SPEEDWAY: Iremonger's done, now wife's turn

Hawke's Bay stockcar driver Aaron Iremonger couldn't have asked for a better finish to his season on Saturday night.
A fortnight after winning the East Coast championship and two nights after finishing second at the Huntly Speedfeast, Iremonger won the $1200 first prize at the ZM Meeanee Speedway-hosted Kuru Classic. A spectacular run-off with Hawke's Bay clubmate Regan O'Brien in front of 3500 fans was required before Waipukurau's Iremonger claimed Saturday night's title.
"I've finished on a high and now it's Tanya's turn," said Iremonger.
He was referring to his wife, navigator for Aucklander Baden Gray in the New Zealand Jetsprint Championship which ends in Featherston this weekend. A top-eight finish will give the pair the 1NZ title in the Group A class.
"I knew I had the pace to beat Regan. The run-off was always going to come down to tactics and luck ... and, as you saw, Regan and I had similar tactics," said Iremonger.
 Both drivers attempted a hit on each other before the first corner and the first lap also saw O'Brien ram Iremonger into the wall.
Iremonger recovered and passed O'Brien on the inside and the lead changed several times in the last three laps before Iremonger spun O'Brien around on the final straight and pipped him on the line. The win was a fine advertisement for his car which is for sale. Iremonger intends to build a similar car but have it 20kg lighter. Marty Cooke completed a Bay trifecta with his third in the 30-car event.
The Bay domination continued in the superstocks, Bay-based Palmerston North-contracted Shane Penn taking the fourth round in the Placemakers Series by nine points from Stratford's series leader Michael Willemsen and Palmerston North's Peter Bengston. Penn won two of three heats in the 23-car event.
Steve Jude was the best of the Hawke's Bay-contracted drivers with a fourth-equal placing with Palmerston North's Stu Cooper. Bay rookie Jason Long impressed with a second placing in the second heat.
Another run-off was required to decide the six-car Hawke's Bay Saloon championship. The Bay's Daniel Dittmer, who didn't win any of the earlier three heats, won his first championship by taking the three-car run-off from Bay clubmate Troy Devery and Wanganui's Keith Davis. Dittmer had two seconds and a third in his heats.
Bay drivers also dominated the Best Pairs event in the streetstock class which involved 14 starters. Richard Houston and Dave Hampton won by six points from Ewan Powell and Geoff Bignell. The Bay's David Hunter and Gisborne's Brendon Gooch were third.
Sidecar action saw the Bay duo of Dave Black and swinger Pete Steigenberger win all three of their heats.
 The Bay's Adrian Kramer won two heats in the kiwilite class and clubmate Glenn Dudding took out the other.