Stockcar racer Michael Fleet won the prestigious Harry Fredrickson Cup in Mount Maunganui.
Rotorua stock car racer Michael Fleet has ended a tumultuous season on a massive high.
The 22-year-old had his issues throughout the season as car troubles meant he only finished about half of the 20 races he entered.
However, earlier this month he travelled to the Baypark Speedway in Mount Maunganui for one last spin in the dirt and came home with the prestigious Harry Fredrickson Stock Car Gold Cup.
"I was going over just for a skid really. They had the Tauranga Bay of Plenty Champs over three races and the fourth race was the Harry Fredrickson Memorial. Where you finished in the first three is your grid position in the fourth race, I was grid five," Fleet said.
He showed maturity beyond his years to navigate the chaos of the 12-lap race and work his way towards the front.
"We had a group of about five who started to pull away from the field, then it was just tussling for positions as we started to lap other cars."
Rotorua stock car racer Michael Fleet won the Harry Fredrickson Gold Cup in Tauranga. Photo / Ben Fraser
Fleet spun the favourite from Auckland and pushed fourth place out to make it three cars battling for the front. He was sitting patiently behind two cars when they got into "a bit of a tangle" and went wide on the corner. He saw an opportunity and made his move, spinning them both into oncoming traffic and racing away to take the win.
"I was basically just waiting for something to happen, I knew something would happen, I just had to be patient. I try to be as smooth as possible, I probably should be more aggressive but it's only my second season in the class so it will come.
"I was pretty happy because I had a pretty bad season to be honest. I had engine problems, over-heating, and we were out for most of the season. I changed the motor this season and we were just trying to sort it out.
"It was nice to finish with it going right. We don't normally go over [to Mount Maunganui], but they have nationals there next year so I wanted a run on the track."
Fleet is from a speedway mad family, his father Murray Fleet has been involved with the local speedway scene for most of his life.
Fleet raced in the mini stocks from the ages of 12 to 17 before taking two years off to work and save up for his own stock car.
He said it felt good to win knowing he had funded his own way.
"It's always nice too, knowing there are people who have spent a lot more money than I can but I can still be competitive."
He hoped the win would help attract sponsorship.
"It's what I've been waiting for, to get a couple of results under my belt so I can say I've actually accomplished something. I like to win, I like to be at the pointy end of the field - if I wasn't there I'd have no drive to actually do it."
Fleet will spend the off-season pulling his car apart and making sure it is running smoothly with the hope of competing for a New Zealand title next season.
