A young boy from Ashton is taking the to track with the ambition of being the UK’s next motorsport world champion.

Jack Burgess, 12, has only been taking karting seriously for the past six months, but has already impressed team bosses in Rochdale with his results.

He’s signed up to Team X-Kart, who will help oversee his development through the junior classes.

Jack’s first track action was in March of this year, where he attended a cadet session, before quickly moving up to the intermediate group, being too fast for rookie cadets.

Thanks to his natural speed, he’s been taking part in the British Indoor Karting Championship 2021

The Great Academy pupil has taken to the racetrack like a duck to water and his parents say he’s a different person since taking up the sport. 

Having been obsessed by anything with an engine since an early age, it was a natural progression to see Jack on the track.

Jack said: “I just love the adrenaline and the speed.

“The first time I went [to the track] I wasn’t tall enough but I went a few years later and I just loved it.”

Jack drives in a junior chassis X kart with a Rotes engine, which can reach speeds of 70 miles an hour.

He names his racing hero as Formula One star Lando Norris, with his race number 4 the same as the British driver.

Jack said: “My racing hero is Lando Norris. He’s just really funny.”

With only a fraction of the worlds racers ending up competing in Formula One, Jack dreams of racing GT3 cars, which are touring cars based on production automobiles.

While Jack loves going fast, his mum Gemma says it can sometimes be terrifying watching from the stands.

She said: “It’s very scary, sometimes I’m watching and thinking how is he that fast.

“From a very young age he had an obsession with cars. He’ll tell you what sort of car is approaching just by the sound of an engine, he can look at an engine and tell you the brake horsepower.”

While Jack excels on the track, his family put the hard work in off it to ensure he can rise up the ranks. Gemma admits sometimes it’s like having a second job as a PA trying to organise the next race meeting. However, she says she’s incredibly proud of everything he’s achieving.

“He just makes me so proud, he’s so good at what he does and he wants to give back.”

Jack was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and currently sees the team at Healthy Young Minds. His mum says that karting has given him focus and motivation like she’s never seen before.

She said: “Jack suffers with ADHD and he is on the ASD pathway.

“He’s designing his own merchandise and 10% of the sale will go to Healthy Young Minds.

“I’ve never seen his as focussed as when he’s on the track. It helps his concentration immensely. He’s so good when he’s out there, he’s like a different child.

To take his career to the next level, Jack is looking for businesses to help sponsor him on his journey. Motorsport is expensive, with the family currently footing the bill for tires, fuel and transport. Jack has had support from Tameside Taxis over recent months and is appealing to others to back him. Anyone interested in supporting him or buying his merchandise can get in touch via Instagram at @Jack.Burgess_Karting or by emailing jack.burgesskarting@Gmail.com.

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