MOTORSPORT - Bay track's crash hot

Shane Hurndell
The mentality of stockcar drivers is often questioned.
They're asked why they put their bodies at risk to allow their vehicles to be bashed up on a regular basis. In Tim Howes' case he's often asked why he races at the Hawke's Bay Speedway Club's ZM Meeanee Speedway when there's a track where he lives in Palmerston North.
"We love it at Hawke's Bay. If I didn't have a job in Palmy I would live in the Bay," said Howes who picks up his Ford D Series-powered stockcar in Pahiatua on the way to meetings at Meeanee.
That means a three-and-half hour trip before each meeting at Meeanee and another one home immediately after the meeting. His father Colin, a former Rotorua and Palmerston North driver, is more up front about the reasons why his son races at Meeanee.
Unlike his son he doesn't have to race against Palmy drivers.
"Things are more laid-back in Hawke's Bay and the Bay drivers are really good offering us workshops where we can work on our cars if we have to. The Palmy drivers are terrible ... they're so cliquey in their little groups."
Howes, who is in his second season of racing at Meeanee after three in Palmy, wants to give tonight's 45-car Sign it Up Hawke's Bay championship "a good crack."
"I'm not expecting to win it but a top 10 finish is my goal. I haven't got a super fast car but it's strong and reliable," he said.
While Howes, a parts worker at the Johnny Mills Truck Shop and a father of two children, collected a couple of third placings in Palmerston North, a fourth placing is his best finish at Meeanee.
"I'm getting better and better all the time," said the former motocross rider and social rugby player.
Howes is tipping one of the FPG-HiTech team drivers, defending champion Regan O'Brien, Mike McLachlan, Rob Simmons and Tony Darroch, to win tonight's title.
'They're good guys on and off the track," Howes said.
Should he exceed his own expectations and win the title it would be an appropriate belated birthday present for Howes who turned 28 on Wednesday.
Others capable of winning tonight's title include Ricky Kuru, Marty Cooke, Keith Hingston, Beatle Tarrant and Tony Palmer.
Other classes in action tonight are Superstocks, Ministocks, Streetstocks, Saloons, Kiwilites and Solos. A feature of the Ministocks class will be the first round in the Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools championships.
Last season this competition used a pairs format.