Meeanee Speedway: Out-of-towner prevails, but only just

Scott Tennant, 32, pipped Hawke’s Bay-based, Gisborne-contracted Regan Penn by 0.003s at Meeanee. Photo / John Faulkner

- This article is provided courtesy of Meeanee Speedway

Crikey, that was close.

“Yes, they don’t get much closer than that. I’m pretty happy,” Tauranga-based Canterbury-contracted driver Scott Tennant remarked after winning the 24-car Warner Engineering-sponsored Superstock Autumn Nationals Meeting at Meeanee Speedway on Saturday night.

Tennant, 32, pipped Hawke’s Bay-based, Gisborne-contracted Regan Penn by three-thousandths of a second in the 20-lap final after starting off grid five.

“I was staying at the sponsor’s [Shane Warner] place after he gave me a personal invite, so it was good to repay him by putting on a show like that,” Tennant explained.

It was his first Autumn Nationals Meeting and his first appearance at Meeanee this season because he had only recently recovered from a self-inflicted injury collected at the February Enzed Teams Champs in Palmerston North.

Hawke’s Bay’s Zach Glenny, who impressed with his pace throughout the meeting, finished third in the final. Whanganui’s Dylan Marshall was fourth and Hawke’s Bay’s Brett Loveridge fifth.

Hawke’s Bay’s Quinn Ryan, who won the Alexander Contractors Top Six Shoot Out with a 17.877s lap time, secured pole for the final. He held a comfortable lead in the final, but was taken out by clubmate Dylan Ashton during the final few laps.

Ashton later said his hit was payback for a hit from Ryan in heat one.

The 17-car East Coast Production Saloon Championship was the other feature attraction. Whanganui’s Ray Jaggard won the title by three points from clubmate and defending champion Brent Hackett.

Hawke’s Bay’s Dave Cartwright and Rotorua’s Justin Driver tied for third place on points, two behind Hackett, but Driver was awarded third courtesy of his fastest lap time.

Stockcars and ministocks provided the support-class action.

Hawke’s Bay’s former national champion, Jason Penn, won heat one for the stockcars from Gisborne’s Brad McGee and clubmate Brad Singer.

Penn’s nephew, Bradley Penn, produced a memorable hit on clubmate Tony Darroch in this race.

Heat two was won by Whanganui’s Bailey Chapman from Singer and Bradley Penn. McGee secured the chequered flag in heat three in which host-track drivers Jordan Adie and Isaac Fothergill finished second and third respectively.

Two wins from three starts had Hawke’s Bay’s Logan Smith capture Driver of the Night honours in the 21-strong ministock class.

New Zealand representative Payton Swannell produced a 20.72s lap time on the way to winning the ministock feature race. Her clubmates, Kayne Nicholson and Jacob Martin, were second and third respectively.

Hawke’s Bay drivers Kevin Martin and Dan Montaperto did well to finish third and fifth respectively in the New Zealand Super Saloon Grand Prix in Auckland on Saturday night. Mount Maunganui’s Damian Orr won the title.