Rookie’s hopes stall

By Marc McGowan
ENGINE damage has brought Liam Williams’ promising rookie Formula 500 season to a premature end.
The 20-year-old Cranbourne driver was involved in a crash in the latest round of the Victorian Stampede Series.
The news came after having already been forced out of the opening three rounds of the championship due to a broken steering arm.
Williams will miss the final two rounds of the Victorian Stampede Series and now appears to be out of the running for the rookie-of-the-year award.
“The rookie-of-the-year award was something I was looking to pick up, but it’s made that tough now with me missing the end of the season,” he said.
“It’s still been a pretty successful season, especially the last two months after we changed a few things.
“We changed the exhaust pipes and the air filter and a couple of other things, and I’m smoother as a driver now.”
The highlight of Williams’ season was his round victory in the Victorian Stampede Series in Ballarat in March and he also recorded strong finishes in the Oval Express Series and the Wingless Nationals.
With the expenses racking up, the talented local is looking to turn his racing career into a business.
“It will make everything a bit cheaper. I’ll be selling cars, can claim when I go away racing and the parts will be a lot cheaper,” Williams said.
“I don’t bother counting (how much money I spend on my car) – I don’t want to think about it.”
And while the new season in Australia begins in November, Williams also has his eyes on the United States’ equivalent competition.
“I’m looking at going to America, but I’m not sure when I’m looking to do it,” he said.
“We haven’t sat down and worked it out, but a few Americans have come over here and they reckon anyone up the front here can be up the front over there.”
Williams will now focus on improving his fitness and will start next season with heightened expectations.
“A lot of my competitors have mentioned that I have improved,” he said.
“Once you know you can do it, each time you return to the track you are a bit more confident.”