ONLY two years into his circuit-racing career, 17-year-old Fraser McConnell has racked up a trio of significant awards, claiming the 2015 Jamaica Race Drivers Club Championship (JRDC), the 2015 FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) Americas Senior Sportsman award, and the RJR Sports Foundation National Award in the motorsport category.

The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is the world motorsports governing body.

“I was overjoyed when I heard all the news,” McConnell told Auto.

He flew in last week to collect his two local trophies — the JDRC and RJR Sportman awards — while the third was collected on his behalf by Ibraheem Khan of the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC), at the FIA Americas Award ceremony held in Panama on January 16.

McConnell thanked his parents, Peter and Stephanie McConnell, and NG Racing for their support.

“I wouldn’t be here without them and I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” he said.

McConnell stepped up from karting in 2014, driving a Tru-Juice-sponsored Mitsubishi Mirage in the bracket 39 class. In 2015, he stepped up to the faster bracket 35, to much success, securing the circuit racing championship with a comfortable points lead over his rivals. Unfortunately, due to his school schedule, he will not be able to fully defend his championship.

“It’s a huge honour to see my name on the JRDC trophy,” he added.

McConnell’s diverse skills netted him the other two awards. Popular notion would have a karter more at home on tarmac, but McConnell is just as comfortable on loose surface as he routinely competes in dexterities and rallies, as witnessed by his recent outing at Canada’s Tall Pines Rally last November.

“Karting is the foundation, but it’s helped me in my adaptability to other forms of racing. I’ve always loved the challenge of fast gravel,” he explained.

McConnell’s long-term goal is to try and secure sponsorship to allow him to continue to compete overseas, and potentially purse a career as a professional driver.

— Rory Daley