Flat tyre costs teenager a shot at stunning win
Teenager Blake Tracey took Trans Am by storm with a stunning drive in the Sandown finale, but was left wondering what could have been.
Starting on the fourth row, Tracey flew on the slippery Sandown surface and rocketed up to second within three laps.
And he was not done there with the 18-year-old, even catching experienced Supercars star James Golding as he was on his way to a commanding round win.
Tracey held second place until Lap 24 of 30, having reduced Golding’s advantage to as low as 1.5s.
However, sadly, a flat tyre brought his charge to an end and he could do little as he drifted to 16th.
Despite the ending, Tracey had captured the hearts and minds of the Trans Am paddock following his stunning charge.
He has already impressed in 2025, taking a maiden podium at Bathurst.
But Sandown was the stage for Tracey to show off his wet-weather skills, which were honed on his family farm.
“I love the wet. I grew up on a farm driving a Falcon around a paddock after school and work,” a buzzing Tracey told Auto Action after producing his eye-catching drive on his 18th birthday.
The shredded left rear tyre that slowed Blake Tracey. Image: Thomas Miles
“I knew I had to focus on my corner exits and started catching Jimmy.
“I was hoping for a bit more rain, but then caught some lapped traffic came and had a bit of a moment, hitting my rear right tyre on the last corner and almost losing it.
“After that I felt a bit of a wobble in the steering wheel down the straight and radioed my tyre was going flat.
“It just got flatter and flatter and was spewing at the end.
“If it had stayed wet I don’t see why I could not have had a fair crack at Jimmy at the end. I was keen for that!”
Read the new issue of Auto Action Digital HERE
Buy the new issue of Auto Action Premium HERE
Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here or you can purchase a copy of the latest issue from one of our outlets here.
