De Malmanche wins rerun champs

Trevor De Malmanche won the New Zealand Streetstock Championship at Stratford Speedway on Saturday

Despite worrying showers overnight on Friday, the weather cleared on Saturday morning and allowed the New Zealand Streetstock Championship to at last be run at Stratford Speedway.

Originally scheduled for January, that meeting was abandoned when rain started to fall after qualifying and the event was rescheduled for March. Rotorua driver Trevor De Malmanche climbed his way to the top of the table at the rerun of the event after qualifying well in the three final heats. He recorded a fifth, first and fourth places over the three 15 lap races to win the championship by two points from Christchurch racer Matt Peterson who made a second long trip to Taranaki. Another Rotorua driver, Chris Shingleton, finished in third place. Shingleton failed to qualify at the January attempt of running the event so no doubt would have been happy with the second chance and podium finish. John Young, who along with his wife Margaret sponsored the championship, was the first Taranaki competitor home and finished fifth overall which was a good effort considering there were over 40 competitors taking part.

The second tier event (King of the Mountain Champs) was won by Kihikihi driver Caleb Hayes ahead of Taranaki's Cheyanne Reed and Hawkes Bay's Shane Melling.

The Youth Ministock Spectacular was held on the same day and 52 of the young 12 to 16-year-olds raced throughout the day. William Hughes (Taranaki) was the most consistent driver and won the event by three points from Dylan Marshall (Huntly) and Calyn Clarke (Rotorua). Cory Ward and Will Hart both suffered roll overs during the day's racing. The second tier event for the drivers that didn't make it into the top group was won by Wellington competitor Damon Smith. Taranaki drivers Hamish Edgecombe and Ryan Houghton were second and third respectively.

Jarrod MacBeth won the King of the Mountain Saloon champs ahead of Joe Ingram while Mark Hinton claimed the third spot on the podium when he beat Craig Korff in a run off after the pair were tied on points.

In the support classes, Midget competitor Greg Jones gave regular front runner Duane Hickman a good run for his money. Jones won two out of the three races while Hickman won the other. Stockcar races were won by Dale Michielsen, Josh Walsh and Rowan Urlich.

- New Zealand Streetstock Championship:

1st 2nz Trevor De Malmanche - 71 points; 2nd 433c Matt Petersen - 69 points; 3rd 91r Chris Shingleton - 66 points

- King of the Mountain Streetstock Champs:

1st 95k Caleb Hayes - 28 points; 2nd 119s Cheyanne Reed - 26 points; 3rd 123b Shane Melling - 25 points

- Youth Ministock Spectacular:

1st 99s William Hughes - 74 points; 2nd 57h Dylan Marshall - 71 points; 3rd 98r Cayln Clarke - 70 points

- Youth Ministock Second Tier:

1st 81w Damon Smith - 55 points; 2nd 59s Hamish Edgecombe - 49 points; 3rd 33s Ryan Houghton - 48 points

- King of the Mountain Saloon Champs:

1st 908s Jarrod MacBeth - 18 points; 2nd 27s Joe Ingram - 16 points; 3rd 45s Mark Hinton - 15 points