Motorsport: Penalty overturned to give Todd national title

Duane Todd joins his father Steve and cousin Craig Todd as two-time national champions. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay TQ driver Duane Todd has become the third member of his family to be a two-time national champion.

Originally Todd wasn't going to appeal his protest room relegation at the February nationals in Greymouth. But Speedway New Zealand officials encouraged him to when they realised three drivers shouldn't have been penalised for pole line infringements when the infringements occurred throughout the two-day nationals. "It was pretty good when I heard recently Speedway New Zealand had ruled in my favour," Todd said yesterday.

He will receive the trophy at the Hawke's Bay Speedway Club's prizegiving in Napier tomorrow night.

Todd joins his father Steve and cousin Craig Todd as two-time national champions. He will attempt to become the first member of his family and first driver in the class to win three consecutive national titles when he tackles next year's Auckland-hosted nationals.

"It will be tough in Auckland because there are so many good drivers up there but I will give it a go," Todd said.

The pole line infringement was the second ruling he was relegated on in Greymouth. Todd had earlier been relegated to second for not having a crash bar but later proved there was enough of his crash bar on his car to meet the regulations. Ironically Todd also won his first national title last year through the appeal process. His cousin Craig was also a back-to-back national champion.