Speedway: Tarrants will go for glory in last race

HIT OUT: Palmerston North Pumas driver Hamish McLeod (34P) takes Michael Smith (671B) of Hawke's Bay's Orange Roughies team to the wall. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

The chances of a fairytale-type finish for Hawke's Bay's father-and-son stockcar teams racers Beatle and Randal Tarrant tonight are high.

The pair are members of the Meeanee Maulers team which will take on the Rotorua Rascals in one of tonight's semifinals at the Peter Barry Memorial Stockcar Teams meeting at Meeanee. It will be the last time the pair will race together in a team as Beatle, who has come out of a two-year retirement for this weekend's two nighter, will definitely call it quits from teams racing.

Should the Maulers win their semifinal and then take out the final of the eight-team event, raced in memory of Central Hawke's Bay businessman and farmer Peter Barry who died after a a speedway incident in 2009, the Tarrants will owe teammate Mike McLachlan a beer or two. After losing 145-50 to the Auckland Alleycats in their first heat, the Maulers needed a top performance in their second against the Palmerston North Pumas which they won 170-25.

McLachlan, a legend in both superstock and stockcar teams racing, produced two crucial hits. In his first he rolled Jay Knight and in his second he halted the progress of Hamish McLeod.

This allowed Randal to take the victory and Josh Swannell to finish second.

The Maulers finished 35 points ahead of the Pumas on the overall standings. Tonight's other semifinal will see the Stratford Stormers take on the Alleycats.

A 22-car Hawke's Bay ministock championship last night saw third generation Hawke's Bay driver Ethan Dorward win by two points. A spectacular run off for second saw Gisborne-contracted former Bay driver Thomas Rumble pip host track driver Michael Hurst. The Rotorua Rascals, who have yet to win the title, opened their campaign with a 165-30 win against inaugural winners Waikato Raiders. The Rascals trio of Brent Stewart, Mike Hohneck and Darcy Meurant were the first three finishers.

The defending champions Wanganui Vulcans had a shocker of a start when beaten 125-70 by the Stratford Stormers, another team yet to have won the title. Wanganui's Brendon Tye had the lead for the bulk of the race but was taken to the grass by Haydin Barker. This allowed Bevan Phillips to secure the victory for the Stormers.

The 2011-12 season winners, the Palmerston North Pumas, proved how keen they were to capture a second title with a 170-25 walloping of Hawke's Bay's Orange Roughies in their first heat.

Pumas David Lowe and Taylor Lampp finished first and second respectively. Another key to the Pumas win was Hamish McLeod taking Roughie Michael Smith to the wall.

The first round news for wasn't much better for Hawke's Bay's top team and 2013-14 season winners Meeanee Maulers who lost 145-50 to the Auckland Alley Cats. The Maulers made a promising start when Mike McLachlan took Gary Lonergan to the wall and out of the equation.

However Troy Power secured the chequered flag for the visitors from Mauler Randal Tarrant. Aucklanders Mark McNabb and Keegan Orr were third and fourth respectively.

The Stormers remained in semifinal contention with a 160-35 win against the Raiders in their second heat. The Raiders cause wasn't helped Cody Webster rolled after attempting a hit on Mark Duthie.

The Vulcans hopes of becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles were dashed when walloped 170-25 by the Rascals in their second heat. One of the best hits in this heat saw Vulcan Francis Potaka taken to the wall by Meurant who caused a short delay to the meeting when he took out a pole and the top wire on the safety fence.