Bittersweet Year for Baines Family Motorsport
| press release | 12 December 2013 |
| Tweet | |
As the 2013 season approached the Baines Family Motorsport Team were looking forward to the year ahead.
Young gun Jake was moving into the senior ranks after a very successful junior campaign which saw him take out 3 class championships in 2012, 2 State Championships and 2 Australian Championships .
However, senior racing was going to be a new learning experience for him, while Dad, Wayne was preparing to move from the heavy classes he had also tasted success in to move into the Clubman Light class to race with Jake.
Above: Jake #14 and Wayne # 47
“It is going to be interesting to see just how good he is and the best way will be to race him, I am really looking forward to it” was Wayne’s statement in February as they prepared for Round 1.
The team entered both the NSW Speedway Kart Club and the Central Coast Speedway Kart Club season championships and really were just looking to be competitive as Jake was in his first year and Wayne was giving up nearly 20kg’s on the class.
As the season got under way expectations changed after Jake won the first 4 meetings the team contested, closely followed by Wayne who picked up 3 second places.
As the season unfolded the pair would share round wins at most meetings and started to look like a threat to the Championships at both clubs
However a mid season set back would hit the team in July with the tragic loss of a family member which had the potential to de-rail the season for the boys.
After a number of hard weeks and with the support of many people and club members from both clubs the team decided to refocus and make sure that the season would now be in honour of niece and cousin Melissa.
In the back half of the season the team raced as hard as they could and at season’s end Jake and Wayne had run 1st and 2nd respectively in the Clubman Light Championship’s for both clubs.
The team also picked up a number of other awards at the two presentation ceremonies and these are listed below.
Another highlight of the year was when Wayne picked up his 4th Australian Championship winning the Over 40’s Clubman class.
“It was really great to get to race with Dad this year, he has taught me everything I know and it was good to use that against him to beat him. I also learnt a lot more racing against him”, stated Jake at last weekend’s presentation night .
2013 Achievements
NSW Speedway Kart Club
Jake - 3rd Overall Club Championship
1st Clubman Light Championship
Winner of Speedcar Top Gun Challenge(gets to race a Speedcar at Valvoline Raceway)
Wayne - 2nd Clubman Light Championship
President’s Award
Central Coast Speedway Kart Club
Jake - 1st Clubman Light Championship
Highest Senior Points Scorer
Trophy Hunter Award
Wayne - 2nd Clubman Light Championship
Senior Drivers Driver Award
With the season now in the record books the team would like to thank the many people that helped make it a memorable one the them.
Sid and Marlene Hopping from Hoppings Mowers, Rydalmere
Ian Baker and Tim Baker
Shane and Jodie from Krikke Motorsports
Gavin Skeene from Stillshot Photography
Danny Stewart from Sketchy Graphix
Darren from Rams Race Engines
Ralph Green from DTO Racewear
Bruce Benson from Benson Racing Karts
2013 In Memory of our Melissa
