Further depth is added with a visit from Christchurch racer Matthew Leversedge, who finished third at the NZ title in 2023, making the trip north to get his racing season under way.
The midget car grid is also impressive with 10-time national champ Pickens heading a 24-strong field. Aaron Hodgson, Peter Hunnibell and Brad Mosen are among the other likely front runners and Christchurch racer Jeremy Webb is another title-winning driver entered this weekend.
It’s a curtain raiser to a big summer of midget car action with international events over the Christmas-New Year holiday break plus the North Island title at Baypark in January.
Notable news in the midget car ranks sees young Tauranga racer Luke McClymont making hisdebut with the Seamount Racing team after being the pace-setter in the Six Shooter class in recent seasons.
Super Stocks are the other headline category on the programme at the season opener with the class also looking strong for the coming season as 14 Baypark registered drivers and two visitors form the grid for night one action.
Racing starts at 6.30pm with pre-race entertainment from the Franklin Farm Freestyle MX team from 5.40pm.
