Speedway: McLean enjoys TQ's sideways moves

Thomas McLean racing his TQ midget at the Whangarei Speedway track made a rare appearance on his home track on Saturday as TQs joined the local race programme for a one-off. Photo/John Stone

Whangarei's Thomas McLean showed why he is enjoying the transition from track to dirt with a creditable fourth placing overall in TQ Midget racing at the Whangarei Speedway.

The 16-year-old former national kart champion finished fourth overall in the eight-car field, managing to hold on to his grid positions and notch up a couple of third places - not bad in his first season out of karts.

With plenty of friends of family on the terraces on Saturday, McLean showed why he is enjoying his first season in midgets. "In karts you're always going sideways but you're supposed to go straight, now you're supposed to go sideways so it's been a lot of fun really, TQs are kind of like overgrown go-karts," he said.

McLean has another meeting this weekend at Western Springs before attending the TQ Nationals in Christchurch in two weeks' time.

Racing in the class at the Port Road track was tight in the TQs with all three races won by different drivers. When the points were tallied there was a dead heat for first place. Auckland's Lawrence Baker and Rachel Melrose were declared joint winners with another Aucklander Shane Phillips in third place.

The big highlight of Saturday's meeting was a rare chance to see Modified Class racing which also helped to swell spectator numbers at the track. The annual 30-lap Filter HQ Modified Feature did not disappoint with Auckland's Jamie Fox putting on a dominant performance to take control of the race, beating Scott Lane and Paul Fergusson to win the title.

Results: (from Whangarei unless stated):

Men's Production Trophy Dash: 1 Paul Joyce (Dargaville), 2 Rex Roycroft, 3 Josh Mew.

Ladies Production: 1 Didi Roycroft, 2 Libby Blacklock, 3 Melissa Aukett.

C Grade: 1 Anthony Spott (Darg), 2 Craig Jones(Darg), 3 Fraser Blacklock.

ATVs: 1 Ben Smith, 2 Arin Riwhi, 3 Logan Pole.

Modified: 1 Jamie Fox (Auckland), 2 Scott Lane (Ak), 3 Paul Fergusson (Ak)

TQs: 1= Lawrence Baker (Ak), 1= Rachel Melrose (Ak), 3 Shane Phillips (Ak)

Quarter Midgets: 1 Shayne Minchington, 2 Troy Pennington, 3 Nicicen Busch

Ladies C Grade: 1 Alana Smith (Darg), 2 Rebecca Yeabsley (Darg), 3 Natalie Parsons (Darg).