Wanganui popular on podium

Wanganui drivers finished all over the podium when the final tallies of the 2013 New Zealand Jet Sprint Championships were added up after the last round at Shelter View on Saturday night.

Having sold his boat, defending Superboat champion Leighton Minnell drove Rob Coley's Poison Ivy for the final round and finished runner-up in the championship to Canterbury's Peter Caughey.

After clean sweeping each round last season, Minnell's sole victory was Round Two in Featherston, hampered by engine troubles in Rounds 1 and 3, along with a beaching at Round 5.

Caughey, now a six-time national champion along with his four world titles, won Rounds 1, 3-4 and 6, taking out both the opening and last leg in Wanganui with dynamic drives in the Top 3 eliminators.

Third-placed veteran driver Pat Dillon, intending this to be his last year in the sport, was a force throughout the season with two runnerup placings as well as two thirds.

Coley's third at Wanganui on Saturday was his best finish of the year and when interviewed on the night, Caughey singled the young racer out for praise predicting he will be coming up strong next season.

Four-year Wanganui veteran Gerry Linklater looks back on his season with pride to claim the 400 series title.

With round results of third, fifth, first, second, second and fifth, Linklater stayed one step ahead of Piopio's Brett Thompson, while Warren Farr's victory at Shelter View on Saturday got him up for third.

But the big surprise of 2012-13 was Richard Murray's extraordinary come-from-behind series win in the Group A series two wins from the last two rounds in Wanaka and Wanganui being coupled with the self-destruction of Hamilton's Sam Newdick.

Newdick, with four straight round victories looked for all the money like sweeping the series, but third at Wanaka and then a shocking 12th at Shelter View left Murray just a faint chance. Having been consistent right up until Wanaka (finishing second, third, second and fifth), Murray's two victories are the only round wins of his career and wrapped up the championship.

Final Results

Suzuki Superboat Championship: 1. Peter Caughey (Canterbury); 2. Leighton Minnell (Wanganui); 3. Pat Dillon (Wanganui).

PSP Group A Championship: 1. Richard Murray (Wanganui); 2. Sam Newdick (Hamilton); 3. Paul Gaston (Queensland).

JetPro 400s: 1. Gerry Linklater (Wanganui); 2. Brett Thompson (Piopio); 3. Warren Farr (Taupo).