Hawke's Bay speedway personality Tony Meechan required special dispensation to race in the North Island TQ Championship at Meeanee tonight.
"I've only done two meetings in the class and Speedway New Zealand rules state you must have done three before entering a major event. Fortunately my experience in my previous classes counted for something," Meechan said last night.
The fact Meechan, who celebrates his 37th birthday today, is driving the car of Hawke's Bay's retired two-time national champion Craig Todd in the 22-car Efficient Moving & Storage Championship must also mean something.
In other words the Todd squad wouldn't have offered Meechan, a two-time Hawke's Bay superstock champion and former East Coast and Hawke's Bay dwarfcar champion, the car if they didn't think he could do it justice.
"The old man [Nick Meechan] was talking to Roger [Young, the Todds' long-serving mechanic] to see if they would consider leasing the car to help get the numbers in the class up after Craig had given up on his racing. They agreed and I jumped at the opportunity ... it's hard to get away from it once you are in speedway," Meechan said.
He didn't race during the 2016-17 season but, before then, had six seasons in the superstock class, two in stockcars and seven years in dwarfcars.
His first meeting in the TQ was on November 18 when he started off the back in all three of his heats in an attempt to get a feel for the car.
During his next meeting on January 6 Meechan got a third in his first heat.
"I started off grid two and didn't get the start I wanted. I thought if I could have got out in front early I could have stayed there," Meechan recalled.
"It's good the crew haven't put any pressure on me to achieve things. They've just told me to out there and have fun."
Despite that statement the question had to be asked of Meechan ... have you set a goal for this weekend, a top-10 finish?
"I would like to finish among the top 10 but the Aucklanders have so many quick cars," he replied.
The self-employed builder agreed his high fitness levels gained from long hours on the job and numerous seasons of premier grade football with Marist will prove beneficial during tonight's meeting where points accumulated over three 20-lap races will determine the title winner.
"One of my first races in the car was over 15 laps ... the race goes pretty quick.
"I'm really enjoying this class. It's different from superstocks because you have only got to worry about yourself. No one else can dictate where you are going to finish ... there is more skill involved."
"The power-to-weight ratio is different. TQs are quick and this is a class which doesn't get enough credit."
Meechan agreed he couldn't have joined a better crew to learn from. In addition to Craig Todd, Duane Todd, the favourite for tonight, and his father Steve, who is retired but always with the team, are both two-time national champions.
"There's so much I can learn off them and they are prepared to make adjustments to the car from feedback I give them. I heard Craig had a giggle when he saw me go a little wide in one of my races ... it's all good fun.
"I've always been a clean racer who likes to keep things smooth. In time I will have the confidence to look up, spot a gap and take it. I know that when you crash in this class it is a big one and because it isn't my car that plays on my mind a bit."
When quizzed on who he believed was capable of winning the title tonight, Meechan said he hoped it was one of the in-form Bay drivers, Duane Todd and Kris Gillies.
"It will be good if one of them can take it out on our home track.
"I've always done well in major events here including a ninth-equal at the New Zealand Superstock Champs in the 2013-14 season. Hopefully that luck continues ... I haven't had that much luck as a traveller."
A father-of-two, Meechan said work and family commitments would prevent him from travelling to this season's nationals in Nelson. However, he is keen to give them a crack in future.
He is looking forward to the 20-lapper for the class at the end of the season as well as the East Coast championships at Easter.
"I'll keep learning as I go and keep having fun. As I said it's great there is no pressure on me."