Rain dampens drivers' spirits in Stratford

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE five Gisborne drivers who made the finals of the New Zealand streetstock championship in Stratford at the weekend came home disappointed after the meeting was called off because of rain.

Father and son Trevor and Ben McArthur, brothers Brenden and Cody Gooch, and David “Duck” Hampton qualified for the finals.

Gisborne club member and current 1NZ Aaron Brown was unable to take part in the heats after a scrutineer pulled his car up on a technical issue.

Neil Gooch said an attempt to run the finals yesterday was foiled by more wet weather.

“Speedway New Zealand have 14 days to restage the finals, or run the whole thing again,” he said.

“The streetstock grand prix is on this weekend and, with the New Zealand superstock teams event on the following weekend, at this stage it looks like the championships will have to be restaged.”

The Herald understands Aaron Brown will appeal the scrutineer’s decision on his car. The same vehicle passed all scrutineering for the past several seasons.

“I feel there is a very good chance Speedway NZ will overturn the decision,” Gooch said.

“Some of the scrutineering decisions made at Stratford were ridiculous, in my view.”