18th July 2014

Jack Doohan featured in the Gold Coast Bulletin

(http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/racing-champ-mich-doohan-tried-to-keep-his-son-from-the-track-but-11yearold-jack-couldnt-get-enough-of-it/story-fnj94ixl-1226992746109)

Racing champ Mick Doohan tried to keep his son from the track, but 11-year-old Jack couldn’t get enough of it

Mick Doohan and his son Jack, who is a champion Go- Kart driver and leads the points tally in the CIK Stars of Karting Championship (Pic: Darren England)

MICK Doohan tried to keep his son Jack from the lure of the track.

The five-time world motor­cycle Grand Prix champion from the Gold Coast knew racing was in the 11-year-old’s blood and once he got a taste of it, things were going to get busy.

And while Jack has opted for go-karting instead of bikes, the DNA blueprint of a champion on wheels is ­unmistakable.

“I kept him away from it for about 12 months but he kept on asking and so I gave him a run at it,” proud father Mick said.

“I just knew once he got into it he’d want to keep going, so my weekends were going to get quite busy along with rugby and athletics and all the other bits and pieces.

“I knew there’d be plenty of time to fit it in if he wanted to go down that avenue.

“I got away with it for a year until he started speaking to his friends and worked out the age I told him he was eligible to race was actually a bit of a white lie.”

Jack, a student at The Southport School, has proven himself as one of the best junior go-karters in Australia and leads the points tally in the rookie division CIK Stars of Karting Championship.

He placed fifth at his last SuperNationals race meet in Las Vegas.

Karts are viewed as a popular pathway for young drivers into the V8 Supercars and Formula 1 racing.

Doohan said he was glad Jack did not have to live up to the inevitable expectations that would have come had he opted to ride motorbikes.

However, he admitted he would 100 per cent support his son if he decided to make the switch down the track.

“For the young fella, he’s got enough pressure anyway with living up to his name, so for him to get into a motorsport this is a better motorsport to get into,” he said.

“If he was on a motorcycle then maybe there’d be much more pressure for him.

“Jack’s competitive in whatever he does whether it’s athletics or football – he puts quite a lot of pressure on himself so I’m glad he doesn’t have that added pressure of trying to do what the old man did on the ­motorcycle.”

The 11-year-old said he loved karting and had his eye on winning the SuperNationals in Las Vegas later this year.

“I like it because of the competition and learning more about the kart and track,” Jack said. “It would be a great achievement to make it to F1.”

Jack will compete in Round 4 of the CIK Stars of Karting Championship in Newcastle on July 26 and 27.