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The Wanganui Warriors were battered but not humbled after they came within one car of winning the ENZED Superstock Teams Championship at Palmerston North Speedway on Saturday night.
Wanganui has never won the national teams title, having also been a finalist in 2008, and had a rugged fight on their hands during Friday night qualifying as they just made it through Group C by the skin of their teeth following knock-down drag-outs with the Canterbury Glen Eagles and a youthful Manawatu Mustangs team.
They went on to Saturday night to have two cars as the sole survivors from their brutal semifinal against the Great Britain team, but then lost key drivers with their cars in the final against the Baypark Busters, who claimed their first championship in a decade.
"They were sort of a car down with a lap to go," said spokesman Mike Paul.
"It's like Wanganui [almost] winning the Super 15, it's wicked what they've done.
"Compared to the amount of money the other teams spend they've done bloody well."
In addition, Warrior Kyle Heibner (14v) was named the best driver over the two nights after he put several opponents into the walls while also scoring points for his team.
On Friday, Heibner got Wanganui off to a great start against the Glen Eagles when he put their Ivan McPhail into the barrier, while veteran Kerry Podjursky (16v) went one better by removing Brad Rosewarne completely by forcing him up the fence.
However, Glen Eagle's Shaun Pearson slipped by them and took the lead to rack up the points to give his battered team a 110-85 victory.
In do-or-die mode against the Mustangs, the front of the field turned into a melee as Manawatu's William Humphries got walled while Warrior Bevan Humphrey (18v) suffered severe damage.
Soon, only Adam Joblin was left against three Warriors, but there was still nervous times as Podjursky was ruled by officials to have attacked Joblin off the grass and was ordered back to the infield.
Heibner held Joblin on the wall and Humphrey got his battered car around for one last lap, creating a 100-0 victory and barely sending them through to the semifinals with 185 total points over the Mustangs (175) and Canterbury (130).
The playoff with the Great Britain Lions was a brutal stoush. Humphrey got nailed by Tom Harris, but had to retire at the same time as his teammate Daz Kitson, who Heibner had taken out.
Neil Scothern was the last Brit standing and while he eliminated Warrior Dion Mooney (15v), his car caught fire and then got walled by Podjursky, who joined Heibner in completing the laps for a 140-0 shutout.
But the Warriors were nearly a spent force, as Mooney failed to leave the starting blocks in the final with Baypark.
Podjursky gave them a chance by blocking David Elsworth out of the lead, while Heibner nailed Kerry Remnant before tangling with Kyle Fraser.
However, while he damaged both Baypark cars, Heibner was removed with a protruding bumper and from there the writing was on the wall.
Humphrey hung in there with a great drive but Podjursky couldn't tag the leading Elsworth again, who as first finisher claimed the title for his team.