Troy Hutchins

And finally, we meet Troy. At 16 years young, he’s the ‘grasshopper’ of our team who led Flora Hill SC’s victorious Old Bearded Mate team across the line first at last year’s RACV Energy Breakthrough. There’s a 9 year gap between the oldest team member (Nige) and Troy.

Name: Troy ‘Chomper’ Hutchins
Age: 16, the grass hopper of the team
Where do you live: Spring Gully. Home of Callan Ridge. (mothers lock your young daughters up!)

What is your job and where do you work?
Apprentice welder, East End Engineering, East Bendigo.

How does your job connect to BYR?
Well, Daryl might need a horse float or a dog trailer one day.

What’s the best about being in BYR? Having a laugh and the friendship.

What’s part of BYR do you find most challenging?
Getting everywhere without my P’s

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Nigel Preston

Here we interview BYR's very own Nigel Preston about his extensive HPV racing career and his involvement in our sport all around Australia. Nige is just one of BYR's original members that we have welcomed back into the team for 2008 as he gives us an insight about what he enjoys about BYR.

1)Age? 25

2)Where do you live? Hawthorn

3) What is your job and where do you work?
I'm a Youth Marketer at World Vision Australia. I coordinate our youth activist website STIR, as well as our offerings on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Bebo & MySpace.

4) Number of Races? 10, since 1998!

5) As a Key member of the RACV Energy Breakthrough (EB) Committee what is it that drives you to volunteer your time to organise and run what is arguably the most exciting race on the HPV racing calendar?
The EB is such a unique and - as you put it - exciting event that I am driven to give other young people the best experience there too. I was hooked by the EB back in 1996. I stayed awake all night inspired by my brother Luke's riding. As my wife says: 'it's in my blood'.


6) After having leaving BYR after Murray Bridge in 2006 vowing never to return. What is it that enticed you back to the team. What did you miss about it?
I missed the combination of the engineering & physical challenge. I missed doing things with my mates. Men don't tend to just hang out, we need to DO something (unless there's beer involved). I also find that BYR brings out my best. I was very upset when I left BYR in '06.


7)You have been at just about every HPV race for the last 10 years what sticks in your mind as your best memory/moment from HPV Racing?There are quite a few, but I think Winning 2003 by 10 seconds when I passed Team Ballistic on the last lap. People still mention that to me. That was special.
Other highlight's include:

• Racing with my bro Luke & Tim Ralton in '06
• Arriving at the EB for the first time as a competitor in '98
• Seeing Daryl King lead the next generation to victory in last years EB.
  
  8) What is the best thing about being involved in BYR? The laughs. Rallying together around a common goal and going for it. There's No holding back. We're all emotionally invested in making the best vehicle go as fast as it can.
  
  9) What is the Hardest part about BYR? For me, travel back to Benders & trying to feel connected to a team that's 150km away. Training is sometimes easy and sometimes hard.
  
  

10) And Finally BYR don't promote crashes but they are an unavoidable part of our sport. What is the most spectacular crash you have been involved in or seen? Qualifying, Molten Chicken, 2001.I'd spent the whole session telling everyone to keep it on 3 wheels before I hit crash corner at full speed and put it into the barrier.
The most spectacular I've seen is probably Brad Doyle at the EB in about '99. He came into crash corner, barrel rolled about 4 times, emerged from the wreckage to salute a cheering crowd.

Meet others in our team here

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BYR help out at the RACV Energy Breakthrough

A whole host of Bendigo Youth Racing guys will be rolling up our sleeves and giving some back at the RACV Energy Breakthrough later this month in Maryborough, Vic.


We all cut our HPV racing teeth at the 'Breakthrough and feel as though we are now in positions to 'give something back' to the sport that has given us so much. (yup, that's pretty cliche, but I think that's how it is.)

Daryl King, is Team Manager / Co-Head Honcho now at Flora Hill SC, and will be inspiring a whole crew of young people on the journey.

Rowan will be helping out with the Try-athlon, Anson will be helping out with some judging and many others will be in support roles with a range of teams or being extra hands.

Me - well - I pretty much work on the 'Breakthrough all year round, putting in between 8 - 15 hrs a week. I do it because I love it and it's this time of the year when everyone starts getting excited about the 'great race'.

It's really different from the AIPP, it's the vibe, the school spirit, the team morale - it's a festival atmosphere that gives everyone HPV racer - BYR and beyond - a rush!

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BYR Take Some Tunnel Time

The Bendigo Youth Racing team returned to the RMIT Wind Tunnel on Saturday October 20th not only to test our vehicle BY-O6 MkII, but also to assist the RACV Energy Breakthrough crew as part of the Transurban Vehicle Efficiency Day. This fantastic opportunity was organised for teams that are entered in next months RACV Energy Breakthrough. The BYR team was responsible for running three of the four test stations which included, weighing each vehicle, Rolling Resistance and Manoeuvrability tests. The team thoroughly enjoyed the day and the opportunity to ride a vast variety of vehicles from Hybrids to HPV's . And for the priceless knowledge that was gained in the wind tunnel for possible future modifications to our Aero Package. We had a fantastic day and would urge more teams to get on board if the day goes ahead again in 2008.

Above: Rowan sqeeze's into the hybrid from St Mary's Nathalia.

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