As they prepare to take the wheel on Father’s Day at the Muscle Car Masters, Glenn Seton and Andrew Miedecke have spoken of a growing pride for the racing success of their respective sons.
Seton and Miedecke are both full-season competitors in the Touring Car Masters aboard a Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro respectively.
Former front-runners in the Australian Touring Car Championship, both are still fiercely competitive today, as evidenced by a coming together on the opening lap of Saturday’s first heat.
The duo however claim they’ll get more joy from watching their respective sons Aaron and George do well at Sandown next weekend than they will out of any results achieved at SMP.
Seventeen-year-old Aaron will step up to the Carrera Cup at Sandown, making a one-off start in place of Scott Taylor, who is unavailable for family reasons.
The young Seton has spent the year racing for Taylor in the GT3 Cup Challenge after a brief stint in production cars on the way through from karts.
“It’s awesome for a father to watch their son come through from a young kid, watching the progression,” said Seton at the annual Muscle Car Masters Legends dinner.
“Aaron started in karts at seven and now in cars, he’s getting some fantastic opportunities with Scott Taylor in the Porsches.
“Watching him do so well in the GT car two weeks ago was more rewarding than what I get out of motor racing now from my results.
“Just to see your son come through and to be a part of it with him. It’s something that every parent would really enjoy being a part of.”
Andrew’s son George is a full-timer in the V8 Ute Racing Series and, at 29-years-old, is vastly more experienced than Aaron.
George’s racing career had included stints in production cars, Late Model NASCARs and the Dunlop Series, and will soon see a move into GTs alongside his father.
Andrew recently purchased an Aston Martin Vantage GT3, which he plans to share with George in the endurance events, starting with November’s Highlands 101.
“It’s a great privilege to have one of your kids share the same passion that you do,” added Miedecke.
“Glenn and I were talking about it the other day and we were both saying we’d rather watching our kids race than be racing ourselves.
“It’s the reason I’ve decided to go GT racing next year, because I really want to share a car with my son. I really can’t wait.”
Seton meanwhile has previous experience racing alongside his son in the Australian Manufacturers’ Championship, but now laughingly says he’d think twice about repeating the scenario.
“I’ll never forget Aaron when he was a fair bit younger, racing karts,” recalled Seton.
“We’d always have a lot of banter in the family about who’s faster.
“When he was about 12 he said to me ‘I’m going to kick your arse when I get older’.
“I’ve got to say I don’t put myself in the position now that he’s 17 to get in the same car as him, because he probably would (be faster).
“At the moment I’ve still got a bit of an upper hand because I can say ‘I’ve won some races’.
“But if I get in the car and he belts me, I’ll have no chance of helping to coach him along, because he won’t be taking notice of me any more.”
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