Matt in fast lane to glory

MATT Campbell hasn't set a timeline on his ambition to drive V8 Supercars – he just wants to make it to the highest level in the sport in Australia.

TC, Bill and Matt Campbell at the historic racing car event in Warwick.

MATT Campbell hasn’t set a timeline on his ambition to drive V8 Supercars – he just wants to make it to the highest level in the sport in Australia.

He first drove racing cars at the minimum allowed age of 14 and two years on has already driven a Formula Ford and will move up to test drive a Formula Two this year.

“I want to make the V8 Supercars, it don’t matter what age I make it,” he said.

“My aim is to go as far as I can in the sport.”

There is plenty of family support in his quest to make it to the V8 Supercars which will mean being part of the biggest event in the nation each year at Bathurst.

He has already competed in his Datsun 1200 in a regularity event at Bathurst as have grandfather Bill Campbell and aunt TC Campbell.

All three drove in the historic cars race meeting at Morgan Park at the weekend with Matt’s mother Angie working on timing the races in the officials area.

He will represent Darling Downs in schoolboys hockey this year and reckons hockey helps his fitness.

“You need to be fit for motor racing and make sure your muscles aren’t tight,” Matt said.

At the weekend, he swapped his Datsun 1200 for Bill’s Torana.

“The Torana is harder to drive as it is heavier, it was nice to drive something different,” Matt said.

But he handled it well enough to move from 14th on the grid to sixth in one race after experiencing a few car problems in qualifying.

Bill said to be honest, his grandson was nearly going too well.

“He is as competitive as I am and I have a lot more experience,” Bill said.

This weekend, round two of the Southern Downs Motorcycle Series is on.

Originally published as Matt in fast lane to glory