Motosport: Speedway puts Thomas McLean on track to race dream

Northlander Thomas McLean will race his TQ at the Whangarei Speedway this weekend. Photo/Shot360Photography

Maungatapere's Thomas McLean may have only had his licence for less than a year, but has been driving for nearly 10 years.

The 16-year-old admits his dream of being a NASCAR driver is still a long way off and he must first dominate the speedway. He is currently in his debut season of racing TQs in Auckland.

But his achievements are not bad for someone who originally wasn't keen on racing.

"I didn't even want to do it at first," said McLean, who is a fourth generation racer behind his great-grandfather, grandfather and dad - all of whom raced under the No73.

"Dad was pushing it and then I went to the track with poppa one day and rang dad [after] and said 'I wanted to do karts', and he had one there within a week."

Currently McLean is lead rookie, first B grader, and sits seventh overall - proving it was a worthwhile decision to get into the kart.

McLean races his TQ - a race car described as a three-quarter length midget - out of Western Springs these days, a vastly different scene to karting on the Austin road track as a 7-year-old.

However, this weekend will be the first time McLean has raced in front of a home crowd - at the Whangarei Speedway on Saturday.

"[I'm a] bit excited and a bit nervous as well, mainly excited," the Whangarei Boys' High School Year 12 student said, adding that he wasn't sure if many friends would come and watch.

This weekend's racing will serve as a shakedown before McLean heads to nationals in Christchurch in two weeks, after he blew his engine at the last race meeting.

"[I'm] unsure on friends coming, but sponsors will be there. I blew an engine and now have to shakedown to make sure [the new engine] is all good.

"At nationals I'm hoping to finish in the top half of the field, which won't be bad for first season," he said of the challenge ahead in the 50-car field.

McLean's mum Carolyn is used to seeing her son career around a race track - although she admits he wouldn't have made it to this level of competition if he didn't drive with safety in mind.

She added, however, that now McLean is legally able to drive on the road he needs to lose the speedway mentality.

"He has driven me around a few times ... he's just got to get used to getting around town ... he doesn't have to bump draft people around town."