Huge night at track

CONGESTION AT THE BEND: Saloon drivers Josh Smith (27P), Ashley O’Dowd (39P) and Sean Robertson (16G) put the squeeze on each other as they come round a bend during Gisborne Speedway Club’s fireworks meeting on Saturday night. Smith won Race 1 of the saloons competition. Picture by Liam Clayton

SPEEDWAY

FIREWORKS in the sky were matched by fireworks on the track at Gisborne Speedway Club’s meeting on Saturday night.

A crowd estimated at close to 3500 packed into the Eastland Group Raceway for the club’s second meeting of the season.

A 28-race programme and the Jukes Carriers $10,000 fireworks show made for “a huge night”, club president Clyde McGrory said.

“The fireworks show was great, better, I feel, than last year, and the crowd was certainly bigger than last year. We were thrilled.”

The first round of the Pit Stop Saloon Series lived up to all expectations with some exciting racing, highlighted for Gisborne by the performance of the Cook brothers.

Ethan Cook (76G) went from third spot on the grid for the final, and his brother Daniel (77G) started in fifth position.

Daniel crossed the finish line in second place to accumulate good points in the series.

“He drove exceptionally well,” McGrory said.

Ethan Cook did not finish, due to a mechanical failure late in the final.

“We’ve had big changes with our cars to start the season, and it was a practice night for both of us more than anything as we try to figure out where we’re at and how to get the cars working properly,” Daniel Cook said.

“So, to do well was completely satisfying for both of us.

“We expect to show further improvement over the remaining four rounds of the series. We feel there’s a lot of potential in this season for us and our cars.”

Gisborne’s Rob Miller and his swinger Daniel Bradley, on board 8P, finished third in the Novus Glass and Ireland Motors sidecar championship. The title was won by an Auckland combination.

Miller and Bradley, who are registered with the Palmerston North track again this season, finished with a first and two seconds.

The other Gisborne teams raced well, and all picked up placings through the heats.

The Gooch family dominated the podium in the Stone Transport Streetstock Champion of Champions, with Sean Gooch (9G) securing the title on the back of two firsts and a second. His brother Cody (6G) was runner-up.

Jason Lovell was the Gisborne standout in the stockcars, with a first and a second in some hard racing.

“The stocks were outstanding . . .

such intense racing from a good-sized field,” McGrory said.

Gisborne’s Dylan MacGregor (17G) took two of the three chequered flags in the TQ midgets. Ryan MacGregor (74G) and Robert Gomm (24G), from the local track, were also among the placings.

McGrory said the visiting Speedway NZ officials and drivers were again full of praise for the professional way the meeting was run.

“The weather was on our side on Saturday night,” he said.

“The rain came to nothing, and overall our season’s got off to the best possible start.”

The club’s next meeting is on November 14.

Josh Smith (27B) 1, Jarred Fletcher (8M) 2, David Ingram (116A) 3.Daniel Cook (77G) 1, Kevin Williams (8K) 2, Scott Lansdowne (2NZ) 3. Ted Ingram (16A) 1, Ethan Cook (76G) 2, Shane Laking (7B) 3.

Jarred Fletcher (8M) 1, Daniel Cook (77G) 2, Scott Lansdowne (2NZ) 3.

Brenden Gooch (3NZ) 1, Sean Gooch (9G) 2, Shaun Kingi (75G) 3. Sean Gooch (9G) 1, Cody Gooch (6G) 2, Shaun Kingi (75G) 3. Sean Gooch (9G) 1, Cody Gooch (6G) 2, Jared Ingoe (18G) 3.

Sean Gooch (9G) 1, Cody Gooch (6G) 2, Al Howartson (7B) 3.

Scott Adams (44G) 1, Lloyd Stuart (34G) 2, Seth McKay (48G) 3.

Nick Hutton (56G) 1, Jason Lovell (67G) 2, Mike Herbert (52R) 3. Mike Herbert (52R) 1, Callum Shotter (87B) 2, Harry Prince (77B) 3. Jason Lovell (67G) 1, Nick Hutton (56G) 2, Callum Shotter (87B) 3,

Dylan MacGregor (17G) 1, Duane Todd (6B) 2, Ryan MacGregor (74G) 3. Duane Todd (6B) 1, Robert Gomm (24G) 2, Chris Wiffin (14B) 3. Dylan MacGregor (17G) 1, Duane Todd (6B) 2, Ryan MacGregor (74G) 3.

Bailey Smith (72B) 1, Zac Ingram (116A) 2, Jacob Buckrell (99B) 3. Bailey Smith (72B) 1, Zac Ingram (116A) 2, Liam Danielson (11B) 3.Liam Danielson (11B) 1, Zac Ingram (116A) 2, Keegan Bunce (81B) 3.

Justin Lincoln and George Olsen (26B) 1, Rob Miller and Daniel Bradley (8P) 2, Clive Ireland and Chris Symon (56G) 3. Peter Adams and Jason Hira (6A) 1, Stu Priest and Kerwin Arnaboldi (52G) 2, Callum Innes and Jason Rees (22G) 3. Peter Adams and Jason Hira (6A) 1, Justin Lincoln and George Olsen (26B) 2, Clive Ireland and Chris Symon (56G) 3. Rob Miller and Daniel Bradley (8P) 1, Toby and Dylan Lardelli (99G) 2, Callum Innes and Jason Rees (22G) 3. Justin Lincoln and George Olsen (26B) 1, Rob Miller and Daniel Bradley (8P) 2, Clive Ireland and Chris Symon (56G) 3. Peter Adams and Jason Hira (6A) 1, Stu Priest and Kerwin Arnaboldi (99G) 2, Graeme Rylott and Matt Atkins (33G) 3.

Peter Adams and Jason Hira (6A) 1, Justin Lincoln and George Olsen (26B) 2, Rob Miller and Daniel Bradley (8P) 3.