Lad (10) speeds towards success
10 year-old Kensington resident, Jarred Eekhout, is racing his way to kart success.
Jarred, a pupil at Leicester Road Primary School in Kensington, started racing ‘ninja midgets’ at Mayhem Raceway, an oval race track near Pretoria.
He began at the tender age of eight years old.
His father, Mr Johnny Eekhout, said Jarred was a little hesitant at first to race.
“I think the whole concept was a bit overwhelming, but he soon enjoyed it. It was not long before he was competitive,” said Mr Eekhout.
Mr Eekhout described the karts as being quite fast. His son has had his fair share of visits to the ambulance, after getting into some skirmishes with the retaining wall.
The youngsters who race the karts range from three to 12 years old.
“After each race, these youngsters shake hands and chat like professional racers do. This series also visits tracks such as The Rock Raceway near Brakpan and the Ultimate Raceway in Vereeniging, where they reach speeds up to a 100 km/h,” said Mr Eekhout.
While Jarred has won some races, he always manages to finish in the top three, resulting in a podium finish and collecting a trophy.
“Next year, he will still race in this series, and will compete in the national Mini Roc Karting Series, racing on circuit tracks around the country,” said Mr Eekhout.
He said a sponsor will have to be found for the move, but with Jarred’s obvious talent, this should not prove too difficult.
The national championships will be held in Richards Bay on November 1.
