Karting champ gives 9-year-old experience of a lifetime

Matt Luff spent a day karting with Ethan Tailor, a young racing enthusiast with a degenerative eye condition

Posted by Hannah Vickers | September 15, 2017 | Sports & Leisure

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Double World Karting Champion and former British Schools Karting Champion, Matt Luff, has shown he’s a winner off the track with an unprompted act of kindness.

The Brentwood School Sixth Former has been helping nine-year-old Ethan Tailor, a racing enthusiast from Hertfordshire who suffers from a rare degenerative eye condition, to make memories. 

Sixteen-year-old Matt saw a story about Ethan’s plight on a BBC news programme earlier this year and decided to treat the youngster to a day of one-to-one tuition at Brentwood Raceway.

Ethan, who suffers from Stargardt's Disease which could blind him, was filmed sitting in a go-kart and Matt immediately thought of a way he could help. He arranged the special day which Ethan’s mum Bhavna described as ‘one of the kindest things that someone has done for us.’  

In addition, Matt has also invited Ethan and his family along to Silverstone Race Circuit later this month to watch him race his Ginetta Junior car supporting the British Touring Cars.  Ethan will be at the centre of all the race action and will enjoy Ginetta hospitality throughout the day.

Mrs Tailor added: “Ethan hasn't stopped talking about Matt and the go-karting. He even wore the cap all day and has the photo that Matt gave him by his bed. He had such a great time and loved every minute of it. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We want to raise awareness of Ethan’s condition and give him opportunities before his eye sight deteriorates further.”

Matt’s mother, Mrs Lynn Luff, said: “The Brentwood School is brilliant in how it instils in its students the need to help others less fortunate than ourselves and to give back in life as well as take.”