Western Springs Speedway TQ Midget drivers Lawrence Baker and Paul Le Cren, have done NZ Speedway proud, by winning the Trans Tasman Compact Speedcar Challenge

held at Lismore Speedway, NSW, Australia.

Baker and Le Cren were offered a drive in the Aussie Compact Speedcars (similar to our TQ midgets in many ways, but heavier and with bigger engines) for the 2-day Trans Tasman Challenge held over Australia's National Holiday weekend (24/25 Jan. 2009), coming home with the overall victory. (NZ 96pts, NSW 90pts, QLD 87pts, VIC 82 pts)

Arriving in the heat of Lismore on Friday the 23^rd, they had media commitments followed by a practice in the Australian owned and prepared cars supplied to them. But due to heavy rain the night before, practice was cancelled. 

Saturday the 24th and a very warm 33 plus degrees under clear skies, with 31 Compact Speedcars from different states of Australia on hand to take part in this eagerly awaited event.

Baker's and Le Cren's experience as drivers and their combined mechanical knowledge helped them throughout the 2 day event to get the best possible out of the cars, and they did well to get good placings in each of the races, doing the Kiwi’s proud.

They did remarkably well considering they were in cars they had never driven before, on a track unlike any in NZ.

Race one and the first go in the cars, Le Cren’s car would not go and continued to have electrical issues throughout the 2 days. However during the trans-Tasman races the Australians offered other cars to compete in, meaning both Baker and Le Cren got good results over the 8 Trans Tasman sprint races. After the first day, the Kiwi’s led by 3 points. By the end of the 2nd night they won by 6 points. (Between the 2 nights racing both drivers had to jump in and out of 4 different cars!)

Baker and Le Cren also did well in their heat races and features, with Baker winning a couple of heats (one against the very fancied Australian number 1)  with both drivers also moving many places forward in the races that they were in.  

The first nights feature race was very busy, Baker completing the race in 3rd overall, with the Auckland driver then having to park the car on the track before climbing out and getting Le Cren to climb in the same car that he had not even driven yet, ready to race in his feature. This was due to Paul’s car not being able to start. His grid position was at the back but finished with a 4^th place.

The final nights racing and the 25 lap feature, Le Cren’s car again let him down and would not start but Baker did us proud coming in 4th overall from a grid 7 qualifying  position in the 21 car field.

Baker and Le Cren also went over with a 17 strong team of supporters (family/crew) who sat proudly in black shirts and with the silver fern flag, in the rather vocally loud Australian audience. There was a roar of laughter as our national anthem was played – Yes, they played part of ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ for us before the proper anthem!

Both drivers are now getting ready to continue the seasons TQ Midget racing through NZ and are looking forward to the NZ TQ Nationals to be held at their local Westerns Springs Speedway track on February 28^th, 2009.

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