Rascals go oh so close

SMASH: Wanganui Vulcans' Blair Lockett (89V) is slammed into the wall by Rotorua Rascal 835R Michael Rumney during a brutal semifinal at the NZ Stockcar Teams Champs, Gisborne. Photo/Graham Hughes/SportsWeb Photography

A desperately unlucky Rotorua Rascals stock car team fell just short of winning the New Zealand Stock Car Teams title on Saturday.

Having beaten the defending champions and hosts, the Gisborne Gladiators, in the semifinal they came agonisingly close to beating the Auckland Alleycats in the final. Both Steve Gray (battery) and Darcy Meurant (wiring) were dogged with electrical issues in the showdown.

"Teams racing's a funny old thing, and you lose a couple of cars early and things can go against you," said team manager Steve Axtens.

"In the end, it was the space of about 75m we lost the race by, but these boys from Rotorua did bloody well."

Beating the Meeanee Maulers and Kihikihi Crusaders in Friday's qualifying races, the Rascals booked their semifinal spot by beating a "really strong" Wanganui Vulcans.

"Then we came up against the defending champs, and man the boys raced well. They drove the wheels off their cars."

Axtens said he thought his team had a good balance.

"We'd already worked on the assumption that we needed plenty of pace, plenty of reliability and a little bit of luck. We had pace through our run cars of Michael Rumney, Brent Stewart and Darcy Meurant. We had some outstanding blocking by Michael Rumney and Steve Gray. We just fell one short.

"But they knocked out the defending champions who have held the title for two seasons.

"The competition is tough. Each team is strong and a real contender, but overall I'm proud of the boys. Four out of five, it was a great weekend."

The Rascals' next assignment is the defence of the Peter Barry Teams Championship title at Napier's Meeanee Speedway on March 17 and 18. There are also dates for teams racing at Kihikihi and Stratford before the end of the season.

The Rascals team is made up of Mike Hohneck, Rumney, Stewart, Gray, Meurant and Richard Keizjer.