NZ stockcar champs: ‘It’s going to be huge’

Heaps of free action at the Speedway tonight.

ANTICIPATION is building just over a week out from the Gisborne-hosted New Zealand stockcar championships, which has attracted a field of 160 cars.

“We have not previously seen a speedway event of this size in Gisborne,” said Gisborne Speedway Club president Grant MacGregor. “Everyone in the club is very excited about it.”

The field for the two-night meeeting at Eastland Group Raceway on February 23 and 24 includes the top cars and drivers from throughout the country.

“It will be an absolutely awesome couple of nights of racing for everyone involved and we expect it will draw our biggest crowds of the season.”

MacGregor expects more than 1000 visitors to descend on Gisborne for the weekend.

“This will be the biggest number of stockcars in New Zealand in one place this season and all the drivers will have their pit crews and supporters from their home tracks. It’s going to be huge.”

The field will be divided into six groups for qualifying next Friday night.

“Four drivers will qualify for the three-heat finals from each group, and then we will have two repechage races on the Saturday night from which six more will qualify for a 30-car finals series.”

Tickets for the championships are on sale at Engine Rebuilders in Palmerston Road.

“We want to give the crowd a chance to get their tickets early so they don’t have to queue each night,” MacGregor said. “They’ll be able to just walk on in and get the best seats.”

The cars in the field will be checked over at the Railway Reserve in Grey Street from 9am next Thursday to 3pm on the Friday.

“We will have practice at the track from 2pm to 4pm on the Thursday.”