Unfulfilled dreams are common but Dapto teenager Lachie Nicholas Mineeff is leaving no stone unturned to race cars professionally.
The 17-year-old apprentice boiler maker is currently competing in one of the most competitive categories of Australian motorsport as a privateer in the National Formula Ford Championship.
Following in the footsteps of other well known racing drivers such as Mark Webber, Craig Lowndes and Will Power, Lachie has set his sights on a professional motorsport career.
And the youngster is doing whatever it takes to realise his dream.
Lachie has a loan for his race car that he is paying off as an apprentice.
To pay it off as quickly as possible he works extra odd jobs to support his racing.
Lachie has always had a passion for cars and thanks to his parents' reward system for doing well at school, started racing go karts at Kembla Grange track
Success there led to state level racing around NSW in the junior and senior categories.
Before long the motorsport journey took him further and at age 15 he finally got into a full size race car when his family purchased a formula vee.
At this time Lachie was a student at Shellharbour Anglican College but then moved to Illawarra Sports High School to take part in a motorsports program, where he developed his skills and physical fitness further in preparation for open wheeler motor racing.
To support his passion for racing, in 2022 Lachie left school and took up a career in metal fabrication as an apprentice at City Coast Services in Albion Park Rail.
"Working as an apprentice has helped me to gain new skills, grow in maturity and also fund my journey into the Australian Formula Ford Series," Lachie said.
"The journey so far has been very exciting and I have continued to learn and develop each time I race.
"My Dad and I travel all over the country together, having raced in Queensland, Tasmania, NSW and Victoria for the first time in 2023 with more races in Victoria and South Australia to come."
Highlights so far include two fifth-place finishes in Sydney and Tasmania.
Football identity, former-South Coast Flame first grade coach and current Shellharbour U20s youth grade coach Neil Mineeff, was proud of his son's achievements to date.
He said to maximise his skills and keep fit Lachie also races for Oak Flats based go kart team Karting Solutions in the SEK endurance karting championship.
Lachie also plays football for FC Shellharbour in the U20s district league competition where he is coached by his father.
"I would not be able to race if it wasn't for my family and the amazing local businesses that help support me," he said.
"Local businesses such as City Coast Services, Watercom, Foreshore Shipping, Lakeview Lodge, New Era smash repairs, AES Racing Mufflers, edsil group, Green Dragon Heat Cream, Wollongong Auto Parts, Baimed Physiotherapy and Pyms Shavers have all contributed to help me."
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content.
Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
