Thrills and spills on track

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

SPEEDWAY

A THRILLING teams demolition derby series, some crash-hot stockcar action and outstanding drives by Shaun Kingi and Seth McKay were highlights of Gisborne Speedway Club’s meeting on Saturday.

Seth McKay, in 48G, was in fine form with two wins and two seconds to take out the Professional Fleet Maintenance Production Saloon Champion of Champions title.

“Seth was unbelievable and thoroughly deserved to take the top spot on the podium,” club president Clyde McGrory said.

“In every race he was outstanding against good competition. That was a really good class on Saturday night.”

The teams demolition derby lived up to all expectations as the two teams of five cars went hell for leather at each other all night.

“The Metalco team were in front by nine points going into the third and final heat,” McGrory said.

“The only way the Fluid Connections team could win was by winning the race, and then not letting any of the Metalco cars finish, and that’s exactly what they did.

“Both teams went for each other right from the start, and managed to hold the cars together.

“A lot of hard work went on in the pits between races to get the cars back out on to the track again.

“It was a really thrilling part of the programme.”

The 30-car field in the stockcars produced more action-packed racing.

Out-of-town drivers took all three placings on the podium in the Sam’s Upholstery and Gisborne Fluid and Machinery Stock Car Classic.

Gisborne’s Trevor McArthur (128G) drove well to score one win and a third placing across the four heats.

“The racing in the stocks was really good and I thought Mike Herbert from Rotorua was outstanding,” McGrory said.

“He was right there even though he finished out of the top placings.”

Shaun Kingi (75G) won two from three against stiff competition from the Gooch brothers in the streetstocks.

“The Gooches worked like crazy to try to slow him down, but he drove too well for them,” McGrory said.

“That was one of the other highlights of the night, I reckon.

“Shaun’s youth ministock driving experience is coming through now.”

Tara Whiteman, in 81G, had a great night in the ministocks, with three wins, and Cassy Robertson, with a win and two seconds, was another standout.

“Overall it was really good night,” McGrory said.

“We got a good crowd again, and now we’re getting ready for the New Zealand Stockcar Grand Prix on December 4 and 5. We have close to 100 entries so far.”

Lloyd Stuart (34G) 1, Seth McKay (48G) 2, Gregg Reddington (27B) 3. Wayne Warrender (14H) 1, Seth McKay (48G) 2, David Pilkington (48H) 3. Seth McKay (48G) 1, David Pilkington (48H) 2, Wayne Warrender (14H) 3. Seth McKay (48G) 1, David Pilkington (48H) 2, Wayne Warrender (14H) 3.

Seth McKay (48G) 1, Wayne Warrender (14H) 2, David Pilkington (48H) 3.

Clinton Cheetham (361H) 1, Zayne Pullan (91B) 2, Trevor McArthur (128G) 3. Trevor McArthur (128G) 1, Riley McDonald (733R) 2, James Marshall (16H) 3. Riley McDonald (733R) 1, Mike Herbert (52R) 2, Sean Wepa (45R) 3. Zayne Pullan (91B) 1, Sean Wepa (45R) 2, Riley McDonald (733R) 3.

Riley McDonald (733R) 1, Clinton Cheetham (361H) 2, Zayne Pullan (91B) 3.

Dylan Pickering (11G), Toby Pickering (12G), Keith Tester (13G), James Clarke (14G) and Julian Walford (15G).

Sean Gooch (9G) 1, Jared Ingoe (18G) 2, Brenden Gooch (96G) 3. Shaun Kingi (75G) 1, Cody Gooch (6G) 2, Jared Ingoe (18G) 3. Shaun Kingi (75G) 1, Sean Gooch (9G) 2, Samantha Durston (177G) 3.

Tara Whiteman (81G) 1, Cassy Robertson (97G) 2, Hayley Durston (277G) 3. Cassy Robertson (97G) 1, Ari Robertson (9G) 2, Corey Kibble (24G) 3. Tara Whiteman (81G) 1, Cassy Robertson (97G) 2, Ari Robertson (9G) 3. Tara Whiteman (81G) 1, Ari Robertson (9G) 2, Hayley Durston (277G) 3.