Vulcans denied in Gisborne

Dion Mooney, pictured in individual competition, was lining up a team's victory for the Vulcans in Saturday's national quarterfinals until he was taken out.

It was not without controversy, but the strongest Wanganui Vulcans unit in some time suffered elimination in the quarterfinals of the New Zealand Stockcar Teams Champs in Gisborne on Saturday evening.

Having progressed through the Friday night racing with their cars still in good shape, hopes were high for the Vulcans as sixth qualifier when they took on the third qualifier Rotorua Rascals.

Two time 2NZ stockcar competitor Dion Mooney had a lap lead on the nearest Rotorua driver near the denouncement of the clash.

Speedway writer Tony Stuart said Mooney was then put into the wall, "in, shall we say, controversial circumstances", due to the positioning of the blocker.

"The one time Dion got caught was crucial.

"He'd had a reasonably quiet weekend to that stage, been more blocking than Nathan [Black].

"He had it in the bag, but got isolated and taken out."

Rotorua made up the lap and got their leading driver across the line first to take the win.
It had been a very hard contest, with Vulcan Blair Lockett nearly being put over on his side by a hard hit into the wall.

"They were only very, very narrowly beaten," said Stuart.

"Everyone raced hard. No one let the team down."

Rotorua went on to beat home team and top qualifier the Gisborne Gladiators in the semifinals, but were defeated by the Auckland Alley Cats in the final in more controversy when it was felt the chequered flag came out too early.

The Vulcans went into a playoff for seventh with the Tasman Thunder, however both teams made a gentleman's agreement to just have a speed race rather than making contact, which would not have impressed certain elements of the crowd.

"They could have gone at it hammer and tongs, but decided not too," said Stuart.

"It was a pragmatic decision - they've got another team race in two weeks time."

The Vulcans still have a busy schedule with the Charlie Berntsen Trophy upcoming in March, as well as the Peter Barry Memorial Derby Teams Champs in the Hawke's Bay at Easter.

They will also be vowed and determined to head to Auckland next year for another crack at the national crown, Stuart said.

In the Friday qualifiers, the Vulcans amassed 225 points after they defeated the Kihikihi Crusaders while losing narrowly to the Wellington Young Guns.

However, against the Young Guns the Vulcans did not risk major damage by instead focusing on getting their cars home in second, third and fifth to wrack up enough overall points and comfortably qualify for the eight team quarterfinals the following night.

Surprisingly, Wellington and the Palmerston North Pumas were among the five teams eliminated at that point.

The Vulcans were managed by David Bullôt with Evan Mooney acting as mentor.

The team was Mooney, Black, Lockett, Francis Potaka, Scott McIntosh and Darryl Taylor.