Publications
Partners
Shane Green Junior might come across as a normal little 10-year-old boy, but ordinary he is not. He's a young man of few words, is very shy at first, soft-spoken, and extremely well-mannered.
Schoolwork is very important and his mom Chantel Green says there are no two ways about it. He has just finished off Grade 4 at Wesfleur Primary in Atlantis, so after homework or extra mural classes, he loves playing outdoors with his friends or riding on his quad bike around their family home.
He doesn't care too much for PlayStation games, but he does love watching endless videos of superstar drifter James Dean online. No, not the iconic Rebel Without A Cause actor. The other James Dean, from the UK. Shane met him a couple of years ago at Killarney Raceway at a drifting event.
You see, just like his dad Shane Green who is a household name in Cape Town's spinning circles (excuse the pun), Junior over here is a spinner and is following quite literally in his footsteps.
Spinning has become one of the biggest local motorsport attractions in SA.
Names like Eddie Rasta and Brian Canterbury ring a familiar tune to many local spinning enthusiasts, but this young spinner drawing plenty of attention across Cape Town.
Start them young
10-year-old Junior loves burning rubber yet still finds time to get all his homework done and keep his parents happy.
His spin weapon of choice is a Toyota SR fitted with a turbocharged BMW 318is engine, pushing out 191kW on the dyno. Junior recently got his very first trophy at Tygerberg Raceway, done with no practice or mentor - leaving the youngster totally on his own.
Chantel says: "Junior started spinning at the age of nine, last year in June.
"From a tender age he was just crazy about the sport and was always his dad's biggest fan. But I blame his father for that because the day he brought us home from hospital when Junior was born, he spinned with us in the car and the smoke he inhaled probably is the reason why he is such a petrol junkie now," she jokes.
Chantel says all of her kids drive anything they can get their hands on, the youngest Slade also recently started driving: "Alex spins too, but he's not really in to it. He's a rugby freak."
Junior says he just got into it: "I asked my Daddy if I could drive one day, and also try drifting. That is how I got into spinning.
"I practice a lot in Atlantis, usually over weekends, and when I am at events I usually take three set of tyres with me."
And how does one spin a car?
Junior says: "You must release the clutch very fast and accelerate. You must also keep the engine revs high so that you have enough speed to throw it sideways and make some smoke with the tyres."
He also says he already participated in a few events: "I've driven in Upington, Kuruman and Tygerberg Raceway. At Tygerberg I got my first trophy."
Junior with his dad, Shane Green. Image: Chantel Green
His mom says: "My nerves were on another place at his first event. I still don't really watch him, we'll stand in the crowd and I'll turn my back and watch the videos afterwards. But, I'm not afraid anymore, I definitely was in the beginning yes, but he has built up so much confidence. When he puts his mind to something, he does exactly what he says he's going to do.
"The first time he got in the car to spin, I wasn't even there. My daughter Jaydane called and said 'Mommy, your child is spinning down here' and all I said was 'No, don't talk crap.' Then my sister said we should go see what's happening and when we got there I was so shocked because he has never done any spinning before in his life."
Junior is one of four children. His older brother Alex is 15 and is the crazy guy doing stunts out of the spinning car in the video above; big sister Jaydane is also 15, while the youngest Slade, is 9.
Shane Green Junior behind the wheel. Image: Chantel Green
Some advice to other Moms
"I would tell Moms whose children want to participate in motorsport to let them go for it. If their heart is with spinning, allow them to spread their wings, but also make sure they know what their priorities are like their education. Junior knows that I have no mercy when it comes to his school work, and that will always come first."
