By Tayler Strong
Brad Williamson will follow his brothers, Nathan and Matthew as a New Zealand representative in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship.
Brad, along with Robbie Close, Kyle Marshall and Matt Anderson is representing NZ in the series which commences at Gloucester Park, Perth on Friday night (2/12/16) in conjunction with the Inter-Dominion series. The quartet are due to travel to Perth on Thursday.
Heats are also run at Bunbury, Pinjarra, Northam and Narrogin in Western Australia with the series winding up at Gloucester Park on Inter-Dominion Final night, December 9. Brad is booked to drive at Invercargill the next day.
Brad was the leading New Zealand junior driver last season with 70 wins; Close won the Australasian series in New Zealand last year; Marshall was the leading North Island Junior Driver last season and Anderson had the top UDR. It will be the first time Brad has driven in Australia.
“I am looking forward to the trip. It should be good experience. I am hoping for some good horses with good draws,” he said.
“I have discussed it a lot with Matthew over the last fortnight because we work together (at the Oamaru stable of father, Phil). He has told me about different rules that apply in Australia and a few other things.”
Matthew finished second to Josh Dickie in the 2011 series in New Zealand and Nathan finished third to Danielle Hill (South Australia) and Stephen Reed (Western Australia) when the series was staged in Queensland in 2009.
Matthew was the leading New Zealand Junior Driver in 2012-13 with 113 wins and Nathan was twice runner up to Dexter Dunn and second to Gavin Smith in New Zealand Junior Driver premierships.
Matthew teamed with Dickie and Zac Butcher for the 2011 series, He finished seventh in the 2013 series in Queensland. Nathan was paired with Dunn and Bob Butt in 2009.
Brad has made the transition to the ranks of open drivers with 12 wins this season.
His trip to Australia has ruled him out of the “Brothers in Arms” series at his home track at Oamaru on Saturday (3/12/16). He was to have paired with Matthew. Nathan will continue his association with Matthew, a combination that won the series on grass last year and 2013.
The Dunn brothers, Dexter and John have been replaced with the Hunters, Hamish and Peter as Dexter has driving commitments in Perth.
The other brother combinations at Oamaru on Saturday are David and Philip Butcher (victors in 2010 and 2011); Ken and Clark Barron (successful in 2012), Jay and Sailesh Abernethy (2014), Gerard and Leo O’Reilly.
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