A young go-kart racer is starting to make his name known.
Now with races in Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and Gimli under his belt, eight-year-old Jack Van Dasselaar is on the rise — and he loves to go fast.
A native of Cooks Creek with ties to Stonewall through his parents, David and Jaclyn, Jack started karting at age five when his dad signed him up for the sport through Kart Now after a friend had registered his own son.
Jack’s interest in motorsports comes from his grandfather, who raced cars before moving into dirt biking and other motorsports.
He got his start in karting under one of the best local teachers, Jeffery Bachalo, a former racer himself.
Since then, Jack has become faster and smarter on the track. When he turned eight, he officially joined the Manitoba Karting Association circuit, driving his Kubica kart in weekend competitions in Gimli.
Now he’s taken it to the next level by heading west for races. There, he drives a Birel kart with a Rotax micro motor — an even faster option that reaches speeds over 60 miles per hour.
Earlier this month, he raced in the Rotax Canada Finals from Aug. 1 to 3 at Stratotech Park in Edmonton, where he was the youngest and least experienced driver in the field.
All the other competitors had prior experience with a Rotax, while it was only Jack’s fourth time driving his newly purchased model.
He improved each day of the weekend competition and earned praise from fellow racers and spectators.
“Everybody at the park said he did really well,” said Jaclyn Van Dasselaar. “He came in as the underdog and managed to keep up with the kids, so everyone was super impressed with him.”
Jack finished 11th on the final day in Edmonton among racers up to 12 years old who receive professional training.
He also battled through rain on the final day over the hilly terrain at Stratotech Park, which he now calls his favourite track.
“It has up and down hills,” Jack said. “On every turn, when you’re done the turn and going back straight, it’s up and down, which makes it go way faster.”
Jack has since returned to Manitoba ahead of the Aug. 17 Manitoba Karting Association race weekend in Gimli.
The Manitoba season runs through September, but Jack will make at least one more trip to Saskatoon for competition.
His team is currently accepting sponsors. Those interested in registering for Kart Now can visit kartnow.net or email guy@brekarting.com for more information.
