Junior Karting Champion, Lachlan Mineeff
This week on our blog, we have a chat with junior driver, Lachlan Mineeff, about Karting and his journey in racing.
Staminade: How did you become involved in Karting and how old were you when you first started?
Lachlan: “My Dad raced Dirt Track Speedway in the 80’s and 90’s, so when I was 7 and I was Old enough he bought me a Kart. I first drove it at 7 and first raced at 9, since then I’ve been addicted to tar racing, luckily my little brother has taken to the dirt tracks to keep Dad’s racing spirit alive.”
Staminade: You recently came away with a state title as a Junior Karter at the NSW State Karting Championships, tell us more about this.
Lachlan: “The NSW State Karting Championship is a Series held over 3 rounds across the State. This year the rounds were held at Tamworth, Orange and Picton. I managed Take out 3 from 3 finals, won 11 out of 12 races. After this I was crowned the NSW State Champion. This was a pretty big mile stone for me as winning a karting state title is something I really wanted to achieve before I graduated to full sized cars, luckily I managed this right at the end.”
Staminade: You received an invitation to the invite only event on the Gold Coast called Race of Stars. What did this involve?
Lachlan: “After winning the NSW state championship, I was selected to compete at the Race of Stars event. It was an awesome event with world class competition, such the current Karting World Champion and 5-time Karting World Champion competing, as well as many other international competitors. I didn’t have any goals or expectations going into this event as my season had already finished, however it was still a great experience to be an invited driver at an international event.”
Staminade: How was the Formula Ford experience in your first National Title event at Sydney Motorsport Park (Eastern Creek)? We hear there are nearly 40 cars and it was your first national event. Did you learn a lot from this and how it has helped with your development?
Lachlan: “It was an amazing experience and I learnt heaps! National level competition is a lot tougher than state level competition, so it was great to race against 30+ cars. The weekend started a lot better than the Team and I had expected, Qualifying in 3rd position! The racing did not play out as well as we had hoped, however, I learnt a lot took away valuable knowledge and experience racing in a big field, ahead of racing the full National Championship next year.”
Staminade: What does training include for you? Has it changed as you move into Formula Ford?
Lachlan: “: In terms of mental training, I spend 4 hours a week on a race simulator, doing laps at tracks where I will race next. For example, If I have a race coming up at Sydney Motorsport Park (Eastern Creek), I will do laps on the simulator at Eastern Creek to prepare for the event and get my mind prepared for the track. I also do a test day at the track before the event to get my mind into the track, and tune the car setup. In terms of physical training I do a lot of cardio in the form of mountain bike riding, endurance is something we have to take very seriously as in some top tier race cars, cabin temperatures can reach over 60 degrees for extended periods of time.”
Staminade: What is your favorite part about racing?
Lachlan: “My favorite part of racing would have to be making gains in my performances and results, self-improvement is what it’s all about, but winning is a nice feeling also! The social side of racing is something I’m very grateful for as well, I’ve been gifted with many like-minded and life-long friends through motorsport and that’s something I’ll never stop being thankful for.”
Staminade: Hardest Part of Training?
Lachlan: “It would be trying to stay consistent in my lap times on test days, and finding the best setup for the car before race weekend. Also, staying mentally fit during the day, as physically demanding as it is, sometimes the level of mental commitment needed throughout an event is extremely draining.”
Staminade: It takes a lot of dedication in what you do, so how much training, focus and time spent developing your skills. What keeps you motivated?
Lachlan: “I couldn’t imagine what I would do without racing, I will never lose interest. Some people view racing as just something you do on weekends as a hobby, that’s a long way from the truth though, it’s a complete lifestyle of commitment to what we do.
Staminade: How does Staminade help you with your training, racing and recovery?
Lachlan: “Racing is a physically demanding sport with high cabin temperatures, keeping hydrated is key, and Staminade is perfect for recovery. It’s surprising how much of a difference having something like Staminade to rely on can make.”