"Quiet achiever" and "big improver" are a couple of labels used to describe Hawke's Bay superstock driver Wayne Talbot in recent seasons.
Those descriptions were replaced by the "Hawke's Bay hero" tag after Friday and Saturday night's Easter meetings at Meeanee. During a weekend when Hawke's Bay drivers managed to win just two of 10 individual titles up for grabs and a share of two of the Best Pairs titles Talbot, 52, won a first East Coast title and with Hawke's Bay-based, Palmerston North-contracted Andy McCabe retained the Best Pairs title they won last year.
"Andy and I were a bit lucky in the pairs. We both had top 10 finishes in all three races," former Hawkeye Talbot said as he reflected on the 16-team Best Pairs event.
"Consistency was the key in the East Coast championship. I came from grid 17 to fourth in the first heat, won the second and got a fifth in the third. Matt Demanser [one of Talbot's clubmates] helped me out by taking out one of my closest rivals Pat Westbury of Rotorua but at the same time Ron Tye was having a go at me but I used my experience," Talbot said after the 21-car event.
"It was a good way to finish the season on a high because I don't race in the Autumn Nationals. I'm one of the sponsors for that meeting through my Motorworks business so I bring some of my sponsors out to thank them for their support," Talbot said referring to the next Meeanee meeting on April 29.