Noah Kitto, of Dunedin, was named Youth Saloon Competitor of the Year at the New Zealand Speedway Awards recently held in Auckland.
After being named a finalist and travelling to Auckland for the awards night, Noah did not expect to take away the trophy.
"I knew I had a good season and I was hoping to win it but I never believed I would actually be able to win.
"The second my name got announced I don’t remember anything else."
Inspired by his grandfather, Charlie Hayde, who competed at Beachlands Speedway in the 1980s, Noah began racing in the 2021 season.
He has raced a Honda Integra DA6 at Beachlands for the past two years.
Last year’s season was filled with setbacks.
"We spent it chasing a whole bunch of mechanical gremlins all season long and had no luck.
"This season we rebuilt the car, reshelled the lot.
"It is the same car but just into a new body."
The rebuild turned his performance around in the most recent season.
Although he had little practice before the season began in November, a new focus on being "really competitive" paid off.
"I went out and won my first race from six on the grid.
"Then from there, it just went up and up and up."
When the next season starts in November, Noah will move from the youth saloon class to the adult production category.
He will start the campaign in a new car, a Mitsubishi FTO 2-litre V6.
Driving a more powerful car, the new grade will enable Noah to take part in events beyond Beachlands.
"I’m able to go race at more tracks now and compete at more events."
He hopes to earn a place on the Dunedin Young Guns production saloon team at Beachlands Speedway.
He also plans to contest championships offered in the adult production level.
Noah is also aiming to gain a spot at the Aotearoa Production Cup at Cromwell Speedway.
A student at Otago Boys’ High School, he has spent his holidays interning at Pit Stop in South Dunedin.
He thanked Pit Stop and his other sponsors and highlighted the achievements of his fellow local finalists and winners.
Beachlands Speedway president Matt Stewart, of Dunedin, received the Wendy Coutts Award for Contribution to Speedway.
Jareb Verdoner, of Balclutha, was awarded Streetstock Competitor of the Year and Daryl Shuttleworth, of Invercargill, was named Speedway Commentator of the Year.
