Grand prix podium place for McArthur

GRAND PRIX PODIUM: Gisborne streetstocker Ben McArthur (871G) drove into third place and a podium finish in the New Zealand streetstock Grand Prix in Rotorua on Saturday night. Picture supplied

GISBORNE streetstocker Ben McArthur (871G) drove into third place and a podium finish in the New Zealand Streetstock Grand Prix in Rotorua on Saturday night.

“It was a hard and fast night’s racing,” he said.

“Note the massive battle scar down the side of my car and the boot torn wide open. Dad (Trevor McArthur), Duck (David Hampton) and Brenden (Gooch) were unlucky, with damage plaguing their nights. Cody (Gooch) raced well but got a bit tangled up with other cars and came home a solid fifth overall (on 55 points).”

Hawke’s Bay driver Wayne Melling won the title with two firsts and a second for 77 points, three points clear of Rotorua’s 2NZ Trevor de Malmanche, who took second place with a fourth, a second and a first. Ben McArthur had a sixth, a fourth and a seventh to take third place overall with 64 points.

Hampton was eighth on 50 points, Brenden Gooch was 10th on 47, and Trevor McArthur was 14th on 41.

“Much repairs to be done by us all,” Ben McArthur said.

“We are looking forward to going back to Stratford on March 5 for our rerun of the New Zealand championships.”