Speedway: Flynn aiming to bounce back

Steve Flynn (left and brother Grant work on their Super Saloons in the build-up to Saturday night's Meeanee-hosted round in the national series. Photo / Warren Buckland

It's the type of composure Hawke's Bay speedway fans expect from two-time national Super Saloon champion Steve Flynn.

He will start Saturday night's second round in the Burger King-Pro Dirt national series in 12th place after luck deserted him big time in last weekend's first round at Auckland's Waikaraka Park. There's no panic from Flynn, who still has hopes of winning the eight-round series.

"The rules have changed this season and we're allowed to drop the points from our worst round. Hopefully that was my worst round... this weekend is a whole new round," Flynn said as he pondered Saturday night's second round at Meeanee.

"I just need a lot more luck on our side."

A flat tyre on his V8 Chev on the first corner of the first heat set the tone for his evening in Auckland. An incident in the feature, which saw him sandwiched and with another flat tyre, meant he dropped from 10th to 13th place in the race after driving the final 21 laps with a flat front tyre.

Should luck continue to desert him in the series Flynn, 42, who is in his 22nd season of racing won't be too concerned. There is a bigger carrot for him this summer, the opportunity to win back-to-back national titles when Meeanee hosts the national championships on March 11 and 12.

Should he manage this feat he will join TQ driver Craig Todd (2012) and retired superstock driver Shane Penn (2014) as Hawke's Bay competitors to taste back-to-back national title glory on their home track.

"It's good to have the nationals at Meeanee. But it's going to be a tough ask as there are some quality drivers in our class," Flynn said.

He agreed the fact the nationals are in March instead of January will prove an advantage as there will be more opportunities to race against his hottest competition at Meeanee including the final round in the series on February 27. He singled out first round winner Ben Harding of Auckland, second placegetter Mark Pitcher of Wellington, third placed Chris Cowling of Bay Park and the Auckland-contracted defending champion and former 1NZ Mark Osborne as the visitors to watch on Saturday night.

Last year Flynn finished fourth in the series, one spot behind brother Grant who was the best of the Bay drivers last weekend with an 11th placing.

"If one of us could win this weekend it would be the best possible way to bounce back after last weekend," Flynn added.

The Flynn brothers will be among six Hawke's Bay starters in the 22-strong field. Mick Quin, who finished 16th last weekend, Peter Black, who finished 19th, and Grahame Strong and Johnny Browne, who both didn't travel north, will be the others.

The 22 will be divided into three groups that will have two heats. The top eight cars after these heats will compete in a pole shuffle which will determine the grid placings for the 25-lap feature.

Twelve Hawke's Bay production saloon drivers will have their first meeting of the season. Organisers of the class have promoted it as an ideal way to get boy racers off the streets and racing in a controlled and safe environment.

Teams racing between the Hawke's Bay Hawkeyes and Wellington Wildcats will be a highlight of the superstock class. Other classes in action will be streetstocks, sidecars, TQs and ministocks.