Story written by Sarah Moyes, Reporter, Central Leader

Matt Lockwood was only eight when the pain in his right knee started. Unexplained swelling drove him to the doctor and at first he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. But the Mt Eden resident was rediagnosed after three months with another form of arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis.

It spread to his left knee over the next five years. It then spread to both ankles and affected his fingers and jaw for a short time."I've been through half a dozen medications," the 23-year-old says.

It's a common misconception that arthritis only affects the elderly. Ankylosing spondylitis is most commonly diagnosed in men aged between 15 and 45.

Arthritis New Zealand says the disease can affect people of any age. More than 530,000 New Zealanders aged 15 or over were living with at least one type of arthritis last year. This equates to one in every six people.

Mr Lockwood admits he thought it was an older person's disease before his own diagnosis.He can't run and struggles to walk long distances. The pain forced him to stop playing hockey, tennis and golf when he was 13.Instead he took up a sport that doesn't cause him pain – and he's proving to be pretty good at it.

"It was a bit disappointing, but it got me into motor racing," he says.Mr Lockwood is one of New Zealand's top up-and-coming motorsport drivers.

He had always been interested in cars and racing as a child but it wasn't until he was 18 that he could get both parents on board to support his decision to do some racing of his own."Mum wouldn't let me at first because it is dangerous."His mum now enjoys watching him race.

His career started in his home town of Palmerston North where he raced stock cars at the speedway for about a year. Now he's moved on to bigger and better things. He's raced in a Mazda RX7 Series 1 and 6, BMW Mini, Holden V8 Ute and NZV8 Touring car.

He's won three national championships in five years and received the most improved driver award for the 2006 Winter Series in Manfeild, Palmerston North.

Last weekend Mr Lockwood raced in his first NZV8 tier one round in Taupo.

His dream is to one day race in the V8 Supercars in Australia.

Winning the inaugural NZV8 ute championship in the 2007/2008 season is his career highlight so far.

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