Speedway's Paula Hinton too fast for boys, wins Saloon Heritage Shield

Paula Hinton won the Saloon Heritage Shield at Stratford Speedway on Saturday night. Photo / Mitchell Bodnar of On Shot Photography.

Paula Hinton, Stratford Speedway's only female racer in the Saloon class, proved just how competitive she is when she won the Saloon Heritage Shield at the local Speedway on Saturday night.

Hinton won the first race of the night for the class from a grid two start before placing third in race two from grid six, heading into the final race at the top of the points table.

She came home fourth in the final race to match Thomas Korff, the race three winner, on points for the shield. The equal points meant the pair had a four-lap run off which Hinton won after getting the jump on Korff at the start, with some big challenges from the recently crowned Taranaki Champion Korff.

Joe Ingram was third overall.

Shane Hurliman, who has regularly been winning races at the last few meetings, continued his good form to win the Stockcar Heritage Shield from a field of 20 competitors.

He collected a third, sixth and second placings over the three races to win the event by two points from the consistent William Hughes. Haydin Barker had a good night to come home third.

The Minisprint class competed for their King of the Mountain Champs. Palmerston North racer and current New Zealand-ranked number two Shane Dewar was too quick for the locals and won the champs by three points from Lydia Dickinson.

Dewar recorded a first, third and fourth on his way to victory. Cameron Hurley claimed the last spot on the podium.

Nearly 50 competitors competed in the last Demolition Derby of the season and provided plenty of thrills and spills, including a roll over, for the crowd. Sam Prestidge was judged to be the last car mobile and won the event. Best Stirrers were Daniel Stowell and Keith Mapp. Best Presented was Dylan Hart and the Hard Luck award went to Jaybe Russel.

Supporting classes on the night included Superstocks and both grades of Ministocks. Superstock races were won Darryl Roper (2) and Tyler Walker. Zane Riddick won the first Adult Ministock race while Bradley Korff won the next two and Youth Ministock races were won by Zen Dodunski, Caesen Betts and Cody Ogle.

The next race meeting at Stratford Speedway is the Season Finale on Saturday April, 13. Feature events are the Taranaki Sprintcar Champs, A Superstock Teams Race between the Stratford Scrappers and Manawatu Mustangs, Midget Heritage Shield and Fireworks Extravaganza. Racing starts at the earlier time of 6pm.