Speedway: Tauranga's Caitlin Hayward transitions from stock cars to the super saloon class this speedway season

Caitlin Hayward will move into racing in the super saloon division this season. Photo / Greg Parsloe

Tauranga's Caitlin Hayward is about to start her first season racing in the super saloon class - but the vehicle she'll be driving won't be in unfamiliar territory.

The 23-year-old will be entering the tracks at tonight's opening night of the Baypark Family Speedway season at ASB Baypark in the vehicle her brother Scott Hayward has used in recent years in the same class.

Caitlin, whose speedway career started at the age of 12 in the mini stocks class, has been racing stock cars since she was 17 and has remained in the class for the past five season, now transitioning into her first season of super saloons - and she's excited.

There's a whole lot to get used to though, with the driving style one of the biggest differences between the two classes.

"The whole car, the handling of the car ... one's a contact sport, one's not," Caitlin says of what she believes have been her biggest transition hurdles so far.

However, she is looking forward to the start of the season - just as she does every season - and hopes to get out on the track so she can gain some practical experience in her new Dawslammer Super Saloon, which she bought from her older brother.

Caitlin loves speedway, a passion she discovered as a mini stock driver, and she has been successful in her craft too, becoming the first and only female to qualify for the New Zealand Stock Car Champs in 2016.

This year however, her focus isn't on winning, it's more about educating herself.

She doesn't know whether she'll look towards entering other classes in the future wanting to use this season to "hopefully just get some consistent results" and learn as much as she can.

"It's really like a learning season," she says.

Speedway has been a big part of Caitlin's life. Her brother competes, though this year he is having a slow season and will also race in super saloons using his old car part-time, and her brother-in law drives too.

"Our whole family's involved.

"We grew up with Dad crewing for another driver so that got the hole family into speedway."

And it's that family and social side of speedway that Caitlin says is her favourite part of the sport.

Baypark Family Speedway promoter Bernie Gillon says the start of the season is always an exciting time with plenty of action to be had over the next few months.

He says there will be quality races scheduled and plenty of entertainment for families.

Season Opening Night
Classes Racing: Sprint Cars, Super Saloons, Saloons, Stock Cars, Mini Stocks, V6 Wingless Sprint Cars.
Public Gates open at 5pm
Racing starts at 6.30pm and finishes at 10pm
Family Entry (2 adults and 3 children aged 5-15): $60
Adult Entry: $25.00
Senior Entry (65 years and over): $10
Child Entry (5-15): $10
Under 5: Free

Other Baypark Family Speedway events:
November 3: Fireworks Extravaganza and Burger King Super Saloon Series
November 17: Demo Derby
December 1: North Island Saloon Car Championship
December 4: International Sprint Cars, NZ, USA, AUS