Speedway: Ministocks and Minisprints at Whanganui tomorrow night

Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway will be invaded tomorrow night.

Competitors from all over the North Island will descend on the track for the first two championships of the 2018-19 season.

Wet weather a fortnight ago caused the postponement of the West Coast Youth Ministocks, so the event was rescheduled to Saturday.

Around 50 young drivers from nine different tracks have entered, forcing the Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club to run qualifying heats from 5pm.

The top 26 drivers from qualifying will then compete in three heats with the highest points scorer being declared the winner.

Among the favourites will be 2017-18 winner Cody Hodge (21P), who along with twin brother Seth (12P) is a regular visitor to the track.

Louis Redshaw (7P) took two wins at the opening meeting, and is another Oceanview regular.

Large contingents from Stratford, Wellington and Hawke's Bay have entered, and drivers to watch from even further afield include Mitch Fabish (95R) and Ryan Marshall (15H).

A strong local contingent is led by Kaelin Mooney (26V), Jemma Barnes (92V) and Flynn Wild (35V).

All three tasted success last season, and will be extra-keen to return the title to Whanganui.

More than 20 Minisprints have entered for the opening round of their Oval Superstars Tour series.

It is the second successive season that the series organisers have chosen to start their series at Oceanview.

The 1NZ Christian Hermansen and 3NZ Shane Dewar, both Palmerston North-based, head the entry list.

Hermansen, a two-time New Zealand champion, has a real liking for the Whanganui track, having secured the New Zealand Minisprint Grand Prix here in March.

Dewar is another regular visitor to Whanganui, and his third placing in last season's New Zealand championship was a deserved reward for many seasons of dedication to the class.

Keeping them honest will be Lydia Dickinson (75S), third place-getter and the Grand Prix last season, Ben Vaughan (57H) and Palmerston North hotshot, Karl McGill (93P).

McGill briefly held the lap record at the GP meeting last season before Hermansen grabbed it back in the final with a sizzling 13.66 second lap.

Local hopes will rest with Cameron Hurley (82V), and the rapidly improving Dylan Smith (53V), grandson of Whanganui speedway legend Bob Smith.

The Minisprints are ideally suited to the tight Oceanview track and provide close, spectacular racing at high speed.

The cars will be split into three groups for the heats, with each group racing against the other two groups.

Points accrued in the heats will determine grid positions for the Oval Open, a 20-lap all-in race that will close the programme.

Superstocks, Stockcars and Adult Ministocks complete the programme.

Unfortunately Superstock driver Aaron Jurgens (65V) won't be there as he recovers from a broken ankle and broken ribs sustained in a freak accident at Stratford last weekend.

The full race programme begins at 7pm. Admission is $20 for adults, $5 for children (8 to 15 years), $40 for families and $10 for Gold Card holders.