The 2026 Motorsport Ireland National Kart Championships returned to Whiteriver Park Raceway for Round 3, with the IAME categories delivering some of the standout racing of the weekend.
Across IAME Cadet, IAME X30 Junior and IAME X30 Senior, the 1.157 km circuit produced close battles, strong recovery drives and narrow margins at the front, with each final adding another important chapter to the 2026 championship campaign.
IAME Cadet: Ayda O’Brien Sets the Standard
The IAME Cadet class saw a commanding performance from Ayda O’Brien, who showed pace from the start of the day. After topping warm-up and qualifying on pole, O’Brien carried that momentum into the racing and proved difficult to beat.
Although Jack Harney managed to interrupt O’Brien’s run by taking victory in Heat 2, O’Brien responded in the best possible way in the Final. Starting from the front, she led all 11 laps and took victory, also setting the fastest lap of the race with a 56.547.
Harney finished second, while Matei Dabija produced a strong drive from seventh on the grid to complete the podium in third. In the Novice sub-category, Joey Watters was the standout performer, finishing fourth overall and first of the Novice runners.
IAME Cadet Final Top 3
- Ayda O’Brien
- Jack Harney
- Matei Dabija
IAME X30 Junior: Reilly Rises to the Top
The IAME X30 Junior category delivered a race of shifting momentum. Senan McLoughlin had shown his pace earlier in the day, while the heats produced different winners and set up a competitive final.
When it mattered most, however, it was Alex Reilly who came through. Starting fourth, Reilly worked his way into contention and eventually took control of the race in the closing stages. After 13 laps, he crossed the line, just 0.699 seconds ahead of Ben McCloughry.
John Foley Jnr completed the podium in third, while McLoughlin finished fourth after starting from pole. Further back, Declan Purvis delivered one of the standout recovery drives, climbing from 22nd on the grid to sixth and setting the fastest lap of the race with a 51.238.
IAME X30 Junior Final Top 3
- Alex Reilly
- Ben McCloughry
- John Foley Jnr
IAME X30 Senior: Holmes Takes the Win After Penalty Drama
The IAME X30 Senior class produced one of the tightest and most dramatic finals of the day. Aaron Murphy had taken pole in qualifying by just 0.001 seconds from Adam Holmes, while Holmes went on to control much of the final on track, leading from lap two and taking the chequered flag first.
However, a post-race penalty changed the final classification, dropping Holmes to third and handing victory to Jack Buckley. Luke Agnew was promoted to second, with Holmes completing the podium. The penalty was later overturned returning the race to the original finish positions. Buckley set the fastest lap of the race with a 50.374, underlining his pace as he kept the pressure on throughout the 14-lap final. A mention also to Makayla Harte who showed great pace gaining 5 places to finish in 4th position.
IAME X30 Senior Final Top 3
- Adam Holmes
- Jack Buckley
- Luke Agnew
Strong Racing Across the IAME Field
With close margins, strong recovery drives and competitive pace across all three classes, Round 3 at Whiteriver delivered another important chapter in the 2026 Motorsport Ireland National Kart Championships. From O’Brien’s controlled Cadet victory to Reilly’s first Junior win and Buckley’s Senior success, the IAME categories once again provided some of the most exciting racing of the weekend.
