Werribee sprintcar racer Charles Hunter has been rewarded for his persistence.
It has taken 18 long seasons but he finally achieved his maiden podium result in the 410 Sprintcars.
A love for the sport kept Hunter going and striving for that elusive podium finish.
Hunter savoured that feeling on the big stage at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway.
“After trying to make it on to the podium for almost 20 years and then to finally have it happen in such a sudden way was a surreal feeling,” he said. “My family is a huge part of the reason I’ve kept racing over the years, so it’s really amazing to be able to give something back to them after all they’ve done for me.
“I really can’t thank them and my sponsors enough for their continued support.”
Hunter had enjoyed a number of heat race wins, but had never stood on the dais when it counted in a race for points.
The 35-year-old came so close on occasions with a number of fourth-placed finishes, including a fourth at Hamilton’s Western Speedway two weeks prior.
All the near misses were forgotten about for one night at least.
Competing in the 12th round of the Eureka Garages and Sheds Series, Hunter was running a familiar fifth 28 laps into the 30-lap feature race. With the chequered flag approaching, Hunter noticed some drivers slowing in front of him and he made a late bid for the placings and managed to snare third place.
It was a long time coming for Hunter’s first podium finish.
Hunter’s foray into sprintcars began as a 16 year old alongside his dad Butch.
Modifications to Hunter’s sprintcar have been crucial to him enjoying his most consistent season to date.
He has only missed out on three feature races and sits fifth in the series standings.
“We knew we had a good engine, but we wanted to try something new with the chassis this season,” Hunter said.
“We’ve definitely still got a bit more to learn about the new car, but I think that given our results over the last month, we’ve got a fairly good idea of what we need to be doing.”
