OAKVILLE’S Aaron Grech had a point to prove as he drove behind the wheel of his Formula Ford race car this year.
Grech had worked for many years as a mechanic on cars, and over those years had soaked up quite a lot of knowledge from drivers.
He had a one off race weekend in 2012, but otherwise, had never truly taken on the risk and excitement of high speed racing at any level.
Yet he never doubted his ability to drive nor his ability to learn how to drive.
“The reason I wanted to race was to prove I could learn racing in a way different to other people,” he said.
“Most people learn in go-karting and work their way up over years.”
Grech though learned by osmosis, by talking to different drivers over the years on cars he had serviced and made race ready.
Grech said he figured out the best traits of all the different drivers, and tried to combine them together when he suited up this year in the NSW Formula Ford championship.
It came down to the very last day of racing, but Grech managed to finish the season on the podium.
“I didn't end up leading the championship until the last day of the final round,” he said.
“I was behind all year and then in the second last race of the year.
“In the last race I finished second and it was enough to win the championship.”
Grech said he was fortunate to be in a fast car. His team, Anglo Australian Motorsport, has won the championship for the past nine seasons.
“The team owner wanted to make it 10 and he offered for me to have a go at racing,” he said.
Grech, who has worked on and off as a mechanic for racing teams since he was 16, said he was unsure whether he would have another season in 2017.
