Wily rooster faces spring chickens at Eastland Group Raceway

BACK ON TRACK: After an absence of 11 seasons, Doug Walsh returns to the Eastland Group Raceway track tomorrow night at the wheel of his Mazda RX8 production saloon. Picture by Liam Clayton

FIREWORKS in the air will be matched by explosive action on the track tomorrow night when the 2017-18 speedway season opens at Eastland Group Raceway.

Several young guns are stepping up to the big time while one of the track’s older sharpshooters, Doug Walsh, is returning.

The Jukes Carriers family fireworks meeting features a 16-race programme of stockcars, production saloon, youth ministock, streetstock and saloon car races, along with a $10,000 fireworks show.

“We are looking forward to getting what is set to be an exciting season under way,” said Gisborne Speedway Club president Grant MacGregor.

“Our 20-minute fireworks show, put on by the Public Dream Trust from Hastings, is always very popular. We are very grateful again for support from Trevor Jukes.”

Several young drivers who made their names in youth ministocks will step up into the stockcar and saloon car classes.

“Mason O’Dwyer (99G) will pick up where his dad Steve left off in the stockcars and Jonny Morley (98G) will have his new car in that class, too.

“It will be Mason’s first time racing and Jonny comes back after a break and a great career in youth ministocks.

“Two of the leading lights in the youth ministocks class in the past couple of seasons — Hamish Moore (16G) and Bailey Curtis (21G) — will race their new saloon cars for the first time on our track tomorrow night.

“It will be fascinating to see how they go. Jonny, Hamish and Bailey have proven themselves time and again to be outstanding young drivers and Mason will have learned a lot from his father.”

At the other end of the age spectrum, former Gisborne saloon car racer Doug Walsh, at 62 years young, will be back on a track he knows well after a break of 11 years.

He will pilot his rotary-engined, rear-wheel-drive Mazda RX8 production saloon featuring the number (16G) of the the saloon car he drove so well in the past.

Walsh lived in Australia for 11 years before returned to Gisborne last summer.

“It feels really good to be back and I'm looking forward to my first race.”

Walsh has also rekindled a sponsorship relationship with Terry Hunt’s Gisborne Towing Services dating back 35 years.

“Terry first sponsored me way back in 1982. We were good mates before that time and that close friendship continues today.

“It is awesome to have him on board with me again.”

Walsh took his car out for a practice session last weekend.

“I bought it off a guy in Blenheim and I believe it is the only Mazda RX8 in the country racing speedway. It felt pretty good on the track last weekend and it’s certainly good to drive.

“It was a bit loose, though, so I have been adjusting the tyre pressures and working on the suspension. But I will have it good to go tomorrow night.”

Despite being no spring chicken, Walsh reckons he will give a good account of himself.

“Just look at Dave Gooch and what he did last season in the production saloons, and Dave’s a year older than me. It may take a while to get back into the groove but once you get there, it all starts to come back to you.

“My brother, Tanga, is bringing his production saloon car up from Napier so that’s going to make the night even more special.”

Because of the large crowd expected, gates will open at the earlier time of 5pm. Racing starts at 7pm.

The meeting is the first of 16 the club will host this year, the highlight being the New Zealand stockcar championships in late February.