RIPLEY local Hudson James continues to showcase his skill on the track as the youngest race driver in the history of the Queensland Touring Car Championship (QTCC), competing with men with decades more experience in the sport.
The 20-year-old had never raced prior to 2021, and went on to win the 2022 series for Group C, before progressing into Group B and finally entering Group A for the second half of the 2023 season.
Last year, James finished third overall with 14,705 points, and with his blossoming talent is looking to mount the top podium spot in 2025.
He spoke with Local Ipswich News about his success so far and his plans for the year ahead.
“I’ve always loved motor racing and always been a big car person,” he said.
“I grew up around cars when I was a kid, around car yards and everything like that but we didn’t have the right financials for go-karting or anything like that.
“I went to a drive-day experience called V8 Experience down at Willowbank.”
Hudson’s passion grew and his career launched thanks to a chance meeting with his mentor, Rod Dawson.
“Rod asked me if I had ever thought about racing, and I told him that I would love to give it a go.
“He said ‘jump in the car and we’ll see what you can do’.
“He must have seen something in me, and we went from there.”
Making his success even more impressive, Hudson was born with a speech disorder and did not talk until he was seven years old.
He said he had been able to work through his anxiety, and on the track is where he feels most at home.
“In pit lane I feel really sick, but driving out of the pit lane onto the track, it feels like I’m just sitting on the couch at home.”
Alongside Dawson, his other mentor through his career to date has been former Excel racer Simon Winters, with both offering a great range of advice to the 20-year-old up-and-comer.
Hudson understands the level he is competing at and is proud of being able to race against older and more experienced drivers.
“To be able to compete against a guy like Rob Bellinger, who has been driving for a long time, shows that I am able to keep up and match it with them,” he said.
“In the future, I would love to tour with the Super Utes, with the Supercars, but it is going to take a lot of sponsorship.
“This year, I will be aiming to win the championship and be the youngest driver ever to do that.”
To support Hudson’s journey, please contact Rod Dawson on [email protected].
