Variety meeting proves a hit

STANDOUT: Stockcar driver Ben Holt (4G) was a standout performer in Gisborne Speedway Club’s first meeting of 2019 on Saturday night. He won two races and was second in a third to stake a claim for a spot in the Gisborne Gladiators. He is shown here on the bumper of James Kirk (31G) in another meeting this season. File picture by Liam Clayton

SPEEDWAY

STRONG performances by Ben Holt in the stockcars and Shaun Kingi in the streetstocks, and some lightning-fast lap times by Eastland Kart Club drivers were highlights at Gisborne Speedway Club’s meeting at Eastland Group Raceway on Saturday night.

Ben “the hit man” Holt (4G) was the standout Gisborne driver in the hard-fought stockcar races.

Holt won the first and third races, and was second to hard-charging Ben Milne (76B) from Hawke’s Bay in the other race.

The Gisborne Gladiators team will be announced shortly and Holt looks a certainty.

Results were shared around in the production saloons, with Fraser Wright (44G), Dave Gooch (7G) and Crystal Peach (10G) all carting the chequered flag round the track.

Gooch, Anton McKay (17G) and Sean Robertson (16G) featured among the minor placings.

Kenny Dibben (21G) made the most of the smaller fields in the saloon series, taking two wins from three starts. Aaron Brown (16G) won the third race.

Tara Whiteman (81G) was the standout youth ministocker of the night, with two wins and a second. The other top placings went to Seth McKay (48G).

Sean Gooch (9G) had two wins from three starts in the streetstocks.

Shaun Kingi won the feature race of the night.

The riders from the Eastland Kart Club and the motocross riders put on a good show.

“The track was pretty fast,” karter Shanan Gooch said.

“Everyone really enjoyed the night’s racing.”

The quickest of the karters recorded 16.5-second laps, which is about as quick as the TQs.

“The carts handle the banked track well,” Gooch said.

“They just glide around the turns.”

Club president Neil Gooch said it was great to have the karters and bike riders on the track.

“Damian Fogarty put on a good show on his bike over the jumps set up in the infield.

“Overall, I thought it was a good meeting.”

Results — Saloons, Race 1: Kenny Dibben (21G) 1, Aaron Brown (16G) 2, Ralph Scott (68G) 3. Race 2: Dibben 1, Scott 2, Brown 3. Race 3: Brown 1, Dibben 2, Scott 3.

Production saloons, Race 1: Fraser Wright (44G) 1, Anton McKay (17G) 2, Dave Gooch (7G) 3. Race 2: Dave Gooch (7G) 1, Crystal Peach (10G) 2, Sean Robertson (16G) 3. Race 3: Crystal Peach (10G) 1, Fraser Wright (44G) 2, Anton McKay (17G) 3.

Stockcars, Race 1: Ben Holt (4G) 1, Ben Milne (76B) 2, Trevor McArthur (128G) 3. Race 2: Ben Milne (76B) 1, Ben Holt (4G) 2, Jason Jones (81G) 3. Race 3: Ben Holt (4G) 1, Ben Milne (76B) 2, Mason O’Dwyer (99G) 3.

Ministocks, Race 1: Seth McKay (48G) 1, Tara Whiteman (81G) 2, Jyneika Peach-Hollis (321G) 3. Race 2: Tara Whiteman (81G) 1, Sammy Durston (177G) 2, Savana Peach (77B) 3. Race 3: Tara Whiteman (81G), Seth McKay (48G), Savana Peach (321G).

Streetstocks, Race 1: Sean Gooch (9G) 1, Shaun Kingi (75G) 2, Cody Gooch (6G) 3. Race 2: Sean Goch (9G) 1, David Hampton (88G) 2, Simon Bland (31V) 3. Race 3: Shaun Kingi (75G) 1, Cody Gooch (6G) 2, Simon Bland (31V) 3.