“He and I have always had such great tussles and I was disappointed for him. But it certainly feels great to win the first NZ Grand Prix in our class.”
'That's racing mate'Gooch was the fastest on the track with a top lap time of just over 17 seconds.
“Look at Gooch. He’s gone,” the commentator had said just before his mishap in the final.
“The gap was there for the pass but then it wasn’t,” a philosophical Gooch said aftewards. “I got a knock in the back and then I hit the wall.
“But that’s racing, mate.”
Tanga Walsh (96B) from Hawke’s Bay was runner-up and Huntly’s Wayne Warrender (14H) was third.
'The bike died'But while there was ecstasy for Wright, there was agony for Gisborne sidecar combination Rob Miller and Red George.
Miller and George (8G) led the Phill Law Panel and Engineering New Zealand Sidecar grand prix on points after clear wins in their first two races.
They were 200 metres from their third chequered flag when the engine of the bike died.
The pair coasted their disabled bike into the infield and climbed off dejected, sitting with heads in hands on the grass.
“We had come out of turn two on the last lap and suddenly the bike got slower and slower, then there was a bang from the engine and the bike died,” Miller said.
“We were absolutely gutted. We had our third win and a great chance at the title in our sights, and then it was taken away from us.”
The crowd let out a collective sigh as the pair exited the raceway on to the infield.
The motor had been in the bike for four years and Miller said it had done some hard racing.
“My dad Deane has come to the party and given us a new motor. We should be good to go again for the next meeting here on February 10.
“Then Red and I will race in the North Island titles in Whanganui in mid-March.”
Miller won the title last year with Kerwin Arnaboldi on board as his swinger.
“Saturday night was a huge disappointment. It was a real bugger but that’s speedway racing at the end of the day.”
The grand prix was won by Dave Adams (on the bars) and Jason Hira (swinger) from Auckland.
Gisborne’s other combination, Callum Innes and driver Jason Rees (22G), finished fourth.
The support programme added to a thrilling night, particularly in the saloons, with the spoils in that class shared by Daniel Cook (77G) and Hamish Moore (16G).
Moore drove the wheels off his car and led all the way to win the feature race.
Cook won the first race easily, then sneaked through some slower traffic to edge brother Ethan (76G) on the line by 0.14 of a second to win the second.
Clint Cheetham, from Kihikihi, won two of the stockcar races and Gemma Palmer of Hawke’s Bay won the feature race. It was another rip-roaring night in that class, with Jason Lovell (67G) and Sam Hughes (99G) the pick of the locals.
'A great night's racing all-round'Honours were shared in the six-shooters between Paul Ludeman (5G), Reece Lister (8G) and Martin Jamieson (26M).
Dave “Duck” Hampton was the pick of the streetstockers with a win and two seconds.
“It was a great night’s racing all-round,” said Gisborne Speedway Club president Grant MacGregor.
“Congratulations to Fraser and commiserations to Dave and to Rob and Red. They all did the club and themselves proud.”
The club’s next meeting is on February 10.
Former Gisborne driver Daniel Corrin (124M) finished fourth in the NZ super saloon championships at BayPark on Saturday night, and Ethan Rees (127G) was fifth in the New Zealand superstock championships held in Auckland.ResultsNew Zealand Production Saloon Grand Prix final: Fraser Wright (44G) 1, Tanga Walsh (96B) 2, Wayne Warrender (14H) 3.
New Zealand Sidecars Grand Prix (points): Dave Adams/Jason Hira (Auckland) 1, Aaron Rose/Bailee Ross (Wanganui) 2, Justin Lincoln/Adrian Orchard (Hawke’s Bay) 3.
Saloons — Race 1: Daniel Cook (77G) 1, Hamish Moore (16G) 2, Ethan Cook (76G) 3. Race 2: D Cook 1, Josh Smith (27B) 2, E Cook 3. Race 3: Moore 1, Smith 2, D Cook 3.
Streetstocks — Race 1: Phillip McNamara (9B) 1, Dave Hampton (88G) 2, Neil Gooch (7G) 3. Race 2: Hampton 1, Cody Gooch (6G) 2, McNamara 3. Race 3: Trevor McArthur (871G) 1, Hampton 2, N Gooch 3.
Stockcars — Race 1: Clint Cheetham (36K) 1, Jason Lovell (67G) 2, James Clarke (29G) 3. Race 2: Cheetham 1, Lovell 2, Sam Hughes (99G) 3. Race 3: Gemma Palmer (14B) 1, Hughes 2, Mike Herbert (52G) 3.
Six-shooters — Race 1: Paul Ludeman (5G) 1, Rose Halfpenny (47A) 2, Reece Lister (8G) 3. Race 2: Lister 1, Chris Mackie (21G) 2, Martin Jamieson (26M) 3. Race 3: Jamieson 1, Lister 2, Mackie (21G) 3.
