Josh Buchan had to beg, borrow, and steal his way to get to the track as a teenager.
Now, the 28-year-old can call himself a TCR Australia Series touring car champion.
A little more than 10 years after he started racing go karts on a shoestring budget, the Hyundai driver claimed the ultimate triumph at Mount Panorama.
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Buchan summed up the attitude of those who have given him opportunities year-on-year.
"Why not that guy?"
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Indeed, there was a feeling coming into the season-ending Bathurst International that Buchan was a real chance despite being 29 points in arrears of teammate Bailey Sweeny.
Fate would conspire against Sweeny in the second race of the weekend as turbo trouble relegated him to the pit lane.
In the end, a fifth place finish in the TCR Australia Series final secured Buchan the title.
"Oh man, it still doesn't feel real, to be honest," Buchan told Stan Sport's Chris Stubbs.
"The amount of times I asked on the in-lap, 'Are you joking? Are you serious? Do I have to do any more rubbish? Like I'm over racing for this weekend, for this year. Get it done, give me the goddamn trophy and let me get out of here'.
"I feel very honoured and privileged to be on the grid, let alone to win races, let alone to take the series. Incredibly humbled and gracious in this."
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There was a fortuitous stop for Buchan on the drive from Sydney to Bathurst, visiting the go kart track at Lithgow where his racing journey began.
"I stopped up at Lithgow kart track on the way up here where it all started and kind of just smelt the air again – still smells rubbish – and I was just thinking, 'Shit, I can't believe I'm gonna drive over at Bathurst in a world touring car against the best in the world, guys I've made friends with'," said Buchan.
"I just can't believe it."
Buchan, visually exhausted, paid tribute to his teammate Sweeny who fell agonisingly short of the title win.
Just 13 points split them at the end.
Sweeny won five races to Bunchan's two, something the champion acknowledged in his post-race interview.
"I know he's probably listening. The guy was super unlucky," said Buchan.
"He was the fastest car all year, he was the fastest driver. I've lost things like this before where that sort stuff happens. He's a very deserving champion and he'll have his day."
While the TCR Australia Series is over, the TCR World Tour will continue at the Macau Grand Prix on November 16-19.
Cyan Racing's Yann Ehrlacher sits equal first with Comtoyou Racing's Rob Huff on 384 points with one round remaining.
BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse driver Norbert Michelisz sits one point back in third.
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