Durban -
Young people are sometimes accused of lacking direction, but that doesn’t apply to 15-year-old Kyle Amod, of Pietermaritzburg.
He knows exactly where he wants to go – it just so happens that it’s around in circles, and at speed with tyres smoking.
Kyle, who will be among the stars at Sportex’s drifting and spinning event at Durban’s Greyville Race Course on Sunday, is looking forward to putting on a show, with a racy repertoire that includes suicide slides, rollbacks, crazy flips and much more.
“I get excited every time I get behind the wheel of my multivalve-powered e30 BMW 325 knowing I am going to entertain the fans,” he says.
But what exactly is spinning?
Kyle gives the lowdown: “Spinning is sliding the car in tight circles until the tyres pop. Suicide slides use a gadget to keep the car running when hanging out the window upside down and driving in a snakelike motion, then suddenly pushing the car up into second gear and doing a 360-degree spin are called crazy flips.”
Crazy indeed, and that’s how it has been since Kyle first took up the sport as a pre-teen.
“No one in my family did this before, but I just fell in love with the sport,” said Kyle, who started spinning at the age of 11 with support from dad Morne, who owns a panel shop, and mom Jennifer.
Kyle has definite ideas about what is driving his future plans.
“One day my dad and I hope to open a spin academy. This is part of my message to the youth – get involved in motorsport and stay away from drugs and alcohol. Parents, encourage and support your children in any way you can.”
Amod will be in action at Sportex Durban on both Saturday and Sunday.