Grant provides timely boost for racing club
MOTORSPORT: The club which jumpstarted the career of world Indy car champion driver Will Power has received a timely boost.
Toowoomba’s Short Circuit Motor Sport Association president Derek Pingel said a significant Gambling Community Benefit Fund grant is great news for the club.
“Will Power (IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner), Ben Gersekowski (driving for Lamborghini on the European tour) and Brendon Pingel (Aussie Racing Car Champion) all started driving with the club when they were 14 (16 for Will),” Pingel said.
“Our mission is to give young drivers a platform to come and develop their driving skills before they get near a public road.
Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP congratulated Short Circuit on their successful grant.
“Toowoomba has a world class pedigree of producing outstanding drivers,” Janetzki said.
“This grant will help in a small way towards continuing that tradition.
The club will use their $28,300 grant to purchase a purpose-built trailer for race meets.
Pingel said the trailer was due to be finished at the end of February and would be used to house all the club’s equipment, technology, track gear, promotional gear, radios and fire extinguishers.
“It will be a one stop shop with everything we need to run a race meeting and promote junior driving and junior motor sport,” he said.
“It will also serve as an administration trailer.”
Pingel said he was very proud of their family-friendly club which also produces safer drivers.
“Statistics have shown there is a much lower on-road accident rate for club drivers than people who haven’t gone through these sorts of driver programs,” he said.