Tasmanian junior speedway champion to compete interstate as he aims to turn professional

13-year-old Ryley Minehan has conquered Tassie and is now ready to take on Australia as he pursues his dream of racing professionally in America. Here’s what’s next for the young gun.

Ryley Minehan 13 of Old Beach who has won the state title in junior sedans with 12 feature wins out of 17 shows and will compete interstate next season. Nikki Davis-Jones

He has already conquered Tasmania, and now 13-year-old Ryley Minehan is ready to take on the rest of the nation.

He won the Tasmanian junior series speedway championship for this season.

Now Minehan is planning to take part in races on the mainland in his push to become a professional racer.

“My dad and pop got me into racing. They did circuit racing, but it was a family friend who introduced me to speedway racing,” Minehan said.

“It’s a lot of fun.”

Ryley Minehan 13 of Old Beach who has won the state title in junior sedans with 12 feature wins out of 17 shows and will compete interstate next season. Nikki Davis-Jones

He said he was thrilled to have won the state series.

“I’m hoping to leave in October to go to the mainland and race over there. I’ll probably travel to Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and maybe Queensland.

“There’s better racing over there, and I want to improve my driving.

‘I’d like to go to America when I’m older and go professional.”

By going interstate, Minehan was expecting a hectic traveling schedule.

“We’ll be fly in, fly out.

“A lot of the speedway racing is during the day so I’ll still be able to go to school in Tassie while racing in the mainland.”

Minehan says he is still planning to do races in Tasmania despite his push to compete on the mainland.