Speedway: Steve Flynn's mixed memories, Chris Cowling's consistent

Chris Cowling (centre), with runner-up Mark Osborne and third placegetter Sam Waddell after Saturday night's 30 lapper at Meeanee. Photo/John Faulkner

Talk about a weekend of highs and lows for Hawke's Bay super saloon driver Steve Flynn at Meeanee.

A night after a rookie-type "driver's error" cost the two-time national champion a podium spot in the 27-car Onekawa Metal Recyclers-sponsored New Zealand Grand Prix, Flynn, did the best of the Hawke's Bay drivers in the sixth round of the nine-round Burger King Pro Dirt Series on Saturday night and jumped one spot on the points table to second place, 119 points behind leader Chris Cowling of Mount Maunganui.

After finishing last in his second heat on Friday night, Flynn, 45 and a veteran of 24 seasons racing, was relegated to the repechage. The Price Engineering engineer appeared to have a mechanical issue and backed off on lap 11 when he was challenging Mount Maunganui's Ian Daniel for the lead.

When quizzed on the issue afterwards Flynn was slightly embarrassed and described it as a "driver's error." Later at the prizegiving he admitted he had misread the flags and backed off as he thought the race was finished.

"You only make that sort of mistake once."

He shook off that error to produce the drive of the night taking his V8 Chev-powered car from grid 19 to fourth place in the 30-lap final for the top 20 drivers. To qualify for the top 20 Flynn had to finish first or second in the seven-car repechage and he won it from grid seven.

His brother and defending champion in the series, Grant Flynn, did the best of the five Bay drivers in the Grand Prix with a second to 2NZ Cowling. Nelson's 3NZ Ian Burson was third.

On Saturday night Steve Flynn finished fifth in the series 30-lap feature from grid 11. Cowling won it from grid 13 to complete a memorable weekend and what he described as a "dream week" as the previous weekend he finished second to brother Steve Cowling in the Huntly-hosted nationals.

"It's pretty good to win two consecutive 30 lappers.particularly the one from grid 13. There was plenty of fast cars out there but I like a slick track and I nailed the set up. A caution towards the end worked out for me too," Cowling added.

Rotorua's Mark Osborne and Mount Maunganui's Sam Waddell finished second and third respectively to Cowling on Saturday night. Cowling has accumulated 1282 points in the series to date, Steve Flynn is on 1163, Waddell has 1144, Steve Cowling 1116, Grant Flynn 996 and Osborne 966.

The Palmerston North-contracted Martin Halcrow was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital with a back injury after he rolled on lap two of his first heat on Friday night. He recovered in time to race on Saturday night.

A 16-car Hawke's Bay streetstock championship and 14-car Hawke's Bay TQ championship were the other feature events on Saturday night. Hawke's Bay's 3NZ Brent Redington beat clubmate Shane Melling in a run off for the streetstock title and another Bay starter, Ben Yeoman, was third. It was Redington's fourth title in five years.

One of the highlights of this championship saw Hawke's Bay driver David Adams roll along the safety wall in heat one.

The Bay's two-time national champion Duane Todd captured the TQ title. His clubmate Kris Gillies beat Aucklander Cieran Rose in a run off for second. On Friday night Rose won the Dusty Rhodes Memorial Trophy.

Four Hawke's Bay drivers made the podium in their respective events at the World 240s Superstock meeting in Rotorua at the weekend. Tom Stanaway finished second to Palmerston North's Benji Sneddon in a run off for the premier title.

Adam Groome was second in the second tier and Mike McLachlan won the third tier title. Dominique O'Brien won the women's stockcar title which was also up for grabs.