Pickens takes over top job at BSL Racing
Pickens takes over top job at BSL
Racing
BSL Racing’s top speedway Midget driver, Michael Pickens, has been appointed as the new General Manager for the company.
BSL Racing was formed by Bill Buckley, also promoter at Western Springs Speedway, off the back of his successful electro-magnetic business, Buckley Systems Limited (BSL). The company is heavily involved in all forms of speedway but has also built and serviced various forms of race car from off-roaders to V8 Utes.
Pickens, 29, started driving Midgets for the BSL Racing team this season and has already delivered impressive results driving the state-of-the-art Esslinger powered Breka built in the teams Mt Wellington workshop, including a national championship and a 50 lap classic this season.
He is one of the most successful Midget drivers in New Zealand history, taking four New Zealand championships, four New Zealand Grand Prix races and feature race wins in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. He has also taken a podium finish at the infamous Chili Bowl race, billed as the biggest Midget race in the world with more than 250 entries every year.
Joining Pickens at BSL Racing in the role of Parts Manager will be Vanessa Evans, a former top New Zealand rally driver. Known in her pre-marriage days as Vanessa Slee, Evans enjoyed a successful career driving for Subaru New Zealand in the national rally championship as well as in Australia, plus competing in Malaysia for Subaru Japan.
“It is fantastic for BSL Racing to team up with two people like Michael and Vanessa and the motorsport experience that they bring with them,” says Buckley Systems CEO Mike Lightfoot. “So far Michael has delivered everything we could ask for on the track and there is no reason why he shouldn’t deliver the same sort of results off it.”
“I'm looking forward to my new role as manager at BSL Racing, I have a great team of people to work with and a great customer base here and overseas which we will look to expand on,” said Pickens on his appointment. “Being able to work in the industry I have a passion for is an opportunity that doesn't present itself every day!”
Press Release by BB Media