Nelsons Journey Started
Nelson’s now 12. Getting on a bit for a rookie karter. He’d never been in a kart until November 2023. He now competes at national level with kids who’ve spent half their lifetime karting.
Diagnosed at the age of 4 with autism, it’s been a hell of a journey for Nelson. Wracked by debilitating anxiety all his life, the Covid years meant an even deeper sense of isolation. A feeling so many of our kids shared up and down the country.
Then karting came along. From nowhere. He’s using off-the-shelf kit and other people’s karts. And yet, somehow he gets poles and race wins on tracks he’s never even been to. No one quite knows how he does it.
From nowhere a light’s been turned on inside Nelson. It’s made him quick. Very quick. Purpose has filled a void. So, race along with us on our own journey of discovery. Jump onboard: Nelson would love you to be there with him.
From his earliest years Nelson’s life revolved around a deep love for motorsport – albeit purely in the virtual world of ‘Grand Turismo’ on PlayStation. As parents, we were encouraged he’d found something he loved.
Several, long years passed by at which point we tried to get Nelson interested in a spot of go-karting – but this time it was in the ‘real world’. He was 7 by then. Unfortunately, his constant companions of severe anxiety and fear stopped him in his tracks. We didn’t give up.
The years wore on until we got to November 2023. At a friend’s 11th birthday party Nelson finally plucked up enough courage to try some electric indoor-karting. Whilst harmlessly slow by most standards, he was instinctively quicker than the rest. What had just happened, we wondered ? Perhaps he’d like to try some more of his new found experience in the real world ? We never quite bargained at the speed of Nelson’s take-up.
So, he progressed to petrol karts. And progressed quickly. In just some 94 days, our anxious and profoundly retiring little boy, now held the title of ‘The Fastest Lap’ for February ’24 at our local outdoor track. It seemed a light was turned on inside him. And as parents we were heartened he wanted to get out of the house for something he loved.
Just a couple of months later, Nelson moved on to more serious ‘rental’ karting with Daytona Motorsport at Sandown Park, Surrey. Nelson now holds the lap record for their Junior Indy Circuit. Mum and Dad were still clinging to his coat tails as he progressed throughout 2023, culminating in third overall in Sandown’s Junior InKart Championship. In his first season.
Nelson now competes in Super Champs, Daytona’s Premier Series. At the first round of the new season he won outright. And became Daytona’s ‘Driver of the Month’ for August ’24 in the process.
Whilst we wondering what was happening, Nelson further accelerated into the highly competitive world of Rotax Race Karts. These machines are much lighter and considerably more powerful than his previous rental karts. The ‘Inter Rotax’ versions can comfortably exceed 60 mph at the top end. This class of karting is often the first rung on the ladder to single-seaters, a springboard for many of the UK’s best racing drivers.
Nelson is now competing against kids who, in many cases, have been racing since they were 5. Yet, in just 180 or so days – and literally from a standing start – Nelson managed his first Inter Rotax win at Bayford Meadows in Kent.
Onlookers have been taken aback. As we have. A rookie from nowhere shouldn’t be able to do that. Yet, Nelson has this natural knack of ‘reading’ a new track at first sight. He gets onto the pace after a few laps, qualifies for the front or second row, sometimes chucks in a pole position and often finishes strongly in the Top 3.
Of course, these are sporting achievements in a very technical sport where drivers are helmeted and enclosed in a world of metal, plastic and rubber. However, the real achievement – which has affected us so deeply – is that a lad who wouldn’t leave the house now freely chats with trackside marshals, team mates, other competitors and mechanics. What lasted years has vanished in days.
Yes, these people exist in the narrow orbit of the karting world. And yes, some kids are trained and prepared by highly focused parents from an early age. We are just grateful that this world exists. Our job is to scramble around as best we can to help Nelson follow a hope and a dream where previously there was none. In those 300 or so days, our lives have been transformed for the better.
For Nelson himself where there was isolation there’s now togetherness, where there was an inner-monologue there is conversation with people from all walks of life, where there was a limited social orbit we have a son who wants to get out of the house and immerse himself in a community and take part. That’s the real race win, right there.
Of course, he’s barely at the beginning of his journey. He’s now powered by a dream of reaching that magical place in Formula 1. But we’ll keep our feet firmly on the ground. Karting is the means with which Nelson’s found self-expression and a true happiness and this, of course, brings us as a family even closer together.
Nelson, in a moment of reflection, refers to it as ‘life changing’. It gives him a newly found confidence to make friends and talk to new people: a skill especially critical to dealing with his transition to secondary school. A light, indeed, has been turned on.
If you care to share in this rather unexpected but wonderful journey you can follow Nelson on social media, particularly Instagram @nelson_taylor_racing91 as the pursuit of his dream goes on.
Of course, whether we get there or not remains to be seen but we’re determined to enjoy the ride. So, jump on board and strap yourself in !
