“I feel pretty good about it,” he said.
“I’ll go out on Friday night and hopefully qualify for Saturday’s finals. I’m not feeling any pressure about defending the title. I will just do what I can if I can get into the finals.”
The other Gisborne club drivers are Ben Holt (4G), Trevor McArthur (128G), James Clarke (29G), Mason O’Dwyer (99G), Jason Lovell (67G), Jason Jones (81G), Dana Kingsbeer (83G), David Glassford (22G) and James Kirk (31G).
“I’m looking forward to jumping back into a stockcar again,” Kirk said.
“I haven’t driven the stock a lot this season, but driving a superstock has helped lift my skill level.”
O’Dwyer will race in his second nationals, having made the finals in Gisborne last year.
“I’m feeling all right after the grand prix in Huntly, where I got into the top 26 out of 80 cars,” he said.
He was lying sixth-equal in the last heat when he blew his gear box.
“I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”
Clarke will be another of the newly named Gladiators line-up in action this weekend.
This will be his fourth New Zealand individual championship bid.
“The car’s been running really well lately,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how we get on over there.”
Holt has a firm mission in mind.
“I am going there to bring the No.1 back on my car,” he said.
Holt has been one of the standout drivers in the class in Gisborne this season.
“I am really happy with the car; it’s going well.
“I will need to find some luck at the championships though, and be in the right place at the right time.”
Holt expects tough racing.
“I’ve got a hard group, with a lot of good drivers, including a couple from Gisborne, but I think we have the car to do it.”
This time last year he was on the sidelines watching with a broken leg.
“It’s great to be in it this weekend.”
The field will be whittled down to 30 cars for the final three-race series on Saturday night, with six more to join them from repechages tomorrow night.
