‘Horror’ start no hurdle for Black
SPEEDWAY: He could have been forgiven for quitting as quickly as he began.
A horror crash in his rookie year broke then 16-year-old Sean Black’s T4 vertebrae but it didn’t break his spirit.
Racing in the “30/30” Super Sedan feature race at Toowoomba Speedway in 2008 he tangled with another driver and cannoned mid-air into the concrete wall, destroying his car and badly injuring his back in the process.
“I broke my T4 and I crushed my T5 and T6 vertebrae,” the 27-year-old said.
“Doctors said I was lucky to be still walking. They told me I basically had to lay still and rest for three months. That wasn’t easy but I didn’t really have a choice.
“I don’t think I ever thought about giving racing away but I could understand why people would think I should have, it was pretty scary. Looking back on it I was probably even more determined when I finally got back out there. It wasn’t an ideal start to my Super Sedan career but 10 years on I’m as committed as ever to be the best I can be,” Black said.
The mechanic at Toowoomba Steering and Suspension is now in the best form of his life and this Saturday night he takes on the cream of Queensland talent in the Brims Concrete Series as part of the Schultz Sedan Spectacular.
While his rival Matt Pascoe builds Black’s cars, it’s Sean’s mum Leah who “makes it all happen”.
“Mum used to be a passenger with her brother in the Bomber class back in the day and she’s always had the heart of a racer,” Black said. “I work on the car and get it there but mum makes it happen. Without her and my boss Dennis Bullpitt none of this would be possible.”
Black has worked for Bullpitt’s Toowoomba Steering and Suspension for his entire working and racing career.
■ A FREE sausage sizzle and showing of some of Australia’s best Super Sedans will be held on Saturday at Hughes Car Sales in Ruthven St from 9am-noon.
Three-time national champion Darren Kane, former champion Matt Pascoe, North Queensland flyer Trent Wilson and Sean Black will sign autographs, show people over their cars and chat to all interested fans. One lucky fan will win a family pass to Saturday night’s meeting in a free raffle.