Aaron Humble’s weapon of choice is a steel chassis that weighs 700kg, made from the parts of a Datsun 1200.
That’s the Ministock car he drives and has had quite the run with in recent times, winning the Waikato championship, as well as those in Christchurch, Wellington and Wanganui.
For the St Paul’s Collegiate student, it’s a family thing.
"Mum and Dad have been around it for ages, and Dad use to race in the Minisprint class and he was third in New Zealand for that, so I guess it’s just in the blood," he said.
"My oldest brother raced in my car previously and then handed it over to me when he turned 17."
Ministocks are designed for teenage drivers looking to ease their way into the stockcar world, but they still provide their fair share of rough and rumble action.
"It can be a bit dangerous," says Humble.
"Stuff happens right in front of you and you have little time to react, so your reaction speed’s the key to being a success and avoiding the carnage."
The 16-year-old’s scariest moment so far came at a race in Tauranga.
"I tried to pass a car and the track wasn't in the best condition and someone tagged me and I just turned sideways and flipped three times, but I was okay."
But while there’s plenty of competition on track, what Humble enjoys most about the sport is the camaraderie that forms off it.
"I think it’s just the bonds you form with other competitors, and the rivalries you have on the track, but then you come off the track and have a laugh about it. Just doing it week-in, week-out is a thrill," he says.
With everybody’s cars bound by tight specifications, Ministock racing is a real test of a driver’s ability, says Humble.
"You've always got to be at the top of your game, because if you're not, then you're at the back."
One of Humble’s most important tasks is making sure his car remains fit for purpose.
"Since you do so many meetings in such a short period of time, you have to look after the engine and change the critical things every couple of meetings."
He’s had a lot of help from his dad, Chip, in that regard.
"I only knew what a nut and bolt was when I first started – now I could probably do half the maintenance on my motor."
This weekend brings the final two competitive races of the season, in Huntly on Saturday and Wanganui on Sunday, which Humble has had to make a sacrifice to get to.
His other passion is rugby, but he’s missing a game this weekend in order to hit the dirt track two more times.
He'll have plenty of time for the oval ball game soon, however, as he plans to take a couple of years off from racing, now that he’s grown out of the Ministock class, to save up the money required to give the higher classes a proper crack.
"I'll have a couple of years off while I build up the bank account, then go big boy racing," he says.
