Dream year for Darren

By Casey Neill
FERNTREE Gully’s Darren Hossack has won two national motor sport titles in less than a month.
“It’s been one of those dream years,” Hossack said.
The 38-year-old took out the Sports Sedan National Series at Springvale’s Sandown Raceway on 30 November.
Hossack entered the final round eight championship points clear of six-times series winner Tony Ricciardello.
Ricciardello won the first two races, landing the pair on equal points ahead of the final race.
“He had better pace than we did,” Hossack said.
“But we fought to the end.”
Hossack felt the pressure going into the last race.
“You can only go out there and do your best,” he said.
The pair “bashed panels a bit along the way”, but Hossack said the encounters were far from fiery.
He was “more relieved than anything” to get the checked flag and secure the championship.
Hossack wasn’t sure where Ricciardello was placed in the final race or by how many points he claimed the championship.
“I couldn’t see him in the mirror and that was enough for me,” he said.
A fuel pump failure meant Hossack failed to finish the final race at New South Wales’ Oran Park Raceway in August.
“We were the strongest team all year but one mechanical failure put him (Ricciardello) back in the championship,” Hossack said.
He will race the car again next year, but is not yet sure which series he’ll tackle.
Hossack won the two-round Australian Superkart Championship at South Australia’s Mallala on 2 November in just his sixth superkart outing.
Hossack is also in the running for the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) Motorsport Personality of the Year award. He is one of 17 nominees from across Australian deemed a good role model, personable and a fair competitor.
The winner will be announced on 12 December at the 2008 Australian Motor Sport Awards. The motor sport public has the final say. “Just to be nominated is a privilege,” he said.
His friends and family have registered their votes.
Hossack now has his fingers crossed, but isn’t holding his breath.
“When you’re up against people like James Courtney and Jim Richards…”