Harness racing driver Wade Rattray has been selected to represent Tasmania at the Australasian Young Drivers' Championship in Western Australia next month.
The series comprises representatives from all Australian states as well as the two islands of New Zealand.
Rattray, 24, will be representing the state for the first time, although he is no stranger to success in these type of competitions having won the Tasmanian Youngbloods Challenge series this season after finishing runner-up in 2015.
"I am thrilled to have been selected to represent my state. It is an absolute honour for any sportsmen," Rattray said.
"There is always a fair amount of luck associated with this series because you need to get on the right horses in the heats but I'm hoping a bit of that luck falls my way."
Rattray is the son of prominent harness trainer-driver Kent Rattray but surprisingly Wade was a late starter having not acquired his driver's licence until 2014.
"I think I needed to make sure I wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps but once I did there was no turning back."
Rattray was an automatic selection for the series after being the equal second-best performed young driver during the 2014-15 season behind Dylan Ford who was ineligible because he has already represented the state twice.
The series will be held during the Inter Dominion series in December with the first of 10 heats to be held at Gloucester Park on December 2 followed by two heats at Bunbury the following night.
The series moves to the country circuits of Pinjarra, Northam and Narrogin where two heats will be held at each venue with the final and deciding heat to form part of the Inter Dominion final night program at Gloucester Park on 9 December.
Peter Staples