Hawke's Bay's Quinn Ryan takes out a segment of the safety fence during the second heat for Tier 2 driver on Sunday night as part of the New Zealand Superstock Championship at Meeanee. Photo / John Faulkner
Hawke’s Bay’s biggest speedway racing event in a decade rounded the final corner with a successful bang, or two, or three, after a massive logistical effort helped get the track in shape for racing.
A smattering of rain caused various track issues and delays at Meeanee Speedway on Friday and Saturday, but it was third time lucky for the weather on Sunday.
It was also third time lucky for Kihikihi-contracted 29-year-old Asher Rees, who became the first driver to win three consecutive New Zealand Superstock Championship titles.
There was intermittent racing across the days of the PTS Logistics NZ Superstock Champs, a rainout on Friday and track damage on Saturday meant the majority of the events had to be completed on Sunday.
Drainage work, grader work, wheel packing, and the use of a helicopter to try to dry the track out were just some of the things teams at the speedway had to undertake to ensure the mammoth event could take place.
Touted as Speedway New Zealand’s pinnacle event and celebrating its 58th edition, the derby was set to see 130 cars race over three nights, with the Shakedown on Thursday night, Qualifying on Friday night, and Finals on Saturday night.
While the Shakedown was staged in ideal conditions on Thursday night, wet weather meant the postponement of Friday night’s meeting.
Conditions on Saturday night also forced the club to make the brave decision to stage two meetings in one day on Sunday, with Qualifying from 1pm and Finals from 6.30pm.
One hundred and twenty-one cars ended up staying in the competition, making for a rip-roaring finale.
“The club did an absolutely awesome job and left no stone unturned in our quest to get the event run,” Hawke’s Bay Speedway Club president James Buckrell said.
“Most tracks get two to three years to prepare for a New Zealand Championship. We had six months to prepare for this championship and plan a whole season.”
Buckrell’s club only took over the running of Meeanee Speedway in July. Prior to this, the track was promoter run for five seasons.
“I believe the club spirit is the best it has been for 20 years, and that is why we were able to stage what we did on Sunday. All the working bees which took place beforehand and all the club members contributing ... that was the highlight for me,” Buckrell said.
Champion driver Rees won the title by 10 points from Stratford’s Blair Uhlenberg, and Whanganui’s Zane Dykstra was a further seven points back in third place.
It was also a family affair, with Rees receiving plenty of protection from his father and 2015 winner of the title, Peter Rees, and his brother Ethan Rees in the final heat.
Ethan slowed down and allowed Asher to pass him and capture the win in this race.
Asher praised the support he received from his fellow family members, who are both Gisborne-contracted, and asked if he would do the same for Ethan if the opportunity arose in the future, Asher replied:
“100 per cent ... I would definitely want to pay the favour back.”
Hawke’s Bay-based Auckland-contracted driver Randal Tarrant, who won the title in 2020, finished fifth.
Two Hawke’s Bay drivers, Jacob Buckrell and Ben Milne, qualified for the top 26, but both missed out on a top-six finish.
The Hawke’s Bay Solo Bike Championship, which was originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights, was cancelled because of the wet weather.
Full Results:
PTS Logistics New Zealand Superstock Championship: H1, J Hamilton (Gisborne) 1; B Tye (Wellington) 2; A Rees (Kihikihi) 3. H2, Z Dykstra (Whanganui) 1; R Penn (Gisborne) 2; Rees 3. H3, Rees 1; E Rees (Gisborne) 2; B Uhlenberg (Stratford) 3. Repechage: B James (Gisborne) 1; Tye 2; P Fairbrother (Wellington) 3. Overall placings: A Rees 74 points 1; Uhlenberg 64 2; Dykstra 57 3; H Hart (Whanganui) 56 4; R Tarrant (Auckland) 55 5.
Technical Welding Services Tier Two: H1, T Hemingway (Mount Maunganui) 1; T James (Whanganui) 2; D Robertson (Wellington) 3. H2, Robertson 1; Hemingway 2; G Linklater (Whanganui) 3. H3, A Axtens (Rotorua) 1; James 2; S Williams (Palmerston North) 3. Overall placings: Hemingway 1; Axtens 2; Robertson 3.
Next Windows & Doors Tier Three: H1, M Vickery (Kihikihi) 1; T Parker (Wellington) 2; E Dykstra (Mount Maunganui) 3. H2, L Alderdice (Mount Maunganui) 1; Vickery 2; M Rumney (Rotorua) 3. H3, Alderdice 1; Vickery 2; M Kiser (Stratford) 3. Overall placings: Vickery 1; Alderdice 2; Dykstra 3.
Qualifying Heats:
Weymss Group: H1, Robertson 1; A Rees 2; T James 3. H2, Penn 1; H Booker (Stratford) 2; Z Harris (Whanganui) 3. H3, Booker 1; Penn 2; Williams 3. Qualifiers: Penn 74 points 1; Booker 71 2; Harris 68 3; Rees 67 4.
Warner Group: H1, T James (Gisborne) 1; D Marshall (Whanganui) 2; H Hart (Whanganui) 3. H2, M Ngatai (Canterbury) 1; B James (Gisborne) 2; S Roigard (Kihikihi) 3. H3, D Ashton (Hawke’s Bay) 1; J Prentice (Gisborne) 2; A Hill (Nelson) 3. Qualifiers: Prentice and Hart 65 points 1 equal; Hill 64 3; Marshall 62 4.
Faram Group: H1, E Rees (Gisborne) 1; S Denham (Stratford) 2; J Patterson (Wellington) 3. H2, R Tarrant (Auckland) 1; Rees 2; Denham 3. H3, Tarrant 1; Rees 2; B Milne (Hawke’s Bay) 3. Qualifiers: Rees 76 points 1; Tarrant 74 2; Denham 67 3; Milne 64 4.
Penn Group: H1, P Rees (Gisborne) 1; M McCarthy (Palmerston North) 2; Z Dykstra (Whanganui) 3. H2, Rees 1; J Buckrell (Hawke’s Bay) 2; S Harwood (Nelson) 3. H3, Dykstra 1; Rees 2; S Tennant (Canterbury) 3.
Qualifiers: Rees 77 points 1; Dykstra 72 2; Buckrell 67 3; K Hunter (Rotorua) 60 4.
Long Group: H1, J Hamilton (Gisborne) 1; C Ace (Kihikihi) 2; K Ashton (Rotorua) 3. H2, Q Ryan (Hawke’s Bay) 1; K Levien (Wellington) 2; B Uhlenberg (Stratford) 3. H3, B Lennon (Canterbury) 1; L Alderdice (Mount Maunganui) 2; Levien 3. Qualifiers: Ace and Hamilton 66 points 1 equal; Levien 65 3; Uhlenberg 62 4.
Tarrant Group: H1, J Ward (Canterbury) 1; J Miers (Palmerston North) 2; J Clarke (Gisborne) 3. H2, E Levien (Wellington) 1; Ward 2; Clarke 3. H3, W Humphries (Palmerston North) 1; Miers 2; Clarke 3. Qualifiers: Clarke 72 points 1; Ward and Miers 69 2 equal; Humphries 67 4.
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.