Horrific crash mars racing,Night of drama at speedway

FROM OUTSIDE TO IN: Gisborne saloon car racer Ethan Cook (76G) takes the outside line to try to get around a Huntly car and clubmate Hamish Moore at a recent Gisborne Speedway Club meeting. On Saturday, however, it was a brilliant surprise inside manoeuvre that stood out as Cook won race 2 — one of his two race victories. Picture by Liam Clayton

A SHOCKING crash in sidecars racing was one of several stunning incidents in a dramatic Christmas speedway meeting at Eastland Group Raceway on Saturday night

“It was a shocking crash, absolutely horrific,” Gisborne Speedway Club president Grant MacGregor said of the sidecar crash that happened near the end of the first teams race of the night.

Gisborne pair Stu Priest and his swinger Albert Cookson(52B), who are contracted to Hawke’s Bay’s Meeanee Speedway, veered off the track and spectacularly smashed into one of the safety tyres in the infield.

The bike flipped and the safety tyre and its water contents were flung across the infield.

Priest spent two nights in Gisborne Hospital with rib, wrist and back injuries, and was discharged yesterday.

Cookson suffered a dislocated shoulder and was allowed to leave hospital on Saturday night.

Both men were taken to hospital by St John ambulance.

“We are all so relieved that both those guys are recovering,” said MacGregor. “They could easily have been more seriously hurt.”

Prior to that crash, two visiting youth ministock racers sprouted wings and flew in spectacular rollovers.

One of the cars flipped 360 degrees three times in mid-air before landing on its wheels.

Both teenage drivers were not injured.

The big man in red dropped in for a visit and led about 30 youngsters on their bicycles for a couple of laps of the track, then handed out treats to them.

There was a hold-up in the programme at that point until a replacement ambulance arrived.

Moment's silenceJust before the programme resumed with the first stockcar race, a moment’s silence was observed in honour of former Gisborne and Bay of Plenty stockcar legend Graham Peddle, of Lily the Pink fame, who passed away the previous weekend.

Peddle’s OG car led a 20-strong stock-car parade, four-abreast, around the track in a moving tribute to him.

The Auckland team dominated the Stubbs Contracting sidecar teams event, finishing clear winners ahead of Palmerston North and Gisborne.

It was a thrilling series of races, marred by the accident involving Priest and Cookson.

Dave Gooch (7G) and Lloyd Stewart (34G) took top spot in the production saloons best pairs.

Both had a win and Gooch added a second placing to outpoint the duo of Fraser Wright (44G) and Matt Schultz (46G).

Father and daughter Gooch and Crystal Peach turned on the race of the night in that class in race one, which Crystal won.

She established a good lead before her dad closed the gap and there was less than a car length in it at the chequered flag.

The saloon car class was another helter-skelter contest between brothers Daniel (77G) and Ethan Cook (76G), with saloon rookie Hamish Moore (16G) never far behind them.

The first race was the pick of the night. There was a coat of paint between them as the Cooks threw everything at each other.

Daniel won it but little bro got revenge in races 2 and 3 with a couple of fine drives. The inside line he surprisingly took to win race 2 was spectacular.

Moore continues to impress each time he takes the track in his debut saloon season.

The older Cook teamed with him to win the best pairs.

The stockcar class was all action yet again and included another of the night’s rollovers as a Hawke’s Bay car was shunted into the wall, then up and over on the back straight.

The rooftop wing was ripped clean off the tank (115B) driven by Grant Hollyman as it rolled. Hollyman was OK and allowed to continue the race.

Dylan Pickering (56G) won that race, Brad Coxhead (23R) from Rotorua got the flag in the second and Willy McClune (61G) took out the third, his second win in two meetings.

McClune partnered with Coxhead to win the pairs ahead of stockcar rookie Mason O’Dwyer (99G) and Brendon Symes from Rotorua (96R).

O’Dwyer got stuck in all night and, like Moore in the saloons, has quickly found his feet in his new class.

The next Gisborne meeting is the Speed Week saloon car event on Friday, December 29. It will involve 20 cars from around the North Island, including the Cook boys.

The meeting will also feature the Outlaw minisprint series.