Speedway: West Coast Youth Ministock Championship at Oceanview tomorrow

Cody Hodge (21P) and Trent James (56V) resume their close rivalry tonight at the West Coast Youth Ministock Championship. Photos / SB O'Hagan Photography

With the Elite Mechanical New Zealand Superstock Championship out of the way, it's the turn of the champions of the future at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway tomorrow night.

The West Coast Youth Ministock Championship headline a 19-race programme, and young drivers from all over the lower North Island will be chasing the title.

The Youth Ministock class gives young men and women aged 12-16 years the chance to get their racing careers underway.

The class has been a pathway to Speedway NZ titles for many youngsters, including the last three New Zealand Superstock champions in William Humphries, Jason Long and Randal Tarrant.

Local Youth Ministock graduates featured at events around the country last weekend as well.

Callum Sturzaker finished third in the NZ Stockcar Grand Prix at Woodford Glen in Christchurch, joining second-placed local Dion Mooney on the podium.

At the NZ Minisprint Championship at Stratford, Dylan Smith was just a foot away from the podium, finishing in fourth place.

And in Palmerston North, Jemma Barnes took out second placing in the Manawatu Adult Ministock Championship.

Youth Ministock competitors learn basic driving skills and racecraft, which not only helps their future racing ambitions, but makes them better drivers on the road as well.

Also, friendships formed in Youth Ministocks carry on to other classes, as we saw with Tarrant's victory lap at Oceanview three weeks ago.

The new 1NZ was accompanied by competitors and friends from a number of tracks, with whom he had come through the ranks as a racer.

A number of promising young drivers will roll out onto the grid at Oceanview Speedway tomorrow.

Heading the list of visiting drivers are the Hodge twins, Seth (12P) and Cody (21P).

With their distinctive yellow cars, the twins have been a force on the Youth Ministock scene for several seasons, and are hard chargers.

Max Lowe (55P) has been a regular attendee at Oceanview this season, and currently tops the Youth Ministock points ahead of Kurtis Tinetti (77P), both entering tomorrow.

Stratford driver Liam Whelan (32S) is another regular at Oceanview, and is usually at the front of the field, while other visitors from Kihikihi, Stratford, Hawke's Bay and Wellington will lay down the challenge to the locals.

Trent James (56V), Sarah Meyer (24V) and Cody Lockett (56V) have been the best local drivers this season.

James had the honour of standing on the top step of the podium with the 1NZ Randal Tarrant after winning the Best Pairs event, run in conjunction with the New Zealand Superstocks.

Lockett has shown great promise as a first-year driver in the class, while Meyer has the ability to challenge anyone in the field on her night.

The full support programme tonight includes Superstocks, Stockcars, Adult Ministocks, Production Saloons and the return of the ever-popular Minisprints.

Superstock drivers have their final chance to impress the Wanganui Warriors selectors, with the ENZED NZ Superstock Teams Champs just two weeks away.

Max Holloway (81V) eludes a block from Rebecca Barr (34P) as the Wanganui Warriors picked up a rare win over the Palmerston North Panthers this month.

The Warriors team of Max Holloway (81V), Chad Ace (4V), Maddie Wise (136V), Scott Duncan (23V) and reserve driver Shane Kells (87V) stunned the Palmerston North Panthers two weeks ago with a determined and disciplined team performance against their old rivals.

With Shaun Smith (53V) missing the race with engine issues, and with Sheridan O'Hara (9V) also in the running, there is genuine competition for places in the team.

The pit gates open at 4pm tomorrow afternoon, the public gates at 5.30pm, and racing gets underway at 7pm on what is expected to be a fine, warm evening.