Barnes storming adult ranks

Aimee Barnes

Wanganui driver Aimee Barnes has continued her smooth transition from youth to adult racing with victory in the West Coast Adult Ministock at Oceanview Speedway on Saturday evening.

Barnes, the 2012 NZ Youth Ministock Competitor of the Year, won the title after a runoff with Kelly Shearer (35s), while Scott Penn (55p) was also going to be part of the runoff but could not make it out on track in time and was awarded third.

A field of 25 cars took part in the three-race competition, including many competitors from Stratford and Palmerston North.

In race one, Barnes started from grid 23 and got up to ninth, then finished second in the next two races after starting from grids 11 and 3 respectively.

That left her tied with Penn and Shearer on 65 points, necessitating the four-lap runoff.

In the Youth Ministocks, Wanganui's Ben Huijs (73v) claimed the title with two wins out of the three races.

Barnes' younger sister Jemma, 12, who debuted on January 18, got her fastest lap time yet in the last race and is said to be progressing well.

The West Coast Sidecars saw six crews contesting this title, with Paul Humphrey and Ben Franklin (1NZ) the winners.

The next meeting at Oceanview will be February 15, which is the massive fireworks display. Racing starts at 7pm, public gates open from 5.30pm.