Mount Gambier teen racing sensation Kai Allen has a driving ambition as he gears up to pilot the same Triple 8 built car Supercar he raced to victory last year in the Dunlop Super2 Series.


Last year, the Eggleston Motorsport driver became the youngest person ever to win a Dunlop Series Championship in the event’s 24-year history when he crossed the finish line at the VAILO Adelaide 500 in November.


Allen will kick off his 2024 season on February 23 at Bathurst on the world-renowned Mount Panorama circuit where he made his Repco Supercars debut as the inaugural Dick Johnson Racing (DJR) wild card entry alongside Simona de Silvestro.


Despite his Supercars success, the youngster said his home town of Mount Gambier will forever hold a special place in his heart.


“I love Mount Gambier, I still spend a lot of time down there with mum and dad and I am pretty much basing myself out of there from now,” he said.


“I love the town, I love the people and I am grateful for all the support they give me.


“It is cool to be part of it and even try and pave the way for young kids from Mount Gambier to see that you can achieve something from a little town.


“Hopefully one day if I get to the main game, I will definitely give back to the town.”


The Blue Lake boy was not alone on the podium in 2023, with fellow Mount Gambier driver Jobe Stewart taking out the 2023 Dunlop Series Super3 Championship.


“Two Mount Gambier boys winning the Super2 and Super3 championships is pretty cool,” Allen said.


“We both shared the podium at Adelaide too so for our home state event it was cool to see Jobe win that and I think the town absolutely loved it.


“It is pretty surreal to think not long ago we were racing karts, now we are racing big bad Supercars and we still talk about it to this day, all those go karting memories.”


Allen said while he hoped to gear up for a guest seat in Repco Supercars this season, nothing had been confirmed.


“I am looking to do some enduros again like I did with Simona in the main game, obviously we’re working through a lot of that stuff at the moment,” he said.


“We have just got to wait and see if we can get some deals done and hopefully I will be seen at Bathurst this year.


“If I could do it with DJR, that would be great and that’s the plan, but nothing is set in concrete yet.


“I had that drive with Simona last year and really enjoyed the team environment and everything, so fingers crossed we get that deal done and hopefully we can be on the grid for the enduro rounds.


“We are just in the talking phases so we have just got to wait and see.”


The motorsport prodigy said he would hit the track in 2024 with a new strategy by laying it all on the line and hoping to channel the speed of competitor Ryan Wood.


“I think Woody had that on the limit style of driving, putting it all on the line every single lap which is the way that I am going to drive this year,” he said.


“We got the championship which was pretty cool last year and I’m just really looking forward to trying to maximise pace and I have definitely got the race car for that.


“I think if I go out there and lay it all on the line every time I jump in the car, that will give me the best chance to show some real good speed and then some cool … and really exciting racing.


“There’s a little bit less to risk (this year) so I’m looking forward to just jumping in the car and having a crack.


“It was pretty hard last year because I did not want to DNF in the race or anything so I was sort of playing catch up from the get-go.


“Leaving Townsville I was seventh in the championship and I just worked my way back and could not take too many risks.”


The Eggleston Motorsport driver has set his sights on moving up from Super2 to the main game in 2025.


“One more year in Super2 would be good just to try and show some speed and a few little things and there were not too many seats available this year for the main game so it is good just to bide my time,” he said.


“I am still quite young and even though I won the championship, I think it is good to go again and learn a few more things.


“By the time 2025 comes, I think I will definitely be ready to jump into the main game and have a crack at the big boys.


“Whether it is with DJR or anyone else, that’s my goal, we have just got to wait and see.


“That wildcard with Simona and DJR with the Shell Racing Team ignited my passion for the sport and Supercars and I just want to become a full-time main game driver.


“It’s sort of what I grew up watching and looking up to all those drivers so if I can be in that sport then that would be a massive goal in my life ticked.”