‘Can’t be back here fast enough’

The F2 midgets take centre stage at the speedway tomorrow night but the production saloon class will likely offer keenly contested racing from the leading lights in that class, among them Blake Dear (37G) and Anton McKay (17G), with Seth McKay (48G) now in the mix as well.Picture by Liam Clayton

The flying F2 midgets will be out on the Gisborne Speedway track again tomorrow night, this time with a slightly bigger field than last time in mid-January.

They made an entertaining debut at the track that night and produced open-wheeler racing at its slick and quick best.

Visiting drivers from Auckland, Huntly, Mt Maunganui and Kihikihi put on a terrific show, and 13 or 14 cars can be expected this time round.

“They loved the banked track,” club president Sam Hughes said.

“They were lapping at around 15 seconds average, with a quickest time of 14.6 seconds.

“The drivers told us afterwards they could not get back here fast enough because of the shape of the track, and the speeds they were achieving,” Hughes said.

Mt Maunganui driver James Earl (22M2) was the best of them that night, with two wins.

“He will be back out there tomorrow night,” Hughes said.

The support programme will be a club night basically, with saloons, youth ministocks, production saloons, TQs and stockcars all in action.

The saloons turned on coat-of-paint racing in mid-January to decide the Saloon Car Champion of Champions title, won by Daniel Cook (77G).

Rodney McIndoe in 7G was consistently on the pace all night too, likewise Sean Robertson in 16G.

“Rodney races in Cromwell this weekend, at the South Island Championships, but everyone else will be there,” Hughes said.

The production saloons also turned it on last month, Blake Dear (37G) and Seth and Anton McKay (48G and 17G respectively) leading the charge.

“That class continues to impress, and is slowly picking up more numbers, with a couple more expected out on the track this weekend,” Hughes said.

“In the youth ministocks we will have only a small field tomorrow night, because our meeting clashes with Ministocks in Paradise in Rotorua.”

Koby Gooch (59G) and Corbyn Wilson (44G) will both be racing in Rotorua, along with one or two others from the Gisborne track.

“It will give our other young drivers a chance to shine on our track,” Hughes said.

The TQs would have around half a dozen cars, but the field would include speed machine Dylan MacGregor (17G), who had been dominant locally all season, he said.

“In the stockcars we will also have a small field, with a few drivers away, but racing should be hard and fast for them, too.”

The programme will comprise 21 races.

“We’re looking forward to the North Island Stockcar Championships at our track on February 23 and 24,” Hughes said.

“We have more than 100 entries.”

Gates to the speedway open at 5pm tomorrow, with racing to start at 6pm.