Speedway: Speed demon's fast rise up the ranks

Sam Neil with his sprintcar and, below, during his karting days 13 years ago. Photo / Supplied

Hawke's Bay sprintcar racer Sam Neil is exceeding expectations big time ... and fooling commentators in the process.

In his fourth meeting recently the Mount Maunganui-contracted Neil was on his way to first place in the feature of the Bay Park Trophy meeting and track commentator Jamie McCarthy had no idea who he was.

"I discovered later that while I was on my way to the chequered flag Jamie was on my Facebook page trying to work out who I was. Normally it takes drivers new to the class at least three seasons to get up to race pace. I've done it in four meetings," Neil said.

In his previous meeting the 22-year-old apprentice diesel mechanic from Napier was third in the feature at Gisborne and in his first two meetings Neil raced off the back of the field at Palmerston North and Bay Park. While the progress of the Til Freight and Curran Engineering-sponsored driver can be placed in the unbelievable basket his previous motorsport history suggested there was a chance it could happen.

Neil took up karting as a nine-year-old. A 3NZ, second placing in the North Island champs, a Top Half Series Trophy and multiple club championships were among his highlights in the cadet class.

Next was a one-year stint as a motocross rider. His best result on two wheels was a second placing in the Hawke's Bay Enduro series.

Two seasons as a sidecar swinger, one for Kim Johnston and one for Andrew McNamara, served as his next motorsport fixes. Two seasons in the TQ ranks, one at Meeanee and another in Christchurch, followed.

Among his notable feats in the TQ ranks was beating Hawke's Bay's Todd cousins, former 1NZ Craig and current 1NZ Duane, in a Meeanee feature last season and a top seven finish in the national championships. Despite these achievements Neil wasn't satisfied - he wanted to race a sprintcar in a class which has been described as the ill-tempered offspring version of Formula 1 on dirt.

"I first watched sprintcars at Western Springs in Auckland four years ago. After three or four races I was hooked. I've always been about going fast. The noise and power of the sprintcars also appealed to me."

Neil knew of an opportunity to buy a quality car like one raced by Auckland driver Jamie McDonald was too good to turn down. "It's the wildest thing I've ever driven. It's 600kgs and can put out 850 horse power. I'm already reaching speeds around the 170km/h mark," Neil said.

Neil's goal is to be racing at Western Springs by the end of the season. "Because of the speed of the cars in Auckland and the number of them up there there's a greater chance of damage and I can't afford damage. That's why I haven't been there yet. But if I could secure more sponsorship I would be up there regularly," Neil said.

This weekend Neil will race against Auckland's best drivers at the Bay Sprintcar Championship at Bay Park. No doubt if he has similar success to what he experienced during his last outing at Bay Park Neil may find himself racing at Western Springs well before the end of the summer.

Something which is guaranteed this weekend is the fact McCarthy will know who Neil is.