Kyle’s quest for fast start

Published 2:30pm 9 December 2020

Redcliffe motor racer Kyle Evans is heading south this weekend to take on a new challenge at the end of a remarkable title-winning year.

The 16-year-old will get his first race outside Queensland when he lines up in the Nationals at Wakefield Park, between Sydney and Canberra, on Saturday and Sunday.

Kyle has already won two Formula Ford state championships this year but is now looking to 2021 when, hopefully, motor racing schedules return to normal.

Race craft

“It (Wakefield Park) will be good practice for next year while getting more seat time at a track that holds a couple of championship rounds,” Kyle said.

“I am hoping there will be more Duratec (engined Formula Fords) down at Wakefield Park to gain more wheel-to-wheel racing and race craft.

“This will be perfect experience before the start of 2021.”

Roll of honour

Kyle had a 10-month wait for his Formula Ford debut (in August) due to COVID-19, but he has made up for lost time in the last four weeks.

The teenager was second in the 1300-1600cc cars and sixth of 134 entries at the Queensland Super Sprints State Championship (QSSSC) at Morgan Park, Warwick.
He was then runner-up in the Queensland State Circuit Racing Championship (QSCRC) Round 4 on November 20-22 at Morgan Park out of 11 entries.
On November 23 Motorsport Australia revealed Kyle had 161 points in the Queensland Circuit Racing for Racing and Sports Cars 2020, making him the state champion.
And on November 28, the Queensland Racing Drivers’ Association told Kyle he had won the QRDA Formula Ford and Racing Cars Club title with 174 points.

It is even more remarkable as there were concerns his new car, a Formula Ford Spectrum 014, would not arrive from Melbourne in time for the QSSSC on November 13-15.

Pour a seat

The Spectrum made it with just enough time to “pour a race seat” and change the racing number before leaving for Warwick.

Second place in a car he had not driven before was outstanding. Kyle then had assessments and an exam at St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe before returning to Morgan Park for the QSCRC.

There completed 44 laps in four races over two days in temperatures up to 36 degrees, a tight event schedule and dodging an oil spill, but all the time growing more accustomed to his car.

Kyle was second in each race, including one where he landed a five-second penalty for a jump start, to finish runner-up in the state championship.

The teenager’s racing year will finish after this weekend. Kyle will then wait for the 2021 start race schedules while preparing for the 2021 National Formula Ford Championship.