Motorsport: McLean starts season well

Whangarei driver Thomas McLean is looking to build on his Western Springs TQ Midget Championship rookie of the year title from last season. Photo / John Stone

Having been named Rookie of the Year and the much coveted TQ Midget B Grade Championship at Western Springs Speedway, Whangarei driver Thomas McLean is back at it again.

McLean finished ninth in his rookie year of the Western Springs TQ Midget Championships in March, and is keen to replicate - and improve on - that form this season.

The 17-year-old started the new season strongly earlier this month with two third placings in the two heats and a seventh in the feature race - after losing a couple of spots in the restart, no small feat after completing only 15 laps in a new car at a shakedown in Whangarei shortly before the meeting.

McLean was back in Auckland for round two on Saturday, finishing fifth and seventh in the two heats before driving from 12th to sixth in the feature race which was cut short by four laps.

"My highlight of last season was getting the Rookie of the Year and winning the B Grade at the same time. It's proof that we can make it and I can make it as a driver so now we just have to go one better this season." said McLean.

Helping McLean though his second season will be his brand new Skipps Logging TQ Midget.

Driving a completely new car this season also means he has opted for a change in car style. This one is lighter and will give him the speed needed to put up a strong challenge to the experienced leaders.

"It's a 10 inch wheeled car and has all the running gear out of a 600 Micro Sprint car from out of the United States. It's a lot lighter and has a lot more acceleration out of the turns," explained McLean.

"We are still running in the same class but are just above the minimum weight and most of the other drivers are around 25 to 30kgs heavier with their 13 inch wheels and running gear."

But the lighter car with it's smaller wheels and tyres does throw up new challenges for the young up and coming driver, something he will have to come to grips with quickly to gain valuable points from the outset.

"I had more trust in the bigger wheels and was a little apprehensive so I need to learn to trust the smaller tyres which tend to disappear into the holes a lot more. I didn't get a practice before the race and was just thrown into the deep end."

For this season Thomas McLean Racing has put together a strong team including owner Gary Harris who built the car, Murray McLean who has vast experience in crewing in the TQ Midget class; and former TQ champion Kevin Hyde who was ranked number one in 1998 and is the driving coach.

With the first two rounds done and dusted, McLean is looking to learn from his experiences and continue to build throughout the season with an eye of harnessing the unique characteristics of the lighter machinery and smaller wheels to tackle the front runners.

"All the cars are fast and if I can learn to drive this new one fast, I know I can be on pace with the leaders," McLean said.