Ben Holt makes NZ stockcar deciders

BEN MAKES IT: Gisborne stockcar driver Ben Holt (left, in 4G) will line up in the finals of the New Zealand Stockcar Championships at Baypark in Mount Maunganui tonight but clubmate Ethan Rees (right) was eliminated from the competition in qualifying. File picture

Gisborne driver Ben Holt made the finals but 1NZ Ethan Rees was a shock elimination in qualifying for the New Zealand Stockcar Championships at Baypark, Mount Maunganui, last night.

Holt (4G) was second-top qualifier in his group last night.

Gisborne drivers James Kirk (31G) and Mason O’Dwyer (99G) still have a chance to make the 36-car line-up for tonight’s finals.

They will race in the repechage tonight, where the top six cars go through to the final.

Given the points situation, O’Dwyer should start that repechage off the front of the grid, and Kirk should be no more than two rows back.

Rees had engine issues in the final heat in his group last night and posted a DNF (did not finish), which ended any chance he had of defending his title.

He was lying 12th when he went into that final heat.

“I was aiming for a spot in the repechages at that point, and was running second in the race when the crank shaft broke and that was it for me.”

Rees was philosophical about not making the final.

“I have not done a lot of racing this season in the stockcar, and it does go to show you have to put the time in. You have to do the laps to get the results.

“I will be there to support the other Gisborne drivers tonight.”

Holt was ecstatic to get through.

“I am over the moon,” he said today.

There were 39 cars in his group last night and he finished second-equal on points after the three heats.

“I finished fifth in the first heat from Grid 19, second in the second heat from Grid 2, and then from Grid 36 in the final heat I finished ninth.

“The racing was hard and fast.

“The car went well and I’m looking forward to tonight, which I think is going to be even harder and faster.”