By Thomas Grant Jr.
During the summer, Pelion native Kenneth Blevins Jr. made a name for himself on the kart racing circuit.
The 11-year-old captured two indoor electric kart racing championships in North Carolina and California, achievements that later drew recognition from the Lexington County Blowfish at the ballpark.
Now, Blevins is making the transition to outdoor competition.
Last weekend in California, Blevins competed in the FAT Karting League World Finals. The league, owned by Ferdi Porsche, is a culture-driven organization focused on making motorsports more accessible and engaging for the next generation of racers.
Blevins earned his spot in the World Finals after winning the Pro Championship in the Midwest. Competing in the Cadet/Cadet Light qualifying practice group, he finished first with a time of 8:09.60 over nine laps.
He followed that performance by winning his heat race to secure the pole position, then went on to place second overall, earning World Runner-up honors. The event marked just the eighth race of his karting career.
“It felt amazing to move from one form of go-kart racing to another and still be able to perform with different power levels,” Blevins said. “Especially going from electric karts to gas-powered. I’m really looking forward to next year and what 2026 will bring.”
