The apprentice spray painter comes from a motorsport-crazy family and was selected in the NRMA Insurance Smash Repairs Team for the enduro event.

The 20-person NRMA Smash Repairs Team was chosen from all the apprentices working for NRMA accredited smash repairers across the state.

Ashcroft, 19, is almost finished his second year as an apprentice at Southern Highland Smash Repairs.

He left school midway through Year 12 in 2008 and has never looked back.

“I was at school, but not really enjoying it, when the job opportunity came up here,” Ashcroft said.

“I always intended to take on a panel beater or spray painting apprenticeship so it was a perfect fit.”

The car enthusiast works five days per week at the Moss Vale repairer, but finds himself working on cars on the weekend.

He is restoring a 1971 LJ Torana and a 1984 VK Commodore to further his skills and hopefully make some money.

The Ford enthusiast said his main goal was to make the NRMA team for the Bathurst 1000 later this year.

“Working on FPR [Ford Performance Racing] Supercars would be awesome,” he said.

He may also get the chance to work with FPR at the Sydney 500 this December.

Ashcroft’s bosses, Southern Highland Smash Repairs owners Ian Willis and Darren Freer said their apprentice deserved his shot on the big stage.

“He does really well at Tech and he does a lot of stuff that most other second year apprentices are nowhere near achieving,” Freer said.

“He comes from a car background which has held him in good stead and he has the right attitude.”