Taranaki Stockcar Club successful at Speedway awards

Thomas Korff won the Speedway New Zealand award for Saloon Competitor of the Year. Photo / Matt Julian.

The Taranaki Stockcar Club and some of its members were successful at the New Zealand Speedway awards that were held on Saturday night.

Usually run as a full function, this season's awards were different and run solely online due to Covid.

Five awards are making their way to Taranaki with the club itself picking up the award for Event of the Year which was awarded for the running of the Colonel Malones/Five Star Liquor New Zealand Stockcar Teams Championship, a two day race meeting that was run in February and saw the Wellington Young Guns beat the home town Stratford Stormers in the final.

Stockcar competitor Tyler Walker, who again performed exceptionally well during the season at all race meetings, including finishing second in the New Zealand Championship, won the award for Stockcar competitor of the year.

Thomas Korff, who excelled in his chosen class, won the award for Saloon competitor of the year. Thomas was a tough competitor on the track at Stratford and overcome early season engine issues to win the New Zealand Championship that was held at Huntly Speedway.

Adult Ministock competitor Craig Mason won the award for Adult Ministock competitor of the year.

Craig could always be found at the pointy end of the field while racing, both at home and away.

Craig placed second in the Taranaki champs, second in the West Coast Champs and was in line for a podium finish at the Manawatu champs when he was rolled by another competitor.

Stratford Speedway referee Brendon McDowell won the award for Speedway track official of the year.

Brendon was not only the referee at Stratford Speedway last season but also travelled to Whanganui Speedway on many occasions to oversee the refereeing there and also assisted with the New Zealand Superstock Championship (one of the biggest speedway meetings each season) that was run at Whanganui.

Club captain Jarrod MacBeth says: "These five awards showcase the depth of talent within Stratford Speedway, not only with well performing competitors that can race amongst the best in the country but also through all aspects of the club.

"The award recipients along with all club members and everyone involved with Speedway should be proud of these awards. They are not easy to get a hold of but are very well deserved."

The Stratford Speedway committee is currently preparing for the new season which will start on October 31.

The track has already being put in and a race calendar is being worked on which should be available for release in early August.

The committee is looking forward to getting back into race mode after the premature end to last season due to Covid-19.