Speedway: Busy Bay driver sticks to hard-out approach

CHECK TIME: Tom Stanaway, right, and father Brian Stanaway complete their final pre-meeting checks in the countdown to this weekend's New Zealand Superstock Grand Prix at Meeanee. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

Nobody would blame Hawke's Bay superstock driver Tom Stanaway if he adopted a relaxed approach to the New Zealand Grand Prix at Meeanee this weekend.

The former 3NZ joined current 2NZ Jason Long as the two Hawke's Bay qualifiers at the New Zealand championships which began in Palmerston North on Monday night but were unable to be completed because of rain on Wednesday night. The second night of the nationals will be staged on January 14.

Easing up or back has never been part of Stanaway's repertoire.

"I'll go hard as normal. There's a week between the two meetings. I'll focus on this weekend first and then get ready for the rest of the nationals," Stanaway said.

While this weekend's 60-car two-night meeting - which begins with qualifying tonight - and the nationals are huge there's another major meeting on Stanaway's mind, the February 4 and 5 Enzed Superstock Teams Championship in Palmerston North. This is the glamour event on the Speedway New Zealand calendar.

"I would love to go back with the Hawkeyes and try and retain the title Hawke's Bay won for the first time last year if I'm selected again," Stanaway, 26, said.

With eight drivers chasing the five spots on the Hawkeyes roster Stanaway knows he can't afford to ease up if he wants to retain his berth.

A veteran of nine years racing in the class, Stanaway is eyeing a podium finish this weekend.

"My previous best in the GP is a fourth at Huntly in 2014. The goal this time has to be a podium out here on the home track and I think we can do the business."

After finishing sixth from grid 13 in the only completed race in Palmy on Wednesday night Stanaway's confidence levels are high. Apart from the usual pre-meeting checks yesterday he didn't have too much work to do on his Midwest Motors Toyota V8-powered car.

"It's a pity that sixth placing won't count as the finalists will be starting from scratch again on the 14th," Foot Engineering Services engineer Stanaway said.

This weekend's 60 starters have been divided into three groups of 20. The top eight from each after three qualifying heats tonight plus the top two from tomorrow night's repechage will qualify for tomorrow night's three championship races.

"Getting through qualifying is the immediate priority. In Palmy I was in one of the hardest groups but this weekend's groups look pretty even. Anything can happen ... you could puncture on the first corner and be forced out of contention," Stanaway explained.

He qualified third in his group in Palmerston North. Long qualified second in his.

Two Hawke's Bay-based Palmy-contracted drivers, Shane Mellsop and Andy McCabe, qualified first and second in their respective groups. One of the keys to Stanaway's success in recent seasons is the cohesion displayed by his six-strong pit crew which his father and former racer Brian Stanaway commands.

With racing this weekend and next and then the World 240s in Rotorua on January 20 and 21 the crew won't get a weekend off until the end of the month and that's providing Stanaway avoids strife in Rotorua. Stanaway is equally indebted to his sponsors - Foot Engineering Services, Wiseys Pie and Bakehouse, Sign It Up, Sportsweb Photography, Midwest Motors, Total Oils, Bay Tyres, Taradale Panel and Paint, Century Batteries and OnSite Auto Electrical.

Joining Long and Stanaway on the list of Hawke's Bay starters this weekend are Richard Houston, Wayne Talbot, Regan O'Brien, Shane Warner, Quinn Ryan, Mike McLachlan, Steve Jude, Matt Demanser, Maddison Wise, Matt Titter, Zach Lawrence, James Tollison, Zach Glenny and Marty Cooke. Support classes tonight will be TQs, ministocks and golden oldies stockcars. Tomorrow night's support classes will be TQs, streetstocks, saloons and sidecars.