Steve Harrold, Mota-bars proprietor left school at the age of sixteen to serve a 5 year apprenticeship in the mechanics industry. His employer sponsored his course in Advanced Motor Vehicle Technology at Warwickshire College. He displayed a natural aptitude and completed the tasks so successfully he finished as a Top Three student nationally.

Throughout this time Steve had a very keen interest in Motorsport, at 16 he was actively involved with motorcycles competing in trials and motocross then decided to follow the environmentally friendly sport of mountain biking and downhill slalom. Since leaving school after serving a Rover apprenticeship he founded his first business at 21. He competed in mountain biking events for nine years and decided a faster sport was necessary!

In 1997 Steve visited a local kart track at Shenington near Edgehill and became involved in the sport he had always dreamed of. He purchased his first 250cc gearbox kart and competed in club meetings at Shenington, Rissington and Kimbolton.

1999 saw Steve competing at National level in the British Championship Super 4 series. This comprised 6 rounds of 3 heats and 1 final in each round. He travelled to circuits in Ireland, Cumbria, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. In his first year at National level he finished a credible 8th overall and was presented with his trophy by Formula 1and Indy car champion Nigel Mansell.

2000 was a terrible year for Steve suffering many mechanical problems. He finished all but one race and collected enough points throughout the year to finish 9th overall.

Steve currently runs a 250 National kart with a Jade chassis (manufactured locally by Shrewley Kart Shop, Edgehill). Powered by a 250 cc 5 speed Honda engine his kart can exceed 100 mph.

Karting is a highly competitive sport providing an ideal stepping stone for young talented drivers. The most recently recognised in this country is Jenson Button, who like Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna began his racing career in Karts.