MEMBER RIDE

Kris scored the team’s first win at the Krikke Boys Shootout in Bunbury this February. But at the following meeting in Bunbury, after being “miles in front”, a yellow light forced Kris back into the pack and Merger ended up with third place.

“That’s the way of the motorsport we run,” Scott said. “You can be hero one minute and zero the next.”

Kris, who comes from a racing family, started competing in sprint cars when he was 16, but bowed out of the sport in his 20s until Scott gave him the opportunity to race full time.

Like Scott, he also enjoys the social side of the sport. “You do make a heap of good mates out of it,” Kris said. “It’s like a second family.”

But the true calling for the self-confessed adrenaline junkie is hitting average speeds of 140-150 km/h while flying sideways around a dirt track. “It’s just something you’ve been brought up with and it’s in your blood,” Kris said.

Kris, a diesel mechanic, also effectively manages the car, including ordering parts for the vehicle through Merger’s Capricorn account, which he finds really easy.

Merger had an unlucky season this year with some engine issues, but the team still managed to finish fifth.

They have their sights set on bigger things next year. As long as Kris steers clear of the walls and expensive bills, Scott will still be happy no matter the result.