It’s been nearly 18 months since we caught up with young go-karter Nic Reid. It’s fair to say he’s not the baby-faced 13-year-old we first met; he’s growing up into a skilled, accomplished and passionate racer.
Nic started racing go-karts when he was just 11 years old. Four years later he’s broken track records, competed at both state and National title events and travelled as far as Melbourne and Ipswich to compete.
He made it to the Australian Karting Championships at Coffs Harbour last year (and all of the rounds so far in 2025), and got to stand on his first of many podiums including at the Newcastle Kart Racing Club for the Club Championship Round 3 in April, a second place at the NSW State Titles in August and broke four lap records.
Nic said getting a win at his home track is something he’ll remember forever.
“Getting my first podium at Newcastle is definitely a highlight of the last 18 months, it was epic.
“Another highlight of the last year has been travelling around to so many different tracks. I spent three weekends in Melbourne coming back to school in between, soon I’m off to Dubbo, Brisbane and Melbourne again in the next month.
“Competing at the Australian Championships last year felt like a whole new level of racing. The atmosphere is unreal; on a normal club day you’re pitting out of your trailer but on the big race days there are rows and rows of tents with the whole team plus their huge semi-trailers.
“Karting Australia is also now live on 7Plus so that is also pushing the sport up a level for us.”
Nic’s father Hugh and his mum Anna have been there every step of his racing journey, encouraging Nic to motor towards his dreams.
“I can’t believe how far he’s come in the last 18 months. To come from not even getting a podium to 11th at the Australian Karting Championships, Nic is kicking his goals,” smiled Hugh.
It’s certainly taken a lot of effort from mum and dad to help Nic get to where he is.
“Last year for about three months straight we would take Nic to the Butterfly Farm track at Windsor. Nic’s mum would get him out of school around lunchtime and they’d head down and Nic would drive from 4:30pm til 8:30 then turn around and get home before midnight. It was a huge day.
“But he was doing that every week and that was when it all really started to click. It was a higher level of commitment, and we saw the results almost immediately. He learnt how to drive well, really fast.
“Then all of a sudden he was getting podiums and breaking lap records.”
Nic is still being coached by eight-time Australian champion Troy Hunt, another key to his success.
With Nic’s driving getting better and better, and goals of racing in the Toyota86 Series, Nic and his team’s attention now turns to sponsorship.
Nic is working at Kmart now earning some pocket money but that will only go so far.
“It’s certainly not a cheap sport and to get Nic racing to the best of his ability and continue climbing up the ranks we need the best gear.
“If there are any business out there who would be keen to jump on board, please get in touch.”
| To get in touch with Nic and his racing team head to their website: https://www.reidmotorsport.com.au/ |
