sYOUNG Auckland TQ Midget racer Regan Tyler emerged victorious from a tight and talented field that fought out the North Island Three-Quarter midget championship in Gisborne on Saturday night.
Tyler, 19, driving 56A, finished the two race preliminaries ahead of the final with two second placings and went in as top
qualifier.
He won the Autotech-sponsored final at the Eastland Group Raceway ahead of 1NZ Aaron Humble, from Te Awamutu, and third-placed Dylan MacGregor, from Gisborne.
MacGregor raced consistently in the preliminaries, too.
Tyler had to leap for his life in a serious crash at Western Springs in February last year, when he was clipped by another car and his car burst into flames.
“It was fantastic to watch the 15-strong field of TQ midgets compete on the big banked track,” said Gisborne Speedway Club secretary Aaron Lum.
“It was also great that they were able to compete so closely without major issues.
“That was a true testament to the drivers and their skills behind the wheel.”
Lum said the track held up well, which produced fast, close racing.
“We really have to thank club president Clyde McGrory for all his hard work during the week for that.”
The support classes all put on a show of their own, he said.
“Jarred Ingoe took his first streetstock win, holding off a charging Brent Durston.
“Stevie Durston took her first feature podium in youth ministocks
“In production saloons, Kayle Priestley took his first feature win after not long leaving ministocks.
‘In stockcars, Bruce Harding managed to secure a win in his flying flat chassis, which could normally be found deciding the victor of any teams race it was part of.”
Results from the weekend’s racing were —
TQ Midgets — Race 1: 1NZ Aaron Humble 1, 56A Regan Tyler 2, 2NZ Kayden Barker 3. Race 2: 3NZ Terrance Dorrell 1, 56A Regan Tyler 2, 17G Dylan MacGregor 3. Race 3: 56A Regan Tyler 1, 1NZ Aaron Humble 2, 17G Dylan MacGregor 3.
Ministocks — Race 1: 71G Logan Bruce 1, 59G Koby Gooch 2, 44G Corbyn Wilson 3. Race 2: 44G Corbyn Wilson 1, 59G Koby Gooch 2, 9G Ari Robertson 3. Race 3: 44G Corbyn Wilson 1, 59G Koby Gooch 2, 377G Stevie Durston 3.
Production saloons — Race 1: 48G Antonio McKay 1, 11G Kayle Priestley 2, 37G Blake Dear 3. Race 2: 37G Blake Dear 1, 48G Antonio McKay 2, 11G Kayle Priestley 3. Race 3: 11G Kayle Priestley 1, 37G Blake Dear 2, 48G Antonio McKay 3.
Stockcars — Race 1: 707G Shaun Kingi 1, 9G Dave Downs 2, 52G David Bacon 3. Race 2: 8G Bruce Harding 1, 707G Shaun Kingi 2, 9G Dave Downs 3. Race 3: 707G Shaun Kingi 1, 9G Dave Downs 2, 8G Bruce Harding 3.
Streetstocks — Race 1: 6G Cody Gooch 1,177G Samantha Durston 2, 31G Bob Fraider 3. Race 2: 6G Cody Gooch 1, 18G Jared Ingoe 2, 177G Samantha Durston 3. Race 3: 77G Brent Durston 1, 31G Bob Fraider 2, 18G Jared Ingoe 3. Race 4: 18G Jared Ingoe 1, 77G Brent Durston 2, 31G Bob Fraider 3.
The club’s next meeting will be the Rees Racecars Superstock Challenge on Saturday night.