SIX-year-old Ezra Woodforth’s dream of becoming a Supercars driver roared to life last weekend – complete with pit lane passes, autograph signings and the smell of burning rubber.
In the lead-up to the Ipswich 440 at Queensland Raceway, Ezra was surprised with an unforgettable experience, thanks to Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) and Optus.
The young motorsport fan spent the day shadowing his hero, Optus ambassador Chaz Mostert, joining the team’s pre-race debrief, touring the garage and even handing out his very own driver cards to fans.
It all began when Ezra’s mum, Chelsea, wrote to WAU, explaining that her son had proudly listed “Supercars driver” as his dream job in his school yearbook.
“My favourite part of the day was hanging out in the pit garage with Chaz,” Ezra said with a grin.
For Mostert – who started his own racing career in Ipswich at age seven – seeing Ezra’s joy was a reminder of why he loves the sport.
“His energy and excitement was infectious,” Mostert said.
“Motorsport is all about passion, and it’s pretty special to help make a dream come true for a young fan like Ezra.”
Chelsea said the kindness shown by WAU and Optus had created a memory their family would cherish forever.
“When I first reached out, I never imagined this would be possible. This is a weekend we will never forget,” she said.
Optus Local General Manager Nick Channell said he hoped the day would fuel Ezra’s ambitions.
“It’s wonderful to see such passion for racing at such a young age,” he said.
“We’re thrilled to help make this dream a reality – and we hope he keeps dreaming big.”
