Speedway: Action aplenty at Bay of Plenty Sprint Car Championship

Stephen Taylor (21) gets the jump on Jonathan Allard (2NZ) at the start of the Bay of Plenty Sprint Car Championship. Photo / Supplied

California's Jonathan Allard cashed in with a $6600 victory in the Dalton Salute to Skinny BOP Sprint Car Championship at Baypark Speedway on Saturday night.

Allard, who finished runner-up in January's New Zealand title at Baypark, had a battle on his hands as Wellington hard charger Stephen Taylor made a determined bid for the lucrative win.

Taylor was the early leader with impressive speed and plenty of excitement as an oil overflow onto his exhaust headers created flashes of flame.

And it would be fire that would be Taylor's undoing, but not from his own car.

After 12 laps, fourth-placed Greg Pickerill, of Hamilton, slowed to a halt in turn four with flames from a fuel fire licking around his feet and Taylor was unable to avoid the stationary car.

A glancing contact was enough to end Taylor's race with damaged rear suspension while Pickerill sustained burns to his toes.

Allard said he'd been preparing for a late-race duel with Taylor.

"I had the pole but Stephen had the outside and that was the perfect lane. He got away from us and I just tried to stay with him," he said.

"I moved to the bottom and tried to work in as the race went on. He was gapping me by a couple of car lengths each time I did it, but as we got to traffic that [the lower line] really started to come in and it allowed me to catch him and put some pressure on him.

"Unfortunately, just when the race was really going to get good, he got tangled up with a car that had stopped. That's unfortunate for him because he's been doing a great job lately."

It turned into a busy Baypark farewell appearance for Tauranga's Graeme "Skinny" Colson, who is nearing the close of his 39-year speedway career.

Jonathan Allard (centre) won the BOP Sprint Car title ahead of Rodney Wood (left) and Skinny Colson, who celebrated his farewell Baypark appearance with third place. Photo / Supplied

Colson had a fuel system fire after the opening race and also collided with a lapped car while leading the second race.

After repairs and an emotional farewell presentation, Colson's efforts were rewarded with a third placing in the 20-lap championship finale.

The annual Fredrickson Family Stock Car Gold Cup saw Joseph Carter get some assistance from his team-mates to take the lead and come home ahead of a fast-closing Jonny Morley and Lee Porter.

Making the fastest heat race performers start from the back of the field spiced up the Six Shooter feature race. A charging first lap of outside passes allowed Luke McClymont to put a big lead on his main rivals, Boyd Westbury and Cole Wood.

Along with a fireworks spectacular, the final meeting of the 2020-21 season on Easter Saturday (April 3) will feature the Bay of Plenty Championships for Midget Cars, Saloons, Stock Cars, Six Shooters and Youth Mini Stocks.