Richard Watkins (99V) is almost upended in a first corner pile-up in the West Coast Superstocks. Eventual winner Ethan Rees (127G) somehow got through. Photos by SB O'Hagan Photography
Speedway is a summer sport.
But the air at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway was anything but summery on Saturday night as a bitter southerly blew in.
A good crowd braved the conditions, and they were rewarded with some terrific speedway action as the curtain came down on the 2018-19 season.
An excellent field of 23 Superstocks turned on the drama, giving a foretaste of the New Zealand Superstocks at Oceanview in January 2020.
As the cars piled into the tight southern bend for the first time it was almost inevitable that carnage would ensue, and it did.
In the West Coast Sidecars, the local combination of brothers Aaron and Bryce Rose (34V) took out the title with a perfect three wins from three starts.
It was their first meeting since Bryce Rose was injured during the New Zealand Sidecars at Christchurch in January, but they were dominant in each heat.
Glen Murray (21P) and Anne Plummer took second after a four-lap run-off with the Hawke's Bay duo Justin Lincoln and George Olsen (26B).
The West Coast Production Saloons heats saw a win apiece to Bayley Goldsack (72V), Brent Hackett (434V) and defending champion Grant Loveridge (7R).
However, Loveridge's consistency over the three heats saw him take out the title ahead of Hackett.
Goldsack was third overall after a countback, ahead of John Huijs (73V).
Twin brothers Cody Hodge (21P) and Seth Hodge (12P) dominated the Heiby Memorial Youth Ministocks, with Cody taking out the trophy by a solitary point.
Jordan Adie (57P) came home in third place overall, ahead of the best-placed local driver Kaelin Mooney (26V).
After a spectacular fireworks display at half-time, the season ended with the Gourmet Express Demolition Derby.
One by one, cars reached and exceeded their level of punishment until just Dakota Tipu (007) and Stu Robertson (168) remained.
As the chequered flag fell on the derby and the season, Tipu administered the coup de grace, firing Robertson's car into the wall for a final time, to take the win.