Holt, in his 4G car, won the second of the three heats and placed well enough in the other two to take out the event on overall points ahead of drivers from Hawke’s Bay.
Gisborne’s James Kirk (31G) started well with a second in Heat 1 from Grid 15 among the 20-car field, but his night ended when his motor blew.
“It was pretty disappointing but that’s motorsport,” Kirk said.
“We’ll fix the engine problem and be back.”
Kirk will line up at the North Island superstock championships this weekend in Wellington after a couple of solid debut meetings in a new superstock provided by Gisborne clubmate Peter Rees.
“I’m still pretty fresh but it’s cool to be racing in that class and with the Gisborne Giants (stockcar team).”
The youth brigade turned it on with some excellent racing across both divisions of the Sutherland Automotive Ministock 100 on Saturday.
Out-of-towners dominated proceedings, with Marshall Zachan (197P) snapping up the senior title and fellow Palmerston North driver Max Lowe (55P) winning the junior title.
Brothers Daniel and Ethan Cook dominated all three saloon car races.
Ethan (76G) won the first heat, only for Daniel (77G) to show everyone a clean pair of heels in the second race.
Ethan bounced back to do the same thing in the third, in only his third meeting in his new car.
“The car’s going really well,” he said.
“I’m pretty confident with it, now.”
The meeting was a good workout for the Cook boys ahead of the North Island championships this weekend at Baypark.
Daniel will be defending the title.
Ethan said it was good that they raced each other the way they did although he reckoned “we don’t tend to push each other too hard . . . there’s lots of brotherly love in there”.
Although small, the streetstocks field entertained, and the wins went three ways.
David “Duck” Hampton (88G) was happy with his showing — a win in the first heat, then a third and a second.
“It was an awesome night and Sean (Gooch) kept me honest,” Hampton said.
Brenden Gooch (1NZ) won the second heat and brother Sean (9G) got up to win the third.
Honours were shared in the production saloons, too, with Crystal Peach (10G), Fraser Wright (44G) and Dave Gooch (7G) all taking the chequered flag.
Clive Ireland and swinger Chris Symon (56G) owned the track in the sidecars, winning all three races.
Gisborne Speedway Club president Neil Gooch felt the stockcars were a highlight.
“They put on a great display and the youth ministockers showed us again how much talent there is out there around the countryside.”
The club’s next meeting is on December 8. It will feature the production saloon champion of champions, TQ best pairs and team stockcar racing against Hawke’s Bay.
MEETING RESULTS —
Saloon cars — Race 1: Ethan Cook (76G) 1, Daniel Cook (77G) 2, Paul Habib (7G) 3. Race 2: D Cook 1, E Cook 2, Kenny Dibben (21G) 3. Race 3: E Cook 1, D Cook 2, Daniel Wallace (15G) 3.
Streetstocks — Race 1: David Hampton (88G) 1, Sean Gooch (9G) 2, Brenden Gooch (1NZ) 3. Race 2: B Gooch 1, S Gooch 2, Hampton 3. Race 3: S Gooch 1, Hampton 2, B Gooch 3.
Production Saloons — Race 1: Crystal Peach (10G) 1, Anton McKay (17G) 2, Fraser Wright (44G) 3. Race 2: Wright 1, Peach 2, Lloyd Stuart (34G) 3. Race 3: Dave Gooch (7G) 1, Wright 2, Matt Schultz (46G) 3.
Stockcars — Race 1: Tristan Johnson (17B) 1, James Kirk (31G) 2, Jason Jones (81G) 3. Race 2: Ben Holt (4G) 1, Willy McClune (99G) 2, Tony Palmer (74B) 3. Race 3: Ben Ellis (944K) 1, Jamie Harding (71G) 2, Jemma Palmer (14B) 3.
Gisborne Hydraulic Services Stockcar Classic: Holt 1, J Palmer 2, T Palmer 3.
Sidecars — Race 1: Clive Ireland/Chris Symon (56G) 1, Craig Boaler/Brock Boaler (27B) 2, Regan Feck/Martijn Domper (87G) 3. Race 2: Ireland/Symon 1, Boaler/Boaler 2, Feck/Domper 3. Race 3: Ireland/Symon 1, Feck/Domper (87G) 2.
Ministocks — Sutherland Automotive Ministock 100, senior division: Marshall Zachan (197P) 1, Ryan Marshall (15H) 2, Luke McClymont (5M) 3.
Junior division: Max Lowe (55P) 1, Terence Dorrell (212R) 2, Louis Redshaw (7P) 3.
