The Formula 500 driver was flying back and forth between Queensland and Victoria for races.

"I'm a plumber by trade but I was working in a motel with my parents up there," he said of the Sunshine State.

"It became pretty expensive to fly home just to race."

After two years of constantly checking in luggage, it won't be a regular occurence any more as McLeod moved back to the south-west three weeks ago.

He had an ideal homecoming on Friday night, when he took out round four of the Oval Express Series at Premier Speedway.

The round doubled as the Jack Willsher Cup after it was washed out in November.

McLeod is hoping this weekend holds another accolade ? the Victorian Formula 500 title, which will be contested at Avalon.

"I've won it once, in 2007 and I've been runner-up," he said. "It would be such a good thing to win in your home state."

The 24-year-old set a sizzling time on Friday night, which smashed Jack Willsher's 1973 race record of seven minutes and 12.50 seconds.

McLeod whizzed around the track in 4:41.42.

"It was good to do it but I didn't really know about it until someone told me that I broke it," he laughed.

It was an entertaining 20-lap final, with McLeod starting from two while Cobden's Jess Moulden gained pole position.

McLeod missed the start and slipped back to about fifth while Queensland veteran Mick Pronger jumped to an early lead.

Moulden reeled in the seasoned racer and continuously attempted inside passing moves but Pronger ensured they weren't effective.

Rookie Jye O'Keefe and McLeod stormed into contention late in the race, with the four drivers fighting it out for the lead.

"At the start of the race we had the car set up a bit tight," McLeod said.

"We were just seeing how it went.