Over the next few years he travelled around the local shows to continue the bump and grind, even heading to Parramatta speedway.

He loved the sport so much that he even gave up smoking to finance his new-found love.

“After I competed in the derby at Parramatta I decided to go into fender bender racing,” the 32-year-old said.

“That was two years ago and now I also race street stockers too.

“The two are quite different with fender benders spinning each other on the track while street stockers are stock standard cars that race flat out with no contact.”

In the 2103-14 season Wakeman was named rookie of the year at the Newcastle street stocker championships.

Last year he built a new VS Commodore starting with only a shell, wheels and no bonnet.

“I put in a new roll cage and installed a new EFI engine.  I am lucky I can do pretty much all the work myself as this saves quite a lot of money.

“It was finished in November last year and in Gunnedah on February 14 I came fifth in the NSW titles and then was named eighth in Australia at the national championships in Nowra on March 7.

“In the fender bender national competition held at Dubbo on February 7, I came second and was also the Bendy 500 winner at Parramatta on February 28.”

On the weekend Wakeman is heading to Sydney again to compete in more street stocker rounds.

“I’m doing okay with the pointscore so hopefully will have some good runs,” he said.

“I have won $2000 in prize money over the past month which goes towards my travelling expenses.

“My mentor and sponsor is John Lodge from Sawyers Gully, and local businesses Dungog Tyre Service and the Royal Hotel also help me out with sponsorship.

“Without them I would find it financially hard to continue competing.”

“I enjoy both fender benders and the street stockers . . . I don’t think I can let either one go at the moment, I’m having such a good time.”