All Action for Big Bad Charlie

BACK AGAIN: After the action at fireworks evening on November 14, Oceanview Speedway will gear up again for tomorrow night's Charlie Berntsen Trophy event.PHOTO/FILE

THE RECENT passing of Stockcar legend Charlie Berntsen, known throughout the sport as 'Big Bad Charlie', will be honoured at Supercheap Autos Oceanview Speedway tomorrow.

Stockcar racers have competed for the Charlie Berntsen Trophy for a number of seasons.

But this Sunday, 'The Charlie' will be up for grabs for the first time since Berntsen's death, and racers from all over the North Island will converge on Wanganui.

A number of out-of-town teams have confirmed their attendance including the Gisborne-registered trio of Peter, Asher and Ethan Rees.

Asher Rees is the current 1NZ in the stockcar class, while father Peter is a five-time New Zealand champion in the class and last year won 1NZ in the Superstock class as well.

Like Charlie Berntsen, all the Rees family know there's more to stockcar racing than just winning.

Other visitors expected include Palmerston North father and son duo Ron and Brendon Tye, town mate Rob Mason, Huntly's Les Hepworth and Wellington's Hylton Parker.

Current 2NZ Jayden Ward injured his shoulder last weekend but is hoping to be fit, and there are likely to be other visitors from Palmerston North, Stratford and Wellington. Visitors will face a strong local contingent, who will pull out all stops to keep 'The Charlie' in Wanganui.

Bevan Humphrey was on the pace in his Tank at the last meeting, Dion Mooney will be back from an injury stand-down and drivers like Mark Johnston, Sandy Flett and Francis Potaka will be on the prowl for any car without a V after its number.

The stockcar class is growing rapidly this season at Oceanview, and the likes of Trevor Greig, Steve Read, Chet Swan and Richard McDonald have all had their moments.

The number of entrants will see two qualifying races to whittle the field down to the 26 cars which will race in the three championship heats.

Overall points from the three heats will determine the winner, and whoever is leading the points after two races can expect plenty of attention in the third.

Sunday is also the first round of the Elite Mechanical Stockcar Cash Challenge, a new series sponsored by Mike Mooney of Elite Mechanical and Engineering.

Drivers will compete over four rounds during the season for a total cash pool of $5000.

There will be a teenage invasion of Oceanview as well tomorrow.

The West Coast Youth Ministock Championships has attracted a bumper field of almost 50 entrants with racers coming from Huntly, Rotorua, Gisborne, Stratford, Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay and Wellington to take on the locals.

The race format will be the same as for the Charlie, with qualifying races and three championship heats.

Expect these 12 to 16-year-old racers to provide some great racing action.

Superstocks, Production Saloons and Sidecars will also be competing.

And to complete the tribute to Charlie Berntsen, the Golden Oldies Stockcars will make an appearance, including the 432V car in which he won the New Zealand Stockcar Championships at Oceanview in 1982.

The racing starts at 3pm.