McLean Aims to Improve on Strong Rookie Season   20 Nov 2014

McLean Aims to Improve on Strong Rookie Season

Earlier this year Whangarei driver Thomas McLean won Rookie of the Year and the much coveted TQ Midget B Grade Championship at Western Springs Speedway.

Claiming those titles in March at the iconic speedway in Auckland were the result of a very strongly contested first season driving the Three Quarter Midget and McLean aims to raise the stakes and take on the leaders.

"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.

McLean started the new season strongly the other weekend with two third places 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.

This weekend the 17year old heads back to Auckland for round two of his second season where he will be driving some very competitive machinery in the 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." said McLean.

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

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." he said.

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 also on board former TQ champion Kevin Hyde who was ranked number one in 1998 and is the driving coach.

With the first round done and dusted McLean will head back to Western Springs this Saturday with more confidence in the new car and looking to harness the unique characteristcs of the lighter machinery and smaller wheels to tackle the front runners.

"I'm looking forward to this weekend and was able to learn some ways of getting the car to move faster in the opening round. 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." said McLean

ENDS

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