The F2 midget field really turned it on as they circulated around a fast and smooth banked Gisborne speedway track ... 22M James Earl was among the quickest. Photo / Angus Bodle
The F2 midget field really turned it on as they circulated around a fast and smooth banked Gisborne speedway track ... 22M James Earl was among the quickest. Photo / Angus Bodle
Run-offs decided the top four placings in the Production Saloon Car Champion of Champions at MTF Awapuni Speedway on Saturday night.
Fourteen cars competed in the Professional Fleet Maintenance-sponsored event and such was the closeness and quality of the racing, run-offs were required for the title itself and third placeoverall.
Rotorua’s appropriately named Justin Driver (13R) emerged victorious after he defeated Sarah Pearson (97G) in the run-off for first. Pearson comes from Cambridge but races for the Gisborne club.
Gisborne-registered driver Sarah Pearson (97G) survived the rough and tumble of a hard-fought Production Saloon champion of champions to finish runner-up. Photo / Angus Bodle
Gisborne’s Blake Dear (37G) beat Dale Bellingham (15G) in a run-off for third.
The all-in feature race for the production saloons was perhaps fittingly won by Rotorua’s James Cunningham (27R).
Rotorua production saloon driver James Cunningham got his night off to a flying start with two wins and later won the all-in feature race. Photo / Angus Bodle
Having won the first two heats of the night in style, Cunningham’s DNF (did not finish) in the third did not cost him.
Highly fancied local driver Anton McKay(17G) was unable to race in the champs due to a back injury.
Despite that loss, speedway spokesman Jason Jones said it was a high-quality field of drivers and they turned on “a good night’s racing” on a track that was fast and smooth.
The F2 midgets also delivered and made the most of ideal track conditions – rocketing around the banked track at around 14 to 15 seconds a lap.
Their 20-lap final was taken out by Troy Jefferies from Auckland on board 94A, with James Earl from Baypark (22M) runner-up.
Aucklander Troy Jefferies (94A) with the chequered flag after winning the 20-lap final for the F2 midgets at Awapuni Speedway on Saturday night. Photo / Angus Bodle
“Vincent MacGregor (5B) was in a class of his own in the youth ministocks with two wins,” Jones said.
The “driver of the night” in that class was Conrad Gooch (6G).
* In speedway action out of town, Ethan Rees (127G) went into the finals (three heats) of the New Zealand Superstock Grand Prix in Stratford as top qualifier and brother Asher (126G) also qualified. Unfortunately, neither made the podium. Ethan finished eighth, while Asher was 14th-equal. Stratford’s Hamish Booker won the title in a run-off with Palmerston North’s William Humphries.
* At the Meeanee track in Napier on Saturday night, Gisborne’s Rodney Macindoe (7G) won the Hawke’s Bay saloon cars title and clubmate Daniel Cook (77G) was runner-up.
* Cody Gooch’s hopes of continuing a family tradition at the New Zealand Streetstock Championship in Nelson were dashed by a ferry. While en route to Picton on Thursday night, the vessel had to return to Wellington because of a mechanical fault. Gooch and his team were among the 200 passengers who had to spend the night on the boat and they were unable to get another ferry in time for the champs. A Facebook post said it was the first time in 15 years a member of Gooch Motorsport was not contesting the nationals. Canterbury’s Paul Leslie won the title.
