At the 27th Historic Leyburn Sprints on August 19-20, Queensland’s youngest racing drivers will have the chance to start their motorsport journey or hone their skills in a special competition that could be the first step to motor racing stardom.

There is one week remaining until entries close with event organisers urging drivers aged between 14 and 17 to take advantage of a half-price entry fee of $125 for the Mike and Ann Collins Memorial Junior Trophy contest.

The winner will receive $400 and second place $100 from Get Chopped Greenmount Hotel.

The trophy was named after the late founder and Race Director, and his late wife.

It was introduced in 2018 and this year’s entrants will follow a string of youngsters who have continued onto mainstream motor racing careers.

Jett Johnson, grandson of Dick Johnson, was a Leyburn Junior in 2019 and is now, at 17, won the TA2 Series in 2022 and is a leading contender in Super3 this year.

Although never a Junior entrant, Matt Campbell was Leyburn Rookie of the Year in his teenage years.

He now has an international career in World Sports Cars as a Porsche factory driver.

“Matt, Jett and many the other young drivers who have passed through the Historic Leyburn Sprints have all gained priceless experience while being mentored and supported by older drivers,” said Sprints President Tricia Chant.

“The Darling Downs has an incredible record of producing motorsport stars, from Matt Campbell to Indy500 winner and IndyCar champion Will Power, to Supercar driver Will Brown and even a racing car constructor and Lotus Formula 1 engineer, John Joyce.”

Instead of chasing fastest times, the Junior regulations centre on the young drivers’ ability to match a target time set at the beginning of the weekend.

They will lose points for being too fast or too slow.

All entries for this year’s Sprints close at 17:00 on Friday, July 7, and organisers expect up to 220 historic, classic and performance cars, ranging in vintage from 1925 to modern-day.

Leyburn which is around 200km west of Brisbane comes alive each year to celebrate the 1949 running of the Australian Grand Prix, held on a disused wartime aerodrome just outside the township.

The Queensland Government’s Queensland Destination Events Program and the Southern Downs Regional Council provide financial assistance to help promote the Sprints.

It is also supported by Motorsport Australia. Proceeds from the community-run event are used to assist community organisations and projects, including the Historic Leyburn Sprints Community Benefit Fund.