"I've had seconds and thirds before in this championship so it would be good to get the big one," Ryan said.
His form to date this summer suggests he must be a serious contender. In fact many fans were surprised Ryan, a member of the 2016 Hawkeyes team which won the ENZED Teams title in Palmerston North, wasn't selected for the Hawkeyes' attempt at a three-peat in Palmy earlier this month.
"Because of my work commitments, and I didn't want my car smashed up, I didn't make myself available. But I will put my hand up next year," Ryan, who runs his own Q & R Welding and Fabrication business, said.
Although New Zealand champion William Humphries, of Palmerston North, is among the visitors Ryan believed there is no reason why Hawke's Bay drivers can't fill all three berths on the podium.
"As long as we all work together it can happen."
Ryan was the best of the Hawke's Bay drivers at last weekend's North Island championship in Palmerston North with a fourth placing. At the New Zealand Grand Prix in Rotorua in December which another former Hawkeye, Tom Stanaway, won Ryan was fourth.
He also finished fourth at the recent World 248s in Palmerston North coming from grid 11 in the winner-takes-all 25-lap final. Ryan was among the unlucky drivers at the Auckland-hosted nationals last month.
"The car is going good because we spend a lot of time on maintenance and I've got a good crew," Ryan said before listing the nucleus of the crew — his father Jason Ryan, Robert Vivers, Fraser Brown, Daniel Haggerty and his main sponsor, Hawke's Bay Speedway Club president James Buckrell.
Ryan, like so many of his main rivals, had the best possible introduction to speedway with four seasons in the ministock class during which he won the Ministocks in Paradise event in Rotorua, the most prestigious ministock title in the country. In addition to his Hawkeyes title in the superstock class other highlights include winning last summer's Autumn Nationals title at Meeanee, second and third placing in the Under-25 Nationals at Meeanee and winning the 2014 Eastland Invitation title in Gisborne.
Ryan is in his second season racing the car Buckrell owns. It is the same car Hawke's Bay's Shane Penn drove when he won the national title twice and finished third at the nationals before his retirement.
"I'm pretty comfortable with the car ... there's only a few more little things I need to do. I've got to thank Shane [Penn] for all the tips he gives me about set-up too," Ryan said.
After tonight's meeting Ryan's attention will turn to the Under-25 Grand Nationals, the Autumn Nationals, the East Coast Championship and a couple of out-of-town meetings including Ohakea's Harrisville at the end of the season when he gives all of his crew a drive. He agreed his schedule wouldn't be possible without his stable of sponsors — BJs Bakery & Cafe, J Ryan Contracting, Q & R Welding and Fabrication, Paint Spot, HRPP, Revolution Electrical, Mag & Tyre Hastings and Steve Jude Motors.
"I must give a big shout out to Barry and Carol Buckrell too. They are senior citizens but they still follow us all around the country," Ryan added.
Tonight's other major attraction will be the North Island Production Saloon Championship. It has attracted 24 starters including Hawke's Bay champion Jason Pointon, from Whanganui.
Other fancied starters from out of the Bay include Whanganui's Grant Loveridge and Gisborne's Antonio McKay.
Hawke's Bay's best hopes include Tanga Walsh who finished second in last month's New Zealand Grand Prix in Gisborne, Denton Hodgkinson, Brent Redington and Brendon Zachan. Other classes in action will be streetstocks, ministocks, saloons and super saloons.
A demolition derby will end the meeting.
