The Warrnambool driver, 22, was a jubilant, emotional mess after his triumph in the Jack Willsher Cup at Allansford’s Premier Speedway on Saturday night.

The race is named after Willsher’s grandfather, a man who has been the biggest backer of his emerging career and who he describes as “my best mate”.

“People can call me a sook. I got that chequered flag and doing my victory lap reality set in. I broke down,” he said.

As he composed himself, Willsher said the win marked the high point of his career. He saluted in the Tasmanian title last summer but that meant little in comparison. Even an Australian title wouldn’t overshadow winning “Pa’s Cup”. “This means the world to me,” he said.

But the triumph seemed highly unlikely seven days earlier when Willsher damaged a motor contesting the Tasmanian title at Hobart.

Engine builder Tony Van Ginneken “burnt the midnight oil” all week to build a new power plant in time for Saturday night.

Such was the short turnaround, “it was half the motor we had earlier in the year”. Willsher was hopeful of a top-10 finish at best.

“It broke my heart last week blowing a motor. It’s that cut-throat. The sport costs that much,” he said.

“I wanted to quit. I said ‘I’ve got a free speedcar ride, I can rock up with my race bag, race and jump out’. I said ‘park the formula, I don’t care’.

“We had to buy a motor during the week. It’s eaten into our Speedweek funds now.

“I’m lucky I know Tony.  Great bloke, good mate and best engine builder I could ask for. He bent over backwards to get me here tonight, knowing how much it meant.”

But as much as Willsher is indebted to Van Ginneken, it’s 79-year-old Jack Willsher who has been the biggest influence on his career and life.

“He helps me out here and there. Every time I go away somewhere he’ll give me a few hundred dollars fuel money. He’s my biggest supporter by a long way,” he said.

Willsher placed second and third in his two heats, tallying enough points to start the 20-lap A main out of position two, next to pole sitter Mark House.

He got the jump on House when the green flag fell before a crash sparked a restart. 

But he was similarly quick the second time around, again rushing to the lead.

Willsher was never headed thereafter. A crash-filled race cut his advantage on multiple occasions but also meant he did not have to deal with lap traffic.

House, who had travelled from Western Australia, was second while Warrnambool’s Robbie Trewartha took third.

“I realised after about two laps I was that stuck on the bottom that no one was going to get by me around the top,” he said. “I’m glad I never got lap traffic because that would’ve made things interesting.”

afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au