Stratford Gladiators take out 2024 NZ Streetstock Teams radio-controlled championship

The Stratford Gladiators won the 2024 NZ Streetstock Teams Championship. Pictured here from left are team mates 17s Cameron Heistand, 48s Ben Bennett, 84s Tom Bennett and 25s Matthew Wilson.

Stratford radio-controlled speedway teams have taken out the top two spots in a national competition.

Twenty teams from across the country travelled to central Taranaki for the 2024 NZ Streetstock Teams Championship on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29.

Ninety qualifying races were completed on Saturday with the top eight teams competing on Sunday in a round-robin format to narrow them down to the top four.

The final teams were standing champions the Stratford Scrappers, the Stratford Gladiators, Manawatu Steelers and BOP Bourkes.

When the final flag dropped and the smoke had cleared, it was apparent that while the title was staying in Stratford, it was still changing hands.

Last year’s titleholders, the Stratford Scrappers, were pipped by their local rivals, the Stratford Gladiators.

The Stratford Scrappers came second in the 2024 NZ Streetstock Teams Championship. Pictured here are 56s Brayden Fale, 50s Matthew van Beers, 47s Aaron Young and 74s Corey Small.

The Stratford Gladiators team of 17s Cameron Heistand, 48s Ben Bennett, 84s Tom Bennett and 25s Matthew Wilson came first, with the Stratford Scrappers (56s Brayden Fale, 50s Matthew van Beers, 47s Aaron Young, 74s Corey Small and 8s Jason Anderton) in second.

Third place went to the Manawatu Steelers from Palmerston North and fourth place went to the BOP Bourkes from Tauranga.

The title staying local means the NZ Streetstock Teams Championship will be hosted in Stratford again next year, along with the NZ Superstock teams and NZ Stockcar teams titles.