Awesome Allen credits hard work behind rise

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 21 June 2025

At just 19 with 22 races under his belt, Kai Allen already has a Supercars podium, and it was no fluke.

Race 18 of the 2025 Supercars Championship will never be forgotten by the Allen family and all of Mount Gambier as the Grove Racing rookie kept many established stars behind to finish third.

After qualifying fourth, he jumped Cameron Waters off the line before passing Matt Payne and Brodie Kostecki in the final stint to secure the breakthrough podium.

It is the latest step on the stunning rise of Allen, having broken records in Super3 after minimal Toyota 86 starts before stepping up to Super2 and sealing the championship on debut.

Now in the main game, Allen has only worked harder, and the results are undeniable as he has featured increasingly more in the top 10 before getting the breakthrough third at Hidden Valley.

Having dreamed of this moment all his life, Allen was buzzing in when he got out of the car and admitted he did not expect the trophy to come so early.

“It is surreal and to get it in my last race as a teenager is really cool,” he said.

“I cannot think Stephen, Brenton Grove and the whole team enough. They backed me and its great to give them something back.

“I did not expect to get one so early to be honest.

“All the sacrifices over the years from my parents and the hard work was to get to this point.

“I don’t know what to say. All the emotions are coming in.”

Broc Feeney welcomes Kai Allen to the podium club. Image: Grove Racing

A feature of Allen as soon as he arrived on the scene following a successful run through karting was his composure.

This was on display as he calmly pulled away from Waters to establish third and then reel in Kostecki to reclaim it at the death.

But what makes the performance even more impressive is the fact that this was just his sixth ever session driving around Hidden Valley Raceway.

Another key trait of Allen is his work ethic, and he used every ounce of it in the fortnight since the Perth Super440 to be in such a competitive position when he arrived at Hidden Valley Raceway for the first time.

“It is a new track as well and I have never been here so the bloke next to me (Garth Tander) taught me a few tips,” he said.

“I did so much work in the gap between Perth and here to prepare on the simulator.

“I did a lot of research on previous years and analysed each corner because she is pretty tricky, but started to get the hang of it.

“The guys gave me a great car, and I could be super consistent with my lap times and manage it to the end.”

The podium follows an impressive drive at Perth where Allen rose from 22^nd to eighth thanks to a mega opening stint where he learnt a lot about not just tyre wear, but also the car.

The teen credited the experienced members surrounding him, from co-driver Tander to teammate Matt Payne, plus engineer Alistair McVean and former Triple Eight members Grant McPherson and David Cauchi.

“The biggest thing is taking in everything these guys are telling me,” Allen said.

“There is so much going on, and my brain has not quite grown up yet! I have such a good team around me, and I am just all ears, trying to take the key bits in and keep chipping away.

“If I can keep improving and take something positive from each round, and move forward is the key.

“It is a super competitive sport, and you cannot just gain 10 per cent straight away, it is about all the one percenters.

“Tasmania was a bit of a rocky road, but finishing eighth in Perth was a massive step in my driving and how to manage a race.

“The stint at Perth taught me a lot and was one of the best learning curves I have had in motorsport.

Grove Racing celebrates Kai Allen’s first podium. Image: Grove Racing

“Once I got in clear air, I really knuckled down and it gave me a clear understanding on what the car needs to feel like in those stints.

“Being inexperienced, it is hard to feel that and communicate with my engineer on the set-up.

“I thought back to why I was fast in that race and what I needed from the car to continue that pace, and now to be on the podium is unreal.”

As the question turns to what’s next, Allen is adamant that the processes and mindset that got him this far will not change.

“Not really,” Allen responded when asked if this will change his mindset.

“I will always give it my all, whether I am down the back or near the front.

“I learnt a lot and now its taking bits and pieces for tomorrow.

“There is a lot to go through tonight, and going through the data and vision to see how I can improve.

“I always come to the track with the same mindset, looking to give it my all, and that will not change.”

The breakthrough is timely for his hometown, as the Darwin Triple Crown may be the last round available for locals to watch live on Channel Seven in Mount Gambier.

No matter what happens in the TV world, fans can expect Allen to be spraying a lot more champagne in the future.

Supercars Darwin Triple Crown (times AEST)

Practice 1: Fri 13.20

Practice 2: Fri 15.25

Qualifying R17: Sat 9.05

Qualifying R18: Sat 9.55

Race 17 (42 laps): Sat 12.15

Race 18 (42 laps): Sat 15.40

Qualifying R19: Sun 9.35

Top 10 Shootout: Sun 12.05

Race 19 (70 laps): Sun 15.10

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Awesome Allen credits hard work behind rise

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