Speedway: Win shelves retirement

Hawke's Bay's Shane Penn, centre, celebrates with his crew after retaining his New Zealand Superstock Championship title on home turf on Saturday night. Photo/Sportsimages.co.nz

Forget about Hawke's Bay speedway personality Shane Penn's retirement plans.

When Penn won his first New Zealand Superstock Championship title in Nelson last year, he hinted if he retained it in Napier at the weekend it might be time to call it quits. However, there was no retirement talk when Penn beat fellow Palmerston North-contracted driver Jordan Dare by seven points to win the BJs Bakery & Cafe Hastings-sponsored championship at Hauraki Meeanee Speedway on Saturday night.

Penn 45, who has been racing for 24 years told the 7879 spectators he has a new car three quarters built.

"I'm seriously thinking about sticking with this car now," he said hinting he will attempt to become the first driver to win three consecutive national titles next season.

"It's an awesome car and I've got an awesome crew. This is an unbelievable feeling ... I'm so proud to win this title in Napier where it all started," Penn said.

"Although I race out of Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay still supports me ... Hawke's Bay fans are pretty loyal no matter what the sport."

Penn added his "flash new Valvoline overalls" were his lucky omen.

Penn gained 14 places in his first 15-lap championship heat on his way to a fourth placing behind Dare, three-time national champion Craig Boote of Nelson and another Palmy clubmate, Peter Rees. Penn won his second heat off grid five, Rotorua's David Elsworth was second and another Hawke's Bay-based Palmy contracted driver, Andy McCabe third.

Going into the final heat Penn held a three point lead over Dare. While many spectators were surprised nobody attempted to take Penn out in the final heat this was an indication of the tremendous respect has in the sport and the fact it wasn't just Hawke's Bay and Palmy competitors who wanted to see Speedway New Zealand's 2013 Sportsperson of the Year go back-to-back.

Penn secured second place to another Palmy driver and eventual overall third placegetter, Graeme Barr, from grid 17.

Penn's father and 2005 national champion Bryce Penn told the crowd his son's victory was one of the most popular wins he had seen in the sport.

"Shane earned it tonight. I don't think he drove as hard when he won in Nelson."

Four Hawke's Bay-contracted drivers qualified for the top 26 from the field of 80 starters who raced in qualifying heats on Friday night. Jason Long and Tony Meechan made the top six in their respective groups on Friday night while Garry Foley and Steve Jude recorded wins in their respective repechage heats on Saturday night.

While Jude and Meechan did the best of the Bay quartet on the overall standings with 43 points, 30 less than Penn, Long will be remembered for the manner in which he took out one of Penn's nearest rivals, Rotorua's David Elsworth, during the early stages of the final heat.

Foley had his Bay clubmate Mike "Mr Speedway" McLachlan to thank after his repechage heat win. McLachlan took Palmerston North's 2002 national champion Wayne Hemi to the wall which allowed Foley to take control of the race.

Track maintenance boss Ross Bates was another of the Bay heroes. He copped plenty of flak for the sub-standard track drivers had to battle on Friday night but he produced a cracker the following night.