Speedway: Whanganui's Oceanview Speedway season opens on October 23

Cody Lockett will be driving father Blair's stockcar this season, while Blair builds a new car. Photo / Supplied

It seems an age since the roar of engines was last heard at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway but, in reality, it's only six months.

But it's also fair to say it's been a pretty crazy six months.

After Covid locked us down in August, there was some doubt as to whether there was even going to be a 2021-22 speedway season. As the season kicks off tonight, spare a thought for Rosebank Park, Waikaraka Park, Western Springs, Huntly and Kihikihi speedways, none of which know when racing will resume.

It's especially tough for Huntly and Waikaraka Park, hosts respectively of the New Zealand Superstock and Stockcar Championships for 2021-22. It's still possible that Speedway New Zealand will intervene and postpone the championship season.

Last season ended on a high, albeit a delayed high. The Sharp As Group North Island Superstocks meeting was postponed by a month because of Covid, and then finals night was further postponed by 24 hours because of rain. Once racing got underway, however, the 26 drivers in the finals field turned on a fantastic show.

After narrowly managing to escape a first-lap pileup unscathed, and thanks to his father Peter Rees dropping a position on the final lap of the event, 1NZ Asher Rees added the North Island title to his New Zealand Superstock Championship. Brother Ethan finished second, with Peter rounding out an all-Rees podium.

After a few superstock drives last season, Kaelin Mooney is ready to go in his own car, and will compete in the stockcar class as well. Photo / Supplied

As the new season begins, Peter, Asher and Ethan Rees head the entry list in the Diamond Cut Wheels Superstock class tonight. With other cars visiting from Gisborne, Rotorua, Stratford and Palmerston North, the local drivers will be tested. Keep an eye on 26V Kaelin Mooney in the ex-Brendon Sharland Spank and 93V Daniel Cox, stepping up from the SS Motorsport crew to the driver's seat in the ex-Max Holloway car. Holloway will be driving Shaun Smith's Toyota powered car while the SS Motorsport team boss takes a season off.

There are some new faces in the Elite Mechanical Stockcar class as well, with Cody Lockett having taken over his father's car, while Blair builds a new one. Cody had a few drives last season and showed plenty of promise. Emmily Meehan steps into the Stockcar class, and Mizaan Lees is back with a new car after a season off.

The Ministock fields have received a boost with the Linklater and White families' Stabulls Racing team contracting to Whanganui, bringing two cars to each of the Ministock classes. Another interesting name of the Adult Ministock list is 32V Sallie Barr, wife of longtime Superstock competitor Graeme Barr and mum of Rebecca, who will be racing her Superstock tonight.

The local Dewtec Minisprints field has an interesting new entrant as well. Jemma Barnes will be doing double duty this season, having picked up a ride in Bob Smith's "spare" car. We won't see 1NZ Dylan Smith for a while, as he is locked down in Auckland, but team-mate Brad McDonald was a big improver last year and looks set for a successful season.

The Get Glazed Midgets will be a more regular feature at Oceanview this season, and with the growth of the class at Palmerston North and Stratford, we should see good fields and close, wheel-to-wheel racing. 4V Brent Curran returns in the rotary-powered Midget, which is spectacular once it gets dark. The Huijs family will again be the mainstay of the class, while Matt Buckley has stepped up from Production Saloons to an open wheeler.

There aren't too many changes in the Carters Sidecars and the Tom Francis Building Production Saloons field, but they are sure to provide plenty of close racing throughout the season.

The Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club has a set of regulations to enforce tonight to enable racing to take place. There is no public access to the pits, which will close before the public gates open at 4pm. Spectators will be required to maintain at least 1m social distancing, and an area has been reserved for drivers and crew, to which there is no public access. Food will be available to the public at the venue but, as usual, spectators are welcome to bring their own food and enjoy a picnic on the spacious grass banks.

The waiting is over, and it's time for the action to begin; let's go racing.