CURRENT Queensland speedway champion Brad Pascoe is continuing his family’s victorious traditions as he prepares to defend his state title.
Brad, 19, has just completed an incredible history-making title treble in Tasmania.
The Mutdapilly-based racer won the latest Grand National in Hobart – just days after clinching the Tasmanian Super Sedan state title in Launceston and the Tasmanian Grand Prix at Latrobe.
Brad is the only driver to win all three Tasmanian races in the same season.
He was also the youngest competitor in 50 years of events to achieve the fabulous feat.
His stunning success was capped in Hobart where he led the entire 50 laps final.
The first 40-lap final on January 13 was extra special for the Pascoe family with Brad finishing first ahead of his second-placed dad Mat.
“That’s probably the best part about it,” Brad said, appreciating his father’s long-time support.
“That was probably the coolest one – finishing one-two.”
Brad, as the youngest ever winner, then went on to take out the 50 lap Grand Prix feature and $12,500 prizemoney at Latrobe.
Brad’s older brother Zac also races as part of the Pascoe dynasty.
Zac, 21, finished 11th at the Tasmania titles, came sixth in the Grand Prix and finished seventh in the Grand National.
“Zac has got a fair bit of rivalry but I don’t really care,” Brad said, proud of his latest achievement.
Brad is working with his dad, who builds cars through his Sweet Chassis business started in 2007 on their 40-acre property.
“He is teaching me everything,” Brad said.
The rising speedster said racing around the country was a huge bonus.
“I don’t know what I’d do without it,” he said.
Brad started competing in junior speedway before working into the super sedan ranks aged 17.
He said winning the previous state title in Toowoomba, his first, was satisfying.
However, he has a number of races to complete in coming weeks before focusing on defending his title in Bundaberg this year.
Mat continues to oversee the three Pascoe family cars, having been one of Australia’s most successful speedway racers winning eight Queensland titles and four national championships.
“We’re always working together,” Mat said.
“They are three different cars but they are very similar so we work them together and try all different set-ups.
“This is probably the main year where we are all in good cars.
“We’re doing a bit of a tour. It’s like 10 rounds where we’ve done Tassie and all the way to WA [Western Australia].”
The Pascoe racers finish the speedway season in Queensland.
That includes what is an emotional family event – the Graham Pascoe GP53 Memorial event in Gladstone in May.
Former motorsport enthusiast Graham is Mat’s dad, who passed away in 2018.
Mat travelled with Graham to America in 2005, to improve his racing and engine-building knowledge.
Mat said Brad was continuing the family legacy, displaying his dominance by winning the Tasmania title in his previous race car.
“It wasn’t as if he got lucky,” the proud dad said.
“He still drove away from us and I couldn’t stay with him.
“Brad’s doing really good.
“He’s just doing a basic package and trying little things for himself.
“My car, we’re just trying new stuff with it.”
Of the first 10 cars to finish the Grand National event, six were built by Mat at the Mutdapilly headquarters.
Other family members to help out included Les Pascoe, who drove one of the trucks and crewed at events.
Mat has plenty of motivation to keep developing better cars and racing with his sons hot on his heels.
“They beat me all the time now so I’ve got to try and catch them.”
