Stratford Speedway season opener: Stockcars, minisprints and more racing for trophies

Stockcars are one of three classes that will race for their City of New Plymouth Classic trophies on opening night. Photo / Matt Julian, Contact High Photography

Drivers - start your engines ... the roar of horsepower will be heard across Stratford this weekend when the speedway season starts.

Drivers will mash their accelerator pedals to the floor and let the dirt fly when they race around the Stratford Speedway for the first event of the season at the Five Star Liquor Stratford Speedway.

At the R&R Mechanical-sponsored opening night, six classes will grace the pits and then the track, with three of them racing for trophies.

With double points on the line (for season aggregate), a decent field of stockcars is expected to front to race for their City of New Plymouth Classic event. Arguably one of the most popular classes, the stockcars always entertain with the rules allowing full contact meaning the drivers can settle any disputes on the track or affect the outcome of the race results if they so desire.

Like the stockcars, the minisprint and adult ministock classes will also race for their City of New Plymouth Classic trophies. The former is likely to field drivers from neighbouring tracks – Whanganui and Palmerston North.

Streetstocks will also race along with a mixed field of super saloons and saloons, the latter class a little uncertain with field numbers at this stage after it was discovered by the sport’s governing body Speedway New Zealand that many cars across the country were running heads that are not compliant with the rule book.

With a heap of new competitors to the youth ministock class this season, the new drivers will have a couple of runs, with one being at the end of the night, to progress their training and help to get them signed off for racing properly.

The Details

What: Stratford Speedway opening night

When: Saturday, October 26, gates open at 4pm, racing starts at 6pm.

Tickets: Available at the gate or online.

Visit the Stratford Speedway website for ticket options.