Ryan Howden, who just turned 16, won three titles in the Eastern Southland Car Club Championship that concluded at the start of the month.
The 2024-25 season had autocross, motorkhana and gravel events, and was ultimately won by Josh Cooper, of Cromwell.
Ryan’s mum Ismay said both she and her husband Glenn were proud their son had come fourth overall in the championship at the age of 15.
Ryan was born with a heart condition and underwent surgery when he was one week old, and for him to even be here, let alone racing, was "pretty cool".
"It gets his mother’s heart racing, that’s for sure," she said.
He came first in the under-18 autocross and ClubSport, which is autocross and motorkhana, categories, and won the Under-25 club championship, which also includes gravel events.
The Invercargill teenager said he raced in his Suzuki Baleno without thinking, and let his instincts take over.
"I just kind of go out and throw everything at it," he said.
"I just try whatever I can to get a better time."
His parents set goals for Ryan, and only after doing a season of autocross without hitting any cones was he allowed to drive on gravel.
This season his goal was to win the under-18 championship, which he did.
He started driving when rules allowed, at the age 12, but had been coming to events since before then, as his dad also races with the club.
"[He was] just hanging out to get in the driver’s seat," Mrs Howden said.
This year, his dad only beat him by two points, and Ryan said his goal for next year was to finally overtake his old man.
He practised at home with a racing simulator and said it helped him to learn car-control in any vehicle.
Rally driver Hayden Paddon also helped mentor Ryan, giving him pointers at a club event.
Mrs Howden said the club had a family feel, and their younger drivers learned car control and confidence that served them on the roads.
"The speed limits get a wee bit boring sometimes," Ryan said.
The Monday after Ryan’s 16th birthday, he got his learners’ licence.
"If he could have sat it on Saturday he would have," Mrs Howden said.
Ryan wanted to thank his sponsors NAPA Autoparts, Xtra Mile Tyres, AJ Auto Electrical and Laird Motorsport.
As a Heart Kid himself, he also promoted awareness for the charity Heart Kids NZ, and his car was "blasted" with its logo.
The adult winner of the championship Cooper won the Motorkhana Trophy in his Toyota Corolla, and the Autocross Trophy.
Ryan’s dad Glenn came second in that category.
Cooper ended the season with 169 points, Brendon Mitchell, of Winton, was second with 161 and Howden sen was third on 144.
In a press release, car club committee member Roger Laird said it was awesome to see the achievements of some of their younger members.
