East Seaham’s Ryan Pike recently finished second in both the CAMS Victorian Formula Ford Series and the Victorian State Circuit Racing championships.
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The now 15-year-old started go-karting at the age of seven.
He has raced and practised on 61 tracks around Australia over the years and last year competed at the National Go Kart Titles at Cameron Park, Newcastle, where he was placed second in the country in the Junior National Heavy Category.
Ryan has since progressed in his racing career and has moved to car racing within the Formula Ford Category.
“He raced in this category this year at the mere age of 15 and due to his young age needed to race in the Victorian State Circuit Championship,” said his mother Fiona.
“This championship included circuits at Phillip Island, Sandown Raceway and Winton Raceway.”
Ryan is part of the Australian Racing Academy run by well-known Mark Larkham who is mentoring five drivers within Australia and overseas this year.
Ryan’s focus this year was to ‘learn’ the race craft for his anticipated future career and he has exceeded all expectations in his rookie year and ended on the podium numerous times.
Next year the Dungog High School student plans to step up the intensity once again and compete in the National Formula Ford Series which will include six rounds throughout the country.
“Ryan has raced at a national title at Sandown earlier in the year and is looking forward to mixing it with the best in the country for the full series,” Fiona said.
“He is part of the Synergy Motorsport Team based in Sydney which is managed by Justin Cotter.
“He is hoping to follow the footsteps of former Synergy Motorsport team member Chaz Mostert who has dominated the V8 Series this year and who also started his career in the Formula Ford category.”
Ryan is sponsored by two local businesses Jimbaran Engineering and Redline Direct and national business SMC Pneumatics.
He has also received local sporting champion’s awards presented by the Australian Sporting Commission over the years.