Proud family to cheer on as Olivia makes home track debut

Family will be cheering on at the Narrabri Speedway as Olivia Shoobert makes her home track debut this weekend.

Racing runs in the family for Olivia, with her father Michael set to return to the speedway this weekend, and grandfather Chris dubbed the ‘King of the Speedway’ in his heyday.

The family connection to speedway runs even deeper, with Olivia’s great-grandmother Barbara Jenkins, of Boggabri, starting out in the sport in the 1970s.

Her late grandmother Julie Shoobert, nicknamed ‘Jock’, was also an avid racer, and the family’s continued achievements in the sport have been celebrated over the decades.

In a fitting tribute to Julie, Olivia’s car carries the number of 55 – Julie was born in 1955.

Similarly, Michael’s cars have carried the number 69 – Julie’s birthday was September 6.

“We’re a real racing family,” Michael said.

“We’ve all had racing in our blood for years,” Chris said.

Olivia’s uncles Daniel and Patrick Cronin and cousins Tanisha and Luke Perrett can also often be spotted at the wheel of a race car.

For the Shooberts, this weekend will be a proud moment as they witness Olivia take to the track after starting in the sport late last year.

She has raced in Gunnedah, Tamworth, Gilgandra and Grafton and is developing her confidence behind the wheel.

Olivia raced at the Weeks of Speed meeting in Gunnedah last Saturday night, coming away with a fourth place in a heat and fifth in the feature.

One of the family’s proudest moments was a recent race in Gilgandra.

“She put her foot down and she was off,” Michael said.

Olivia would hit the wall at the meeting three times but she didn’t let it scare her off the sport which has become so intertwined with the Shoobert family.

“She’s getting faster and developing her confidence,” Michael said.

“We’re all proud of her.”

“Olivia’s our little speedway queen,” Chris said.

Watching her uncles race at a speedway meeting sparked an interest in Olivia who kept asking when she could take up racing.

Speaking to The Courier about her interest in speedway, she said she enjoyed the thrill of being behind the wheel.

Michael said Olivia was usually a quiet girl and that the sport has brought her in contact with new people.

“It has brought her out of her shell,” she said.

Michael will also return to the track this year in his new AMCA for some hot laps after an 18-year break.

“Seeing Olivia have all the fun made me get a new car,” he said.