Scott Connole cleans up at NSW Formula 500 awards night following another super season

Local formula 500 speedway driver Scott Connole cleaned up at the NSW Formula 500s 2022/23 season awards presentation late last month when he returned home from the Singleton event with four prestigious trophies.

The 45-year-old Narrabri racer was crowned the NSW Formula 500s club champion and was also announced as the winner of the NSW Gilitrans Series, the Tamworth series and the best-presented car for the season.

Following a successful go-karting journey, Connole made his debut in the formula 500 racing arena in 2016 and has gotten better and better each year.

The NSW Series win was a third in four years for the Narrabri man, who has developed a reputation as one of the drivers to beat wherever he goes. He had previously claimed the 2018/19 and 2021/22 series and was runner-up in between.

The NSW club champion honour was his second in as many years and he has now won the best-presented car four years running.

The Connole Racing leader was proud to have won them all again and he told The Courier that the 2022/23 racing season was another enjoyable one.

“It’s all pretty exciting and caps off another good season for us,” he said.

“It’s good to be recognised for our effort and our achievements because it’s pretty hard out here in the bush.

“We’re the ones that have always got to travel. To have those trophies sitting on the mantelpiece at the end of a season really makes it all worth it.

This season’s three-round Tamworth series and the five-round NSW Series both wrapped up at the Oakburn Park Speedway on Saturday, May 13.

The Narrabri driver was second in the Tamworth series going into that final night and he won the feature to finish first and also get the job done in the NSW Series.

Connole thanked everyone who helped him along the way during the 2022/23 season, including supporters, sponsors, his family, and especially his father-in-law Graeme Baxter who spent another season on the spanners, ensuring the car was always ready to race.

Connole and Baxter work tirelessly on the car so that it not only performs to the best of its ability but also has a sharp look as well.

“Winning that (the best-presented car award) acknowledges the level of professionalism that we like to give our sponsors,” Connole said.

“They invest in us, so we don’t want to just have their names scratched on a greasy old pair of overalls, we want to give them value for money.

“We might not be the fastest car on the track on a particular night, but we’re proud knowing we’re the best presented and our sponsors are really getting the exposure they deserve.”

Connole and Baxter have already started to strip down the car to begin preparations for the 2023/24 season.

“I think it’s shaping up to be another exciting year,” Connole said.

“Next season, we are going to not only do the formula 500s with the wings, we’re going to look at what they call the micro 600s, wingless.

“Basically the same car as what I drive, just without the wings.

“I’m very excited to give that a run.

“It will be a very different driving style, which I’ll have to get my head around.”