Stockcars: Penn in Maulers debut

Jason Penn gets some tips from his son Jacob, 3, in the buildup to his first drive for the Meeanee Maulers tomorrow night. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Jason Penn admits he's never been one to plan ahead.

Considering the Hawke's Bay stockcar driver will debut for the Meeanee Maulers in tomorrow night's re-run of the rained out January 31 Peter Barry Memorial Stockcar Teams event at Hauraki Meeanee Speedway it's not a bad policy to adopt. However the third-season driver who has replaced veteran Tony Palmer, who is unavailable with a bout of concussion collected at last weekend's North Island champs in Wellington, pointed out if he performed well he may become a regular teams racer.

Several factors are already working in his favour. As a bricklayer with Wynands Masonry by trade Penn, 41, has the necessary physical fitness to cope with the bash and crash which comes with teams racing.

During the three seasons Penn has raced he has been part of a couple of winning Best Pairs combinations at Meeanee. And of course there is his surname.

The father of four is a son of 2005 national superstock champion Bryce Penn and a brother of 2013-14 national superstock champion Shane Penn.

"Obviously they are more into superstocks but I can always go to them for advice. Dad is always there and puts a word in my ear if I'm not doing things right," Penn said.

"I'm still learning about car set-ups and dealing with corners. But I'm getting better."

In addition to the Best Pairs successes, Penn has been a regular race winner on his home track. He qualified at the North Island championships in Auckland last season and almost qualified at last month's Palmerston North-hosted nationals where he had the misfortune of being taken out by a Palmy driver when he was running third in his final heat.

A former quad bike racer, Penn, like all the other drivers in the eight-team event, won't find out until the draw is done tomorrow night who he will be racing against and what role he will have.

"I'm sure the nerves will kick in at some stage but at this stage I'm pretty excited," Penn said after a final check of his car last night.

The Maulers were disappointing a month ago when beaten 160-35 by the Palmerston North Pumas and 165-30 by the Bay Park Bulldogs.

"We had a team meeting earlier this week. The boys weren't happy with those results and are keen to lift their performance," Penn said.

Although multiple national champion Peter Rees, the bloke who was concussed when his car was smashed into the wall by Palmer a month ago, is missing from the Pumas line-up because he is saving himself for superstock teams racing, the defending champions will still be worthy of respect regardless of who they draw. Inaugural champions the Waikato Raiders are another outfit capable of taking the title home.