Win, lose or crash, the three Cadet Class kart drivers always give each other a post-race high five at the Southside Rubis Raceway in St David’s.

Do not be fooled by the low numbers, the trio regularly feature in the most intense battles during the Bermuda Karting Club’s race days.

But as wheel-to-wheel as the action is on the track, out of the karts Nathan DeCosta, 11, Nile Bean, 10, and Jacob Hines, 11, are the best of friends.

Bean, whose hero is Red Bull Formula One star Max Verstappen, lit up the East End last race day with a clean sweep of three wins, but as the drivers prepare for tomorrow’s action, they all acknowledge the title is wide open.

“I hope to improve and win the championship,” said Bean, a student at Somersfield. “The last race day was my favourite so far — I got three wins, so for me, it was a really good day. They all still high-fived me — but not quite as much!”

DeCosta, who goes to Saltus Grammar School, is top of the overall standings, having taken advantage of his rivals’ no-show in a previous race day to add to his already impressive points tally.

After having a break from karting last season, and therefore having less seat time than Bean and Hines, his comeback year has gone better than expected.

He is “obsessed” by karting and includes drivers Ron White, a SuperKarts USA National Champion, and Paulo de Conto, a European and world champion, among his inspirations.

“My racing has been good this season,” he said. “I’ve improved a lot. It’s really competitive racing against the others — I get butterflies.”

He added: “It’s sort of funny racing against my friends. We keep bumping each other! [But] we have a laugh afterwards.

“My race win felt really good. I came from behind and passed Nile and then Jacob. I didn’t think I would have done as well [after a year off]. It was good to come back — the second race after I came back, it felt like I was back to normal.”

For Nascar fan and Mount St Agnes student Hines, who has been racing karts for five years, he believes a few technical tweaks here and there can win him the championship and add to his five race wins.

It is clear he has similar determination levels as heroes Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

“It’s really fun and competitive but when I lose I feel really frustrated,” he said.

“I hope I get to do a bit better [over the rest of the season]. I need to improve my engine — and get some help from my mechanics!”

Those mechanics also happen to be his uncles, and there is a real bond between the drivers’ parents as well as the boys themselves.

The club hopes to grow the Cadet Class by bringing more young drivers into the fold, and there are rental karts available for youngster who want to try out the sport. Tomorrow’s racing starts at noon.

For more information on how to get involved and what the club offers, for drivers of all ages, e-mail bermudakartingclub@yahoo.com or go to the club’s Facebook page. Alternatively, call club president Scott Barnes on 505-1611 or committee member Travis Lewis on 535-0558