Just before dusk on Sunday night, Brad Uhlenberg had the biggest moment of his speedway career.
From Eltham but contracted to Whanganui this season, Uhlenberg and Ethan Rees went head-to-head over four laps in a run-off for the Friday Homes New Zealand Superstock Championship at Wellington Speedway.
Tied on pointsafter the three championship heats, most observers were expecting Rees to add a New Zealand Superstock title to his 2018 New Zealand Stockcar title, joining his father Peter and brother Asher as the only drivers to have won both titles.
After three laps, Rees held the lead and, at the white flag, he tried to scoot away. Uhlenberg, however, went high on the track then reeled Rees in down the back straight and drove him onto the Turn Three wall.
Unable to recover so close to the flag, the Rees car remained parked by the wall as Uhlenberg took the chequered flag, trailing a cloud of white smoke as his engine expired metres before the finish line.
With four Whanganui drivers, Uhlenberg, Kaelin Mooney, Zane Dykstra and Hayden Hart, qualifying for the 26-car competition, hopes were high for a good performance, especially when Hart won the first championship heat and Uhlenberg won the second. Hart was running strongly until he punctured in Heat 2, effectively ending his hopes of a podium finish.
After two heats, Rees led the points with 44, one ahead of Uhlenberg. Mooney and Dykstra were both within striking distance but would need some of the top drivers to falter in Heat 3.
Mooney’s challenge was over almost from the flag drop in the vital final heat as a congested push of cars into Turn 1 left his car on its side.
Hart and Dykstra went into defensive mode to try to help Uhlenberg. Hart eliminated the always dangerous Wellington veteran Dale Robertson, and, as the laps counted down, Hart and Dykstra ran ahead of Uhlenberg to protect him from attacks.
Uhlenberg crossed the line in ninth place, just ahead of Rees, leaving them tied on 61 points. But after the run-off, the Oceanview-contracted driver became Whanganui’s first 1NZ in the Superstock class since Speedway New Zealand created separate titles for stockcars and superstocks in 2000.
After a welcome at Whanganui's Speedway Garage on Monday, Brad Uhlenberg relaxes with the spoils of victory.
Uhlenberg is 25 years old and has been racing speedway for more than 10 years, being yet another New Zealand champion to have come from the Youth Ministock ranks. He and partner Madison Caird met during their respective Youth Ministock careers and live near Eltham.
Unsurprisingly, he drives trucks for a living for the family business Uhlenberg Haulage. The well-known green, white and orange Uhlenberg livery is a familiar sight around roads throughout the North Island.
The wider Uhlenberg family also has a pedigree in speedway. Brad’s cousin Blair finished second in the championship two years ago, earning the 2NZ number. Another cousin, Karl, went one better last year, winning the New Zealand Minisprint Championship.
Brad, however, will be cheering on sister Erin in two weeks when the 2025-26 Minisprint Championship is decided at Stratford. To have siblings holding 1NZ in two separate classes simultaneously would be unprecedented.
Brad bought his championship-winning car two years ago, ironically from Asher Rees. The proven car had already carried the elder Rees brother to consecutive 1NZs.
Racing out of Whanganui this season has seen him record some excellent results, including a third placing in the New Zealand Superstock Grand Prix the week before Wellington. The confidence from that performance carried into this weekend
Uhlenberg is scheduled to run in the World 240 event at Rotorua this weekend but damage from the weekend may force his withdrawal.
His sights will then be on the Dewtec-Enzed Superstock Team Championships at Palmerston North on Waitangi weekend. The way Oceanview drivers raced for one another this weekend is a very good omen for the team.
For now, however, he will carry the number 1NZ until next year’s championships in Stratford. A worthy winner this year, you wouldn’t bet against further superstock success from the young man who now calls Oceanview Speedway his home track.
