Hawke's Bay's Brent Redington and Gisborne's Cody Gooch during the run off for the title. Photo / John Faulkner
- This article is provided courtesy of Meeanee Speedway
Hawke’s Bay’s Brent Redington had to ask referees the question after finishing second in a run off for the New Zealand Streetstock Grand Prix at Meeanee Speedway on Sunday night.
“I thought Cody [Gooch of Gisborne] had stopped during our run off and you’re not allowed to do that. I viewed video footage with the officials and, while it was close, he didn’t stop,” Redington explained after the Forestry Maintenance and Hawke’s Bay Heavy Haul-sponsored event.
“I was just glad to be on the podium as I hadn’t been there before in the Grand Prix,” Redington, a 55-year-old veteran of 40 years in motorsport, said.
Gooch produced a well-timed take-out move on Redington on the second lap of the four-lap run off. Redington collected a cut right front tyre in the hit and this was the end of his title hopes.
“I’ve been trying to get this title for 17 years. It’s my first Speedway New Zealand title and the perfect belated 40th birthday present,” Gooch said before the prizegiving.
Gooch and Redington were among 22 of the original 26 qualifiers who returned on Sunday night for the three 15-lap championship races. Wet weather prevented the running of these races on Saturday night.
Rotorua-contracted former Hawke’s Bay driver Phil McNamara, who finished third in the event, won the first race from grid five. The sole South Island qualifier, Invercargill’s 3NZ Steve Dryden, did well to finish second from grid 21 and another Rotorua-contracted former Bay driver, North Island champion Al Howatson, was third from grid 16.
Hawke’s Bay’s defending champion Darren Melling experienced gearbox issues in this race and they ended his hopes of becoming the first driver to go back-to-back in the Grand Prix.
Redington won the second race from pole. Dryden finished second from grid 10 and Gooch third from grid two.
Gooch won the third race from grid 19, Redington produced an outstanding drive to finish second from grid 21 and Gisborne’s Jared Ingoe was third from grid 20.
Hawke’s Bay champion Don-Tage Irfan was a late withdrawal from the event with a back injury.
The 30 entrants were divided into two groups for Saturday night’s qualifying heats. Each group had two 12-lap heats and the top 13 drivers from each group qualified for the three championship races.
Dryden took out Heat One for Group One from grid three. Hawke’s Melling produced a superb drive to finish second from grid 13.
Ingoe did well to finish third from grid six.
Whanganui’s Kita Bird had pole for Heat One in Group Two but couldn’t capitalise after collecting an early puncture. Rotorua’s Shane Bracken won this race from grid two. His clubmate Mike King did well to finish second from grid 10 and Gooch secured third place from grid five.
Melling had pole for Heat Two which he won with a conservative drive. Dryden was again classy with a second placing from grid 11. Hawke’s Bay’s Paul Dixon finished third from grid three.
Redington won his second heat from grid three. Clubmate Dave Brand was second from grid five and Al Howatson third from grid four.
Qualifiers from the two qualifying groups were:
Group One: Darren Melling (Hawke’s Bay) and Steve Dryden (Invercargill) both 51 points; Phil McNamara (Rotorua) and Shaun Hall (Stratford) both 45; Jared Ingoe (Gisborne) 44; Paul Dixon (Hawke’s Bay) 43; Troy Davis (Wellington) and Aaron Wilton (Wellington) both 37; David Adams (Hawke’s Bay) 36; Con Bentley (Hawke’s Bay) 19; Tamai Graham (Hawke’s Bay) and Brooke Singer (Hawke’s Bay) both 18; Kennedy Browne (Palmerston North) 17.
Group Two: Mike King (Rotorua) 48; Brent Redington (Hawke’s Bay) and Dave Brand (Hawke’s Bay) both 47; Cody Gooch (Gisborne) and Shane Bracken (Rotorua) both 46; Al Howatson (Rotorua) 44; Adam O’Sullivan (Hawke’s Bay) 42; Duncan Pierce (Gisborne) 34; Peter Morrison (Hawke’s Bay) 31; Stephen de Malmanche 21; Liam Williams (Auckland) 19; Kita Bird (Whanganui) and Kurt Bentley (Hawke’s Bay) both 18.
Final placings were: Gooch 61 points 1; Redington 61 2 (Gooch beat Redington in run off); McNamara 56 3; Howatson 55 4; Dryden 51 5; Dixon 48 6; Ingoe 46 7; de Malmanche 34 8; Brand and T Nicol (Palmerston North) 31 points 9th equal.
Hawke’s Bay’s multiple national solo bike champion Bradley Wilson-Dean won all three races during support class action where he was joined by his father Darrin Wilson and clubmate Graham Wedlake on Saturday night.
Hawke’s Bay Ministock driver Corey Stephenson had a spectacular roll during his first heat on Saturday night.
Several Hawke’s Bay drivers had success at other meetings at the weekend.
The Bay’s former New Zealand Superstock class champion and retired Magpies rugby prop Jason Long won the Auckland Super Saloon Championship at Waikaraka Park.
Memphis Trengrove won the Tier One Under-16 division at the Ocean View 5000 Ministock Meeting in Whanganui by five points. His clubmate, Maz Butcher, was third in the Tier One Under-14 division.
Harry Jurgens won the Tier Two Under-16 division by nine points and Van McLachlan was third in the Tier Two Under-14 division.