JAKE Smith is at home behind the wheel – both for work and play.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Allansford sprintcar driver supplements his sporting passion driving trucks for his family’s business Mepunga Grain, lugging products “anywhere from Bathurst to Adelaide”.
“All I do is drive, during the week and weekends,” he said.
Smith, 25, is away from home up to three nights a week for work.
His father Colin plays a key role in preparing his sprintcar for meetings, including Sunday night’s SRA Series grand final at his home track.
Smith sits fifth in the standings behind Bendigo teeanger Rusty Hickman, Tim Hutchins, Brett Milburn, Brayden Parr and Charles Hunter.
He is the best-ranked south-west driver, having completed 11 rounds of the statewide competition.
“The old boy puts in a fair few hours,” Smith said.
“He is home every night and what I can’t get done (on the car), he gets done.
“He loves it more than I do.”
Smith is aiming to finish top five in the SRA Series and wants to make the feature on Sunday.
He has made the A-Main in all but two starts. He lamented the past couple of weeks where he’s been in the “wrong place at the wrong time and had a bit of bad luck”.
“Our consistency during the year has been pretty good,” Smith said.
“We’re getting to know more about the class and are getting more confident each time. It does (take time to settle) as there’s plenty to get to know and things are always changing.”
Smith, who completed a building apprenticeship before turning to truck driving, is part of a small five-member crew which is striving to match it with the big-budget teams.
“I’d just be happy with a feature win here or there and to be consistently up the front would be nice,” he said.