But now he is carving out his own path in the Youth categories of the sport.
The 14-year-old James Hargest College pupil drives far beyond his years. Before he was eligible to race Youth Saloons at age 12, he would sit and watch videos of his brother racing and dissect what he was doing lap by lap.
McIntyre started racing at Aotea Electric Riverside Raceway in a Toyota Corolla in the Youth Saloon grade. Since then he has also contracted a Youth Ministock to Central Motor Speedway as the local Riverside club don’t run this grade, so he now races two classes, sometimes having to race both cars on the same day.
Last season, McIntyre broke an arm playing rugby which hindered his speedway season — that and a mechanical gremlin in his Ministock led to what could only be described as a very frustrating year.
But he has returned more determined than ever.
McIntyre has turned out some solid results so far this season, winning the Central Otago Champs in October, placing second in the Ministock Christmas Champs at Central Motor Speedway against a fairly competitive field, and was Youth driver of the night at the meeting just one night later.
Recently, McIntyre entered the Gold Rush Ministock Challenge in Cromwell and won all three races to be crowned Gold Rush Champion. He backed that result up with three race wins in a 19-car field at Riverside one week later in Youth Saloons.
McIntyre still has the Southland Youth Saloon Championship to go this season, at Riverside Speedway on Saturday. A win or placing at this even will certainly ensure the trophy cabinet at the McIntyre household is well stocked over the speedway off season.
