- Driver Name
- Jacob Metcalfe
- Driver Number
- #22
- @jacobmetcalfe22
- YouTube
- My Channel
- Sponsorship Request
- I'm looking for sponsorship, please contact me!
- Photography By
- Mum, Me, Grace's Karting Photos
8 years old - Small stint of karting
I've been into cars all my life. I was always playing Forza or going to car shows. My first memories of karting were at Buckmore's paddock circuit. I used to do rental sessions there occasionally and was always inspired by seeing the older kids driving around the main circuit in the bigger and faster karts. We ended up stopping due to reasons I cannot remember
2016 - Buckmore Park
9 - 14 years old - Sim-racing
Later at the age of 9 I gave a simulator a go at ExCel when the Classic Car Show was on. I was hooked and turned out to be quite good, quickly learning how to change gears and use the clutch (even giving heel and toe a go!). I can still remember I was driving an Ariel Atom around Brands Hatch GP. After that I got the bug and soon got into sim racing after winning a copy of the game in a giveaway
I always did a bit of sim-racing, never in leagues just by myself and with the AI. I used to play Assetto Corsa and PC2. I learnt how to mod Assetto Corsa and still play it to this day, always driving new cars and tracks.
Despite enjoying throwing cars around tracks for fun, I never really got into proper racing until lockdown. 12 at the time, a friend online asked if I wanted to watch F1 with him and I sat down and watched Austria 2020. Soon after I bought F1 2019 and really got into F1. I started doing the occassional league race and constantly learning.
F1 2021
14 years old - Back to karting
Fast forward to late 2021. I believe through Super GT, I stumbled across karting again. My Dad went down to our local (Bayford Meadows) on his way home from work and got some leaflets for me and I started researching. Realising the expense of the sport we gathered it was out of reach to do anything serious but for my 14th birthday my parents paid for me to do some rental sessions at Bayford. January 20th 2022 I went down to the track for their club academy and was third quickest. Soon after we got involved in the championship. It was very competitive, but due to a growth spurt I was fighting with one hand behind my back as was now the heaviest in my class. However I managed a few trophies over the course of the season and picked up P4 overall in the championship, just shy of P3 by a few points. I was lucky enough to test a Junior Subaru kart courtesy of Ian and Bayford Meadows for complete free. Really generous and was super fun to drive the full circuit and with more power behind me than I was used to.
2022 - Bayford Meadows Junior Club Final. - Photography by Colin, Bayford Meadows
Throughout my first season racing, I managed to secure some work at the circuit and saved every penny. I only spent money on karting necessities such as gloves, boots and a rib protector. Any money from work, family, birthday, christmas all got saved in a pot. Bayford played a massive role in this by letting me work most weekends and school holidays, same with my family for any birthday and christmas money.
15 years old - Onto the proper stuff
2022 - Bayford Meadows - Screenshot from Reece Anscombe's onboard
With just shy of £2000 saved up, I knew I wanted to do Owner Karting. I was lucky enough that my Grandad had helped me buy my helmet and suit which meant all that was left was a kart. We did a very cheap Junior TKM test at Rye House, courtesy of Trevor Hadley from Dartford Karting. I knew I had a bug for it and we did plenty of research. Eventually we settled for a Senior Rotax (now for sale..).
In with the old, out with the new.
2022 - Clay Pigeon - Junior TKM - RetroRacer Round 4 - Grace's Karting Photos
Four tests in a rotax (all available on my YouTube) done, I had the opportunity to have another go in a Junior TKM. This time at Clay Pigeon for Round 4 of the RetroRacer championship. Dartford Karts were kind enough to provide me with a free drive, and it didn't disappoint. I managed to keep up with the more experienced drivers and finish in the midpack as the top novice of the day. I had the pace to be closer to the front but unfortuantely held back by some poor luck and some driver errors from myself - but that's racing!
The weekend convinced me that TKM was the way to go, now with my rotax listed up for sale I'm looking to get my hands on some TKM gear and go race Retro! Very affordable, very competitive, most importantly very fun.
And that is my story / journey so far!
I've been into cars all my life. I was always playing Forza or going to car shows. My first memories of karting were at Buckmore's paddock circuit. I used to do rental sessions there occasionally and was always inspired by seeing the older kids driving around the main circuit in the bigger and faster karts. We ended up stopping due to reasons I cannot remember
2016 - Buckmore Park
9 - 14 years old - Sim-racing
Later at the age of 9 I gave a simulator a go at ExCel when the Classic Car Show was on. I was hooked and turned out to be quite good, quickly learning how to change gears and use the clutch (even giving heel and toe a go!). I can still remember I was driving an Ariel Atom around Brands Hatch GP. After that I got the bug and soon got into sim racing after winning a copy of the game in a giveaway
I always did a bit of sim-racing, never in leagues just by myself and with the AI. I used to play Assetto Corsa and PC2. I learnt how to mod Assetto Corsa and still play it to this day, always driving new cars and tracks.
Despite enjoying throwing cars around tracks for fun, I never really got into proper racing until lockdown. 12 at the time, a friend online asked if I wanted to watch F1 with him and I sat down and watched Austria 2020. Soon after I bought F1 2019 and really got into F1. I started doing the occassional league race and constantly learning.
F1 2021
14 years old - Back to karting
Fast forward to late 2021. I believe through Super GT, I stumbled across karting again. My Dad went down to our local (Bayford Meadows) on his way home from work and got some leaflets for me and I started researching. Realising the expense of the sport we gathered it was out of reach to do anything serious but for my 14th birthday my parents paid for me to do some rental sessions at Bayford. January 20th 2022 I went down to the track for their club academy and was third quickest. Soon after we got involved in the championship. It was very competitive, but due to a growth spurt I was fighting with one hand behind my back as was now the heaviest in my class. However I managed a few trophies over the course of the season and picked up P4 overall in the championship, just shy of P3 by a few points. I was lucky enough to test a Junior Subaru kart courtesy of Ian and Bayford Meadows for complete free. Really generous and was super fun to drive the full circuit and with more power behind me than I was used to.
2022 - Bayford Meadows Junior Club Final. - Photography by Colin, Bayford Meadows
Throughout my first season racing, I managed to secure some work at the circuit and saved every penny. I only spent money on karting necessities such as gloves, boots and a rib protector. Any money from work, family, birthday, christmas all got saved in a pot. Bayford played a massive role in this by letting me work most weekends and school holidays, same with my family for any birthday and christmas money.
15 years old - Onto the proper stuff
With just shy of £2000 saved up, I knew I wanted to do Owner Karting. I was lucky enough that my Grandad had helped me buy my helmet and suit which meant all that was left was a kart. We did a very cheap Junior TKM test at Rye House, courtesy of Trevor Hadley from Dartford Karting. I knew I had a bug for it and we did plenty of research. Eventually we settled for a Senior Rotax (now for sale..).
In with the old, out with the new.
2022 - Clay Pigeon - Junior TKM - RetroRacer Round 4 - Grace's Karting Photos
Four tests in a rotax (all available on my YouTube) done, I had the opportunity to have another go in a Junior TKM. This time at Clay Pigeon for Round 4 of the RetroRacer championship. Dartford Karts were kind enough to provide me with a free drive, and it didn't disappoint. I managed to keep up with the more experienced drivers and finish in the midpack as the top novice of the day. I had the pace to be closer to the front but unfortuantely held back by some poor luck and some driver errors from myself - but that's racing!
The weekend convinced me that TKM was the way to go, now with my rotax listed up for sale I'm looking to get my hands on some TKM gear and go race Retro! Very affordable, very competitive, most importantly very fun.
And that is my story / journey so far!
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