Is Brock the next Brock? - From the Queensland Times

(http://www.qt.com.au/news/is-brock-the-next-brock/2056525/)

WHEN you’re named after racing legend Peter Brock, there’s a fair chance your life is going to revolve around four-wheeled speed.

Brock Plumb, a self-assured but laid-back Ipswich Grammar School Year 11 student, is in the fast lane on the road to the top in car racing.

Brock had just turned eight when he started racing karts.

“Dad used to race back in the 80s and 90s and he won state titles – he was pretty successful – and then he got me into it,” Brock said.

“I started in the cadet category and gradually worked my way up and now I’m racing in the Stars of Karting Series which is the leading Australian championship. They’re open and we’re all controlled on to an IAME 125cc engine.

“It depends on the track but the top speed is usually 130kmh-plus. It feels a fair bit quicker than a car.”

Impressive, especially when you consider Brock is only on his learner’s licence.

He has been invited to compete today in the Race of the Stars, a joint initiative of V8 Supercars and Karting Queensland that will have many of Australia’s top karting drivers at Xtreme Karting in Pimpama.

It kicks off the Gold Coast 600 Festival, the week-long celebrations for the Armor All Gold Coast 600 next weekend.

Brock, who has won six state titles, will race in the Pro Light category today before heading overseas for his next challenge.

“In two weeks we’re going to Japan; I’ve been chosen to represent Australia,” he said.

“I’d kind of like to follow in the footsteps of Chaz Mostert. I was a good mate of his and we used to hang out a fair bit at the kart track. Now he races in the V8 Supercars for Dick Johnson Racing and that’s what I’d like to do.”

It’s taken for granted that Brock loves speed but there’s much more to racing for him.

“A lot of people see it as driving around and around in circles but once you get into it you see it’s not,” he said.

“There’s a lot of tactics and it’s more like mental warfare; you’re constantly trying different things and you’ve got like 40 other competitors on the track so you’ve got to take that into consideration as well.”