catch your breath, racing you will ever see. I love the hardcore fighting and battling for positions and to finish 3rd in a field of numerous karting champions from different countries was a big accomplishment for me, my best race in my opinion for the event despite being the only Jamaican to win a race on Day 1 of competition in the Rotax Senior Class. Another high point was getting the opportunity to study Motorsports Management at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. That has been such an awesome experience! But it also cut my 2009 racing season short which would be my low point for 2009. Currently I am looking for sponsorship opportunities to continue my racing career for the 2010 season. I intend to continue to race go-karts until the right opportunity to make the jump to cars arises. A big THANK YOU to my sponsor Jetcon Corporation and my Personal Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, without Whom, none of this would be possible!
*In 2009, Justine organized Jamaica’s first Summer Karting School, Kool Karting Summer School, which introduced over 30 young kids ages 4 to 16 to the wonderful world of racing.
If you would like to be a partner in furthering Justine’s career you may contact her at justinejackson@jetconracing.com or you can visit her website to learn more about her at www.justinejackson.com .
