“I set out to push the limits and came back with the world record” – Gracie Mitchell completes 24-Hour solo karting challenge
- RACERS
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
24-hour races are the ultimate tests for drivers and machines. Gracie Mitchell completed one in a solo effort - securing the world record for the longest distance completed by a female solo driver in a 24-hour karting race. Here's the story of a remarkable achievement for a noble cause.
Despite making her racing debut only in 2023, 18-year-old Gracie Mitchell has already made a name for herself as one of the most versatile young drivers on the British and European racing scene.
After debuting in the Fun Cup Championship, the young Brit rapidly gained experience across a variety of cars, from endurance racing in Citroën C1s to the powerful Ginetta G56, where she earned AM-class podiums. In 2024, she claimed her first race car victory in the Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade at Estoril, before returning for a full Iberian Supercars campaign in 2025, where she started to collect podium finishes at Jarama and the Vila Real street circuit. Alongside these achievements, Mitchell has also tested GB4 machinery and continued to hone her craft in karting, where her foundations as a racer were laid.
But in August 2025, Mitchell took on an altogether different challenge: the British 24 Hour Kart Race at Teesside Autodrome, in which she attempted – and successfully claimed – the world record for the longest distance completed by a female solo driver in a 24-hour karting race. It was an endurance test like no other, but it was also a mission with a noble cause, as the record attempt aimed to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation, where she has already raised over £1,500.
The idea, Mitchell admits, wasn’t the result of a long-term plan but a spark of determination on the drive home from the 2024 edition of the event.
“It was honestly an impulsive thought,” she recalls. “I remember driving home from the event the year before and I just simply turned around to my dad and said, ‘I reckon I could give it a go,’ and he said he was going to say the same. We got home and researched that no female has ever even attempted it, so I was then determined to be the first.”
The preparation, especially on the physical side, was crucial.
“For the mental side of things, I would say I was okay and I didn’t actually do that much because I wanted to play the event down so I wouldn’t stress myself out. But the physical preparation was a big thing", Gracie explained. "My trainers and family friends Ang and Dave would do coached sessions with me to improve my strength and endurance because the race was going to be next level endurance!”
Her record attempt carried a deeper meaning as well, as Mitchell chose to support the British Heart Foundation in memory of someone close to the karting community.
“The charity I decided to go for was the British Heart Foundation and this was because I wanted to carry on the legacy of the previous guy who broke the record did it for".
"The story behind it was a couple, Bobby & Ange Hutchinson, who ran a championship called BPEC. Growing in karting I would compete in theirs events and even when I moved to other things they would still always watch my progress. Unfortunately Ange passed away unexpectedly and the charity is to raise awareness about heart and circulatory diseases. I still have a GoFundMe page which can be found in my instagram bio links."
When the green flag dropped at noon, Mitchell started cautiously in 20th place out of 88 entries. Through consistency and clever driving, she worked her way into the top-20 overall and remained there for much of the opening half of the race. At one stage she climbed as high as 13th overall, covering 300 laps in the first eight hours before pressing on into the night.
"The beginning of the race was just about getting the start over and done with. I only did a couple laps in qualifying to scrub my tyres in, so I was starting towards the back of the pack, however the start of the race I just held back to avoid getting any collisions as I had to minimise damage to my kart and myself."
"And just went with the flow. I would use other karts in my class as a bit of a pace car to make sure that I was doing consistent pace but not pushing too hard or not dropping off too much. I would say I did the first 13-14 hours pretty much back to back."
Fatigue inevitably set in, but adrenaline carried her through.
"It felt like sometimes time would speed up and then when I was about to reach the 12 hour mark it felt like time went really slow, however I knew that once I hit midnight it was just a countdown from then on", she recalled. "I’d say I didn’t actually suffer that much with tiredness as I believe I was just purely running off adrenaline although I did sneak a 10 minute nap in as my breaks got longer!"
"The physical side was the biggest thing for me. Although my body overall felt okay when I was racing obviously if I took a little bit of time out the seat my back would hurt the first couple laps back in but soon dumbed."
"The biggest thing was my neck towards the end of the race so I was just trying to do 10-15 minutes and then have a little break", Mitchell continued. "I’d then go back out because it got to the point where I was just looking at the sky going around corners. It was definitely a huge resilience thing and pushing through the pain of my neck and the discomfort of it."
By the time the chequered flag waved, Mitchell had completed 812 laps – over 1,700 km – to secure the new world record for a female solo driver in a 24-hour kart race.
For Mitchell, the achievement was made even more special by the support she received trackside.
"The support was unreal. I had family and friends the whole way through the night and day on my breaks with food and drink as well as anything I may have needed. The support around the paddock was amazing and everyone who contributed is deeply appreciated."
"And finally even other teams were a big help. They would be cheering as I’d get back into the kart after a break and as well the final couple hours - and even throughout the whole race to be honest - when the other karts from my class would come past they would be motivating me to keep pushing and it really helped."
Reflecting on her achievement, Mitchell sums it up simply: “I set out to push the limits and came back with the world record!”
With her career momentum growing in Iberian Supercars, Gracie Mitchell pulled off one of the most remarkable records in endurance competitions, something that almost feels like out of the pioneering era of motor racing – and did so with a cause; her charity fundraiser is ongoing and you can still contribute at this link.
