No licence yet for speedy Manson
Teenager ready to step up in open class racing
It might be years before Logan Manson is legally old enough to drive a car on the road. But on the racetrack, the 14-year-old driver from Horowhenua College in Levin is showing himself to be one of the more promising Rotaxclass kart drivers in the country.
During racing Manson can hit speeds up to 110km/h and a string of podium finishes in pro-Kart series races this had seen him gain the confidence to take the step to Rotax senior class racing next season
That meant taking the start line against adult drivers.
“It’s going to put a lot of pressure on me. I’ll be doing a lot of practising. But I’m ready to take on the challenge,” he said.
Manson was part of the Dane Harte Racing team and sported team insignia on his racing gear.
Harte’s influence and training had been a big part in Manson’s improvement in the last couple of years. He was now recognised as one of the top drivers in New Zealand in his class.
In a sport where big dollars can dominate, the team behind Manson did what they could to be competitive without breaking the bank.
He was fortunate to have his grandfather Jack McGowan as a supporter and his biggest fan.
McGowan is head of a family support team that drives Manson to events all over the country. It was a great way to support his grandson’s endeavours, and it also meant the family had seen a lot of New Zealand.
Kart racing had already taken Manson to competitions in Italy and the United States, albeit prior to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Like most sports, the outbreak of Covid-19 had wreaked havoc on the sport and had resulted in many domestic events earlier in the year being canned.
One event that did go ahead was the North Island Sprint Car Championship in Hastings three weeks ago where Manson finished second.
He had led the field for 24 of the 28 laps, being passed by the eventual winner late in the race. He was looking forward
to the national event in Christchurch, but that race had now been put back until 2021.
But that recent second
placing in Hastings has given Manson the confidence to compete in the open grade.
Manson said he would like to one day be considered in the same class as top drivers Jackson Rooney, Clay Osborne and Michael McCulloch.
Meanwhile, next month he will get his first chance to race at Manfield in Feilding.
He was relishing the prospect of progressing to a car in the future if the opportunity arose.
“There are careers in motorsport for drivers, but realistically they are few and far between,” he said.
When Manson isn’t behind the wheel, he loves playing cricket for his college. The television at home was either tuned into cricket or IndyCar racing.