North Yorkshire schoolboy Maxwell Dodds is following in his dad’s tyre tracks competing in the Bambino British kart racing championship.
The six-year-old, a pupil at independent prep school Belmont Grosvenor, based at Birstwith, near Harrogate, is a member of the 4G Racing team, based in Otley, and competes in the ‘Bambino’ series for six to eight year olds.
And he’s already making his mark on the racing circuit, after taking second position in a race at Wombwell, Barnsley, earlier this month.
Maxwell regularly competes in the championship with around 24 other ‘Bambino’ competitors. To take a podium position in this race is a great achievement as he’s only just 6 years old, when most of his peers are almost 8, and have two years experience under their belts.
His proud father Oliver, himself a former racing driver, is delighted with his son’s achievements to date.
Mr Dodds said:
The Bambino championship is a series for kids aged six to eight years. Historically children couldn’t even start competing until they reached eight years old.
This is a fantastic series where youngsters can learn the art of racing and understand race craft competitively, putting them in a good position for when they move up to the cadets series once they reach the age of eight.
During this year’s racing season, Maxwell is driving for the 4G Racing team, based in Otley, which has already successfully competed in several different championships including cadets (8 to 11 years), juniors (12 to 16 years) and seniors (16 years upwards).
Jane Merriman, Headteacher at Belmont Grosvenor School, based at Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, said staff and pupils were following’s Maxwell’s success with interest.
Jane Merriman said:
As a school we are always happy to promote and support individual talents and interests wherever they may lie. We all wish him well in the current racing season and look forward to adding his picture to our wall of fame in the future.
Maxwell, who lives in Hampsthwiate, near Harrogate, drives a 2012 Tony Kart, running a 50cc 2 stroke comer engine capable of speeds approaching 50mph.
He regularly competes locally at Wombwell circuit in Barnsley as well as the PFI (Paul Fletcher International) Circuit in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
The current racing season will see the schoolboy, currently in Year 1 at Belmont Grosvenor School, compete in races up and down the country.
As well as racing, Maxwell has plans for his school holidays as his dad has booked Rowrah circuit in the Lake District for private testing every Wednesday where the schoolboy can develop his driving skills under expert supervision.
Maxwell has already attracted sponsors interest and recently secured National PPI Line, a Harrogate based company that specializes in recovering payment protection insurance.
Mr Maxwell said:
With the guidance of the team and older team mates, this should be a great opportunity for Maxwell to develop his sport, and move progressively up the ranks into cars when he reaches 14
