A Great Britain team all set for the battle

Frankie Wainman believes the crowd at the ENZED Dewtec Teams’ Champs will be enthralled by the Great Britain team who will attempt to qualify for Sunday night’s semifinals at the Robertson Prestige International Speedway.

‘‘We have a young team; in fact they all call me Grandad as I am more than double the age of the rest of the team,’’ the 51 year old said.

Wainman had no doubt his drivers are keen to get into the race and have the pace and ability to attack the opposition.

‘‘We have had a few talks and I’ve explained that I am sure we have most of what we need to be successful. The only area we will be at a disadvantage is the ability to read a race and what is happening around the track. Teams’ racing is totally foreign to us. It’s not like drivers in the other teams who have grown up with teams’ racing. I am sure we can overcome that.’’

It would have been a big loss last weekend when the two teams’ races against the Hawke’s Bay Hawkeyes were cancelled when the event at Meeanee, Napier was abandoned because of the weather.

The current F1 World Stockcar champion, Charlie Sworder, is just 19 years old and last year became the youngest-ever UK world champion. In the final Sworder took advantage of a crash at the front – that included Wainman – to slip by and take the world title.

At world 240’s at Rotorua a fortnight ago Sworder was on the pace, before going out in the third heat along with Jelle Tesselaar and getting some practice at attacking other cars.

‘‘It was just gave us a chance to practice having a go at other cars and see how you do it,’’ Sworder said. ‘‘There were a lot of cars in the race and I know that in the teams’ race you are just after four opposition cars.’’

Wainman said he’s expecting a lot from Sworder. ‘‘He is Mr Entertainer and doesn’t give anything on the track.’’

Tesselaar brothers Jelle and Niels fly to England each week to race with Wainman, who has built new cars for them. With them racing each week in England they have quickly become accustomed to the top level and recently Jelle, 23, and Niels, 20, began the European championship final on rows two and four. Jelle was in a great position until Tom Harris took both of them out.

‘‘It shows that the British drivers really see the two Dutch drivers as a real threat with their pace,’’ Wainman said.

While the other three may be debuting at the Teams’ Champs, Wainman is likely to be a key to the team’s success and sure to be a target for the other teams soon after the race begins. Wainman Jnr Jnr has quietly stepped up at each teams’ race he has been in and is sure to be a driver to watch.