Cadet Butland’s Racing Dreams Supported by Cambs ACF

Cadet Jake Butland, 14, of Talavera Detachment, has been karting for six years and hopes to become a professional racing driver. Last month, Cambs ACF gave him £500 to help pursue his dreams.

Jake has recently joined a high-class race team, Jack Dex Racing, and is now competing in the Junior Rotax Championship at Kimbolton International Circuit. The race meets are held over a weekend every month, and attract large support with an average of over 100 racers. Jake’s passion and commitment to racing have seen him make great progress. He has now tested at several different circuits ranging from Lincolnshire to Oxfordshire, as well as Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Last weekend he completed 5 race weekends, meaning he is no longer classed as a novice and comes off the novice plates onto the full ‘red plates’.

Cambs ACF decided to contribute to Jake’s costs in order to support his ambitions and developing skills, and also to help promote our organisation to other young people. Jake’s kart is now emblazoned with the ACF logo, helping to advertise us at every event.

This contribution is important due to the high costs involved in karting. Neil said: ‘Due to personal circumstances I have not been able to work for the last few years so this is quite a strain financially. I have bought the kart, engine and a van to transport it to and from the tracks as well as all of Jake’s race clothing and protective equipment, as well as lots of ancillary equipment such as kart trolley, tools, tyres and bags, lubricants etc.’

Jake’s ambition is to be a professional racing driver for GT or F1. In order to achieve this, he hopes to compete in the British Karting Championship, and from there get onto a Junior Driver Development Programme such as those run by Mercedes or McLaren.

Jake said; ‘I love the Army Cadet Force, meeting friends and socialising, and also first aid and weapons handling. The cadets have helped me develop the discipline, determination and commitment needed for racing. I race because I like the speed, the exhilaration, the adrenalin that comes with going as fast as you can.’

Text by SI Doug Stuart with thanks to Jake and PI Neil Butland.