When you’re a kid from Mildura taking on the best Junior Sedan racers in the country, just making the trip is huge. But this weekend Ryan Burns (VIC12) didn’t just line up at the Australian Junior Sedans Speedway Title at Tyres & More Esperance Speedway in Western Australia — he delivered the kind of effort that makes Sunraysia locals puff their chest out a little.
Night one roll-over… then a proper comeback
The weekend threw a massive curveball early, with Ryan suffering a night one roll-over — the sort of moment that stops everyone for a second and reminds you how tough this sport can be. But Ryan was okay, and the team did what speedway people do best: dusted themselves off, got stuck into it, and kept the title dream alive.
And the best part? Ryan didn’t let that incident write the story of his weekend.
A seriously positive result
In a stacked national field (with 86 nominations), Ryan battled through the heats and finals and came away with an outstanding 5th place in the B main — a massive result at a national title, and even more impressive considering the early drama. That’s not just “good going”… that’s elite junior speedway.
Speedway runs in the family
If the photo to the right has a familiar face, there’s a reason — Ryan is the grandson of Mildura speedway legend Peter “Spider” McCarthy. And you can see that mix of grit and race smarts shining through when the pressure ramps up.
From Mildura to Esperance is no small journey, and to come home with a fifth place in the B main — after a night one roll-over — this is something Ryan, his family, and the whole Sunraysia speedway community should be proud of.