DAYTONA, FL — Over three days of racing, Jeffersonville native Andy Karadontes took to the Daytona Flat track on his bike and won all seven featured races earlier this month to conquer first place. 

“It feels pretty phenomenal and it is a great way to start the year off,” Karadontes beamed. 

For national rankings for the year, the “Jeffersonville Jet” said he is currently in a substantial lead for both the 60-plus age class and the 8750 class, two classes he usually races in. The 8750 class usually has anyone from age 16 to his age racing. 

The 65-year-old also said that he is currently just 43 points behind in the 50-plus age class which is a new class he has begun racing for 2024. 

“I am trying to catch up there in that third class as well,” Karadontes explained. 

Karadontes said that 14 rounds are remaining for nationals this year and his next race is in Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg. He will race another time in Pennsylvania during May and will also have a New York race that month. Then in June, Karadontes will return to New York before two races in Ohio during August and then finishing off in New York for the final race of the year. 

He said he is most looking forward to the Ohio races because they have bigger tracks and you can go over 100 miles per hour around the corners. In comparison, Karadontes remarked that his average speed on short tracks is 75 miles per hour. 

“That’s different from what I am used to with the shorter tracks,” Karadontes noted. “But I am getting used to it more, and I actually like that because I can zoom around the corners.”

The support from back home is also something that Karadontes has taken with him, as he said that he had 15 people from back home in New York watching him. He also noted that he has a great group of friends around him who stayed with him in an Airbnb on Daytona Beach during the week. 

Karadontes said, “After the races, we just chilled and had a great time.”