Whanganui 2020-21 speedway season to officially open

Former 1NZ Gerry Linklater has a brand new Stockcar ready to race this season. Photo / S. B. O'Hagan Photography

The midnight oil has been burning in sheds right around the region this week.

And tonight, all that hard work comes to fruition when the 2020-21 speedway season opens at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway.

Big fields are entered in most classes for the Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club's Grand Opening Meeting.

The Superstock class has attracted 28 cars, and drivers from all over the North Island have entered.

The field will be headed by current 1NZ, Randal Tarrant, who won the Elite Mechanical New Zealand Superstock Championship at Oceanview in January.

Former NZ Champions Jared Wade and Peter Rees will be racing, along with Rees' sons Asher and Ethan, and former World 240 Champion Benji Sneddon.

Local numbers have been boosted this season with Bruce Williams (ex Stratford and Bay Park), Dylan Marshall (ex Huntly) and the two-car Dykstra Racing team (ex Palmerston North) contracting to Wanganui.

Add to them the five-car SS Motorsport team headed by Shaun Smith, the return of veteran Daryl Taylor, the debut of Karl Jurgens' new car, the late addition of Dan Matthews in the former Maddie Wise car and regulars Scott Duncan, Aaron Jurgens and Richard Watkins and the local field is strong.

In the Stockcar class, drivers are coming from all over, and in the case of Brittany Carpenter, from Greymouth.

A total of 41 cars had entered at the time of writing, from Huntly, Kihikihi, Stratford, Hawke's Bay and Palmerston North.

Former 1NZ Gerry Linklater had a shakedown run in his brand new car on Saturday, and looked to be on the pace immediately.

Former two-time 2NZ Dion Mooney and the promising Callum Sturzaker have been hard at work completing their new cars.

Other prominent locals ready for some action include Mark Johnston, Trazarn Ryland-Annabell, Blair Reeves-Smith, Hailey James and last year's Rookie of the Year Kaelin Mooney, while former Wanganui Vulcan Sandy Flett returns after a three-year absence.

Adult and Youth Ministocks, Production Saloons, Sidecars and Minisprints complete the 23-race programme.

With both the Production Saloons and Minisprints having their New Zealand titles raced at Oceanview this morning, both local and out of town drivers will be keen for track time.

Shayne Hughes and Brent Hackett both appeared in brand new Production Saloons at practice last weekend, and will renew their rivalry with Grant Loveridge, who has contracted back to Wanganui after a couple of seasons running out of Rotorua.

Dylan Smith will be chasing a podium spot at the NZ Minisprints after narrowly missing out on third place last season, while both Shane Gribbon and newcomer Brad McDonald looked quick at practice.

With so little live sport in recent months, a big crowd is expected tonight.

The pit gates open at 3pm, the public gates open at 4.30pm, and racing gets under way at 6pm.