Speedway: Warriors impress at Teams Champs as Eagles soar

Warriors manager Cameron Jurgens carries the victory flag for Dylan Marshall. Photo / Troy Adamson

The Wanganui Warriors can be satisfied with their performance at the ENZED-Dewtec New Zealand Superstock Teams Champs at the weekend.

It was the Canterbury Glen Eagles who soared, taking out the event victory with a convincing win over 18-time winners, the Palmerston North Panthers.

Like several teams, the Warriors went into Teams Champs underprepared, with key lead-up events having been cancelled due to the unseasonably wet summer.

That wasn’t apparent, however, in their first race against the Auckland Allstars.

Max Holloway took the early lead in the race but, when he was briefly held up, Dylan Marshall powered to a lead he would not relinquish. Behind Marshall, Warriors drivers Holloway, Zane Dykstra and debutant Gerry Linklater thwarted multiple attacks by the Allstars.

It was a comprehensive team performance, with every driver contributing to the victory.

Kaelin Mooney came into the team for their second race, against the Rotorua Rebels, with Linklater sitting in the reserve spot.

The Warriors took control early and Mooney immediately made an impact, taking Rotorua flyer Dale Stewart hard into the Turn One wall.

Almost simultaneously, Marshall got trapped on the outside and was slotted up the wall in front of the grandstand, eliminating him from the race.

With a win and a loss, the Warriors were in seventh position after their two races on night one, qualifying them for the tier two division on the second night.

With fifth and sixth places decided on a coin toss rather than a run-off as per the event rules, the Warriors found themselves once again matched against the Allstars, with the opportunity to finish as high as third place overall.

However, that was not to be because the Warriors were unable to stop Auckland flyer Hayden Hart.

That defeat left the team in seventh place overall, an improvement on 12th place last year, and there were signs in the win against Auckland and early in the race against Rotorua that the Warriors team is developing into a formidable opponent.

Sunday night ended on a wet note, with the final postponed due to steady light rain arriving a little earlier than forecast.

The final was rescheduled to Monday at 2pm and, ironically, was raced on a dry, slick track under sunny skies.

With a large crowd in attendance, the Eagles turned on a dominant effort to completely outclass the Panthers, with Harley Robb taking the win.

The Gisborne Giants took third place, ahead of the impressive Great Britain Lions who earned plenty of kudos on their return to the event.

Flanked by Kyla and Vanessa Penn, Kaelin Mooney holds the Stephen Penn Rookie of Teams Champs trophy. Photo / Troy Adamson

There was more joy for the Warriors at the presentations immediately after the final had ended.

Kaelin Mooney was awarded the Stephen Penn Rookie of Teams Champs trophy, a recognition of his outstanding driving over the weekend. Penn lost his life in a racing accident at Teams Champs last year when racing for the Manawatu Mustangs in his rookie event.

Penn’s widow, Vanessa, and daughter Kyla presented the trophy to Mooney.

Despite the rain delay on Sunday night, Teams Champs lived up to its billing as the greatest show in speedway. Big crowds packed the Robertson Prestige International Speedway, the atmosphere was electric and all 14 teams put on a magnificent show.

It really has become an iconic event and the G.J. Gardner Homes Wanganui Warriors will already be looking forward to next season with a degree of confidence.