Perfect start

THREE’S A CROWD: Racing was intense among the field of 20-plus stockcars at Gisborne Speedway Club’s season-opening meeting on Saturday night. Getting up close and personal are Callum Shotter (87B), Michael Schwass (15G) and Mason O’Dwyer (99G). The night came to an explosive conclusion, thanks to a $10,000 fireworks display. Picture by Liam Clayton

SENSATIONAL drives by saloon racer Daniel Cook and stockcar exponent James Kirk highlighted the opening meeting of the 2018-19 Gisborne Speedway Club season on Saturday night.

That was on the track. Above the Eastland Group Raceway, sustained applause and cheers from a 4000-strong crowd at the end of the Jukes Carriers fireworks extravaganza said it all.

Hawke’s Bay outfit Public Dreams put on a dramatic, colourful and explosive eight-minute fireworks show that wowed the big crowd.

“It was an absolutely fantastic start to our season, both on the track and above it,” said Gisborne Speedway Club president Neil Gooch.

“We got a lot of out-of-town cars that further boosted the fields, and the track was superb.”

Gooch said the fireworks crew did a great job.

“The way people clapped and cheered at the end of their show was great to hear, and we had nothing but praise about the whole meeting.”

Gooch felt Cook’s performance (77G) in the saloons was the highlight of the night. He won all three races after starting from fifth, 11th and first on the grid in the eight-car field.

“Daniel was just unstoppable.”

Driving the same car as last season, but with new livery, Cook said: “It’s really fast right out of the gate and handles really well, with just a few things tweaked from last season.

“We’re really happy with how the car went and I’m looking forward to a good season.”

He was also eagerly anticipating brother Ethan (76G) getting his new car on the track.

“That’s hopefully going to be next meeting but we’ll have a few late nights in the shed to get it ready. Our whole team are hard at it.”

Gooch was also impressed with Kirk’s three-from-three performance in a strong and combative stockcar field.

“It felt bloody good,” Kirk said. “The car’s going well. It performed consistently all night and I’m looking forward to my season.”

His three wins in his 31G machine came from seventh, 11th and 18th on the grid in a 22-car field.

Gooch said the streetstock class, boosted to 10 cars, turned on a good show, including the first rollover of the season.

Brothers Brenden (1NZ) and Cody (6G) Gooch got tangled in turn 3 of race 1, locked bumpers and Cody rolled 360 degrees to end up back on his wheels. He was OK and able to continue racing.

David “Duck” Hampton (88G) won two of the three races and Sean Gooch (9G) won the other.

The 1NZ sidecar combination — Hawke’s Bay’s Russell Stuart and swinger Andy Parker — won all three races in that class. Stuart and Parker considered contracting to the Gisborne track but decided to remain with Palmerston North.

“It was good to see Clive Ireland back out there again with his swinger Chris Symon, and they raced well,” Gooch said.

They were second in each of the three races.

Numbers were down on expectations in the production saloon class but there was quality racing.

“Fraser Wright (44G) had a couple of good wins and Dave Gooch (7G)won race 2.”

The second race for the production saloons was another highlight of the night — a hard-fought duel between Dave Gooch and daughter Crystal Peach (10G). Dad proved a winner on this occasion.

“That class picked up right where they left off last season, and the car numbers will build,” said president Gooch. “We still expect 18 cars eventually.”

Mount Maunganui teenager Luke McClymont had a great night in his 5M ministock. The Speedway NZ ministock competitor of the year last season won all three of his Group A races.

A parade of vintage cars and light trucks around the track was a nice addition to the programme.

The second meeting of the season is on November 10 and includes superstocks.

Results, saloon cars — Race 1: Daniel Cook (77G) 1, Shane Laking (7B) 2, Kevin Martin (92B) 3. Race 2: Cook 1, Martin 2, Kenny Dibben (21G) 3. Race 3: Cook 1, Martin 2, Daniel Wallace (15G) 3.

Streetstocks — Race 1: David Hampton (88G) 1, Shayne Melling (23B) 2, Ben Yeoman (16B) 3. Race 2: Sean Gooch (9G) 1, Hampton 2, Brenden Gooch (1NZ) 3. Race 3: Hampton 1, B Gooch 2, Shaun Kingi (75G) 3.

Production saloons — Race 1: Denton Hodgkinson (22B) 1, Fraser Wright (44G) 2, Crystal Peach (10G) 3. Race 2: Dave Gooch (7G) 1, Peach 2, Anton McKay (17G) 3. Race 3: Wright 1, McKay 2, Peach 3.

Stockcars — Race 1: James Kirk (31G) 1, Ben Milne (76B) 2, Willy McClune (61G) 3. Race 2: Kirk 1, Milne 2, Mason O’Dwyer 3. Race 3: Kirk 1, Jason Lovell (67G) 2, Bruce Harding (8K) 3.

Sidecars — Race 1: A Parker/ R Stuart (1NZ) 1, C Ireland/C Symon (56G) 2, R Miller/R George (8G) 3. Race 2: Parker/Stuart 1, Ireland/Symon 2, R Feck/M Domper (87G) 3. Race 3: Parker/Stuart 1, Ireland/Symon 2, Feck/Domper 3.

Ministocks — Group A, race 1: Luke McClymont (5M) 1, Jack Lawson (58B) 2, Thomas McEwan (26B) 3. Race 2: McClymont 1, Karlin Painter (88B) 2, McEwan 3. Race 3: McClymont 1, Lauren Swift (42B) 2, McEwan 3.

Group B, race 1: Kaelin Mooney (17B) 1, Max Lowe (55P) 2, Hamish McEwan (16B) 3. Race 2: Trent McCann (9B) 1, Samuel Murray (196R) 2, Kara Flynn (5B) 3. Race 3: Lowe 1, Murray 2, Bryce Carter (26M) 3.