Emily Suvaljko to Represent WA in Australasian Young Drivers Championship One Last Time

Emily Suvaljko couldn’t be driving in any better form as she is of late, and it’s in the perfect time as she gets ready to head to Queensland in July to represent WA as she contests her final Australasian Young Drivers Championship.

“I’ve always been quite lucky in these types of things, I think I’ve run a couple of second and thirds, I haven’t been able to win one, so I would like to be able to do that.

“I like going over and driving different horses and driving at the different tracks.

“Obviously I’ve been to Queensland before, so I’ve kind of got a bit of an idea.

“You just make lifelong friendships on these sorts of trips; I’m going back in December for a wedding of people I met over here.”

Suvaljko is disappointed this is her last year being eligible for the young driver’s series, as next year's championship is being held in New Zealand.

Aging out this year at the ripe age of 24, Suvaljko boasts an incredible 733 driving wins so far, including two group 1 victories, in just eight seasons since gaining her reinsman’s licence in the 2017/2018 season at the age of 16.

This will be Suvaljko’s third time representing WA in the AYDC series, and this year’s series coincides with the 2025 Inter Dominion Series at Albion Park, with heats 1-3 kicking off on July 15 at Albion Park, followed by Heats 4-6 on July 16 and heats 7-9 at Redcliffe again on July 18.

Western Australia has taken out the series 7 times since 1976, with plenty of WA big names making the honour roll.

Lindsay Harper – 1979

Geoff Marriot – 1983

Haydon Fisher – 1986

Greg Kersley – 1989

Justin Warwick – 1992

Craig Goldfinch – 1996

Stephen Reed – 2008

Ian Greig finished in second placing in the 1976 Australasian Young Drivers Championship series held at Gloucester Park, and in 1987, twin brother Shane and Kim Young represented WA here in Perth again, with Shane finishing in second placing behind John Caldow.

Mark Reed also finished in second place in the 2000 AYDC series.

The 2020 and 2021 Australasian Young Drivers Championships were cancelled due to Covid-19.

Ashleigh Paikos