Gisborne racers make podium

STILL GOT IT: Fraser Wright, above (left) was beaming when he said: “I’ve still got it, and so has my 29-year-old car!” He was talking about his second placing in the North Island Production Saloon Championship in Hawke’s Bay on Saturday night. Wright shared the podium, above, with Gisborne clubmate Sean Robertson (right) who was third, and winner Denton Hodgkinson of Napier. Pictures supplied

SPEEDWAY

GISBORNE sidecar duo Clive Ireland and Chris Symon earned a podium place and Rob Miller and “Red” George had success of sorts in the North Island sidecar champs at the Eastland Group Raceway on Saturday night.

Ireland and Symon (56G) finished third in the Novus Glass final behind bikes from Auckland.

“It would have been nicer to finish first, but we’re happy with third and to make the podium,” Ireland said.

“We had a few mechanical issues in the closing stages of the meeting and the bike wasn’t going 100 percent in the final, which was disappointing.”

Miller and George were unlucky in the final, but for the first time this season they were able to finish a Gisborne meeting with their bike still running.

Miller has had to change the motor in his bike seven times this season.

They finished fourth in the final after three firsts and two thirds in the qualifying heats.

“Red and I were stoked to get three wins,” Miller said.

“That was our first full meeting since October. It felt brilliant.

“We finished without blowing a motor and we are definitely not race-fit.”

The title was won by Peter Adams and Jason Hira (6A), ahead of Kenny Hammill and Daniel Bradley (11A). Then came Ireland and Symon, and Miller and George.

In the support programme, the Cook brothers Ethan (1NZG) and Daniel (77G) shared the wins in the four-race saloon car series.

The current national champion won the first two heats and his elder brother, the second two, with Daniel Wallace (15G) also prominent among the finishing stats.

Shaun King raced particularly well in the streetstocks, with two firsts and two seconds.

The stockcar class turned on a great night’s entertainment in their “best pairs”, which was won by Bryce Harding (79G) and Trevor McArthur (128G).

Mason O’Dwyer (99G) and Clinton Cheetham (36K) finished second and Jason Lovell (167G) and Jamie Harding (71G) were third.

“It was an awesome meeting; every race was just right on,” club president Neil Gooch said.

“The track surface was brilliant. It was so fast, and some great lap times were posted.”

He paid tribute to Clyde McGrory and his team for the track preparation.

This weekend the track hosts the teams demolition derby, saloon champion of champions, and youth ministock best pairs.

Results —Saloons — Race 1: Ethan Cook (1NZG) 1, Daniel Cook (77G) 2, Daniel Wallace (15G) 3. Race 2: Ethan Cook 1, Wallace 2, Daniel Cook 3. Race 3: Daniel Cook 1, Ethan Cook 2, Aaron Brown (16G) 3. Race 4: Daniel Cook 1, Ethan Cook 2, Kenny Dibben (21G) 3.

Streetstocks — Race 1: Shaun Kingi (75G) 1, Brenden Gooch (2NZG) 2, Sean Gooch (9G) 3. Race 2: David Hampton (88G) 1, Shaun Kingi (75G) 2, Sean Gooch 3. Race 3: Kingi 1, Sean Gooch 2, Brenden Gooch 3. Race 4: Sean Gooch 1, Shaun Kingi 2, David Hampton 3.

Stockcars — Race 1: Mason O’Dwyer (99G) 1, Trevor McArthur (128G) 2, Mike Herbert (52R) 3. Race 2: Clinton Cheetham (36K) 1, McArthur 2, Herbert 3. Race 3: Jason Lovell (67G) 1, O’Dwyer 2, McArthur 3. Race 4: Lovell 1, Cheetham 2, McArthur 3.

• At the North Island Production Saloon Championship at Meeanee in Hawke’s Bay, Fraser Wright (44G) finished runner-up and Sean Robertson (16G) was third.

“I was pretty rapt to pick up second place,” Wright said.

“It was a bit of a bonus, given my lack of luck at the New Zealand event in Gisborne.”

Crystal Peach (3NZ) went from pole position in the final as top qualifier, but a flat tyre cost her in the final. Dave Gooch (1NZ) finished fifth.