adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
FOR young promising motor racing driver Zac Dufty, it all runs in his genes and he believes the sky is the limit for him with his dream being to compete in the world popular Formula One series.
The 12-year-old has been racing since he was six years old. He started competing in the cadets class before moving to the mini9 rok class and will be graduating into the junior max class next year as he pursues his dream in motorsport.
Dufty has been to the World Championships twice in 2013 and 2014 in Italy.
In his debut appearance at the global event in 2013 he finished on position 77 out of 105 participants and in 2014 he managed position 50 out of over 127 drivers.
He has since moved his competing base to South Africa for exposure and competition although he is still competing in local events at Donnybrook.
The passionate young driver said the experience has been great and has had his ups and downs but he always maintains a positive attitude when he competes.
“The experience, it’s been awesome and breathtaking. The first time I went to South Africa it was just really cool but unfortunately it started raining and I had no clue because here in Zimbabwe you don’t race in the rain, so I knew nothing about what to do in the rain. So that race was a bit of a needle in the haystack.
“I didn’t know what to do or how to do it but then I slowly built up and then a few years ago I went to the World Championships and that was mind blowing but my dad said I did quite well considering it was my first time. I was one of the youngest there at the age of nine, so my eyes were as wide open as they could be.
“It feels really good to represent my country. I love to represent Zimbabwe and it’s just an awesome experience and the racing is so close, it was really competitive.
“Karting is definitely going to be my lifestyle. I will always want to do racing and motorsport because it actually flows in my family. My great-grandad used to be the chairman of karting and my dad two years ago was chairman as well so it’s kind of in my genes.
“When I grow up the ideal thing for me will be Formula One. I definitely think I can try really hard, whatever you put your mind to can happen so I think it will happen,” said Dufty.
However, just like any other sporting discipline there are challenges one is likely to encounter and Dufty said his main challenge has been sponsorship with his father being the main sponsor at the moment.
“First thing will be sponsorship. Sponsorship is key in motorsport and you will always try to look for more sponsors . . . It’s just one of the main things that you need.
“And also I need to learn more on the race craft because it’s really hard, I need to learn more and also my dad is thinking of giving me a gym because I really have to work on my upper arms and my upper body,” said Dufty.
The 12-year-old Twin Rivers School pupil is hopeful of a better performance next year when he takes part in the junior max class after coming third this year on his first attempt.
“I think next year as well there is a lot of people in my class moving up so there is going to be the same guys that I have raced against. And these guys are awesome because sometimes it’s a bit of a needle in the haystack for me. They got more practice than me because they are always there on the track.
“My target for next year would be to come top of the championships for the national race (in South Africa)
“I think I have quite a few of my best moments. The very first one was winning my first race here in Zimbabwe, it was mind blowing and everything was awesome. That was three years ago. And then the other one is the previous race coming third in a class that I just moved up to, it’s really cool because I was running 10th in the mini roks which is the other class and then I just moved up and I was running third in that class so it was just awesome (in South Africa),” Dufty said.
Zac’s father, Kevin, believes his son’s participation in South Africa has helped improve his skills and is optimistic next year when they compete in more races there will be a bigger improvement.
“He started racing at Donnybrook, I think he raced about three years here at Donnybrook before he started racing in South Africa. Even up to now he has done a few races in Zimbabwe this year.
“When he started he was six. The first year was just for learning, the next year he was the runner-up in most improved cadet category. And then in 2013 and 2014 he was in the top three. Last year he was leading the championships but he missed the last race because he went to the world finals so he couldn’t challenge for the championship but he was leading.
Online Reporter