Stockcar Teams Update 5

November 2

Top of the South Speedway, Nelson

Tasman Thunder def Greymouth Grizzlies

November 9

Eastern States Speedway, Blenheim

Ken's Cowboys defeat Eastern States Titans

Canterbury Crushers def Ken's Cowboys

Eastern States Titans def Canterbury Crushers

November 15 & 16

Woodford Glen, Christchurch

Eastern States Titans 140 def Team Heibner 45

Ken's Cowboys def 150 def Canterbury Crushers 25

Ken"s Cowboys 150 def Eastern States Titans 35

Canterbury Crushers 150 def Team Heibner 35

November 15 &16

Huntly Speedway, Waikato

Rotorua Rascals def Gisborne Gladiators

Stratford Stormers def Meeanee Maulers

Auckland Alleycats def Manawatu Steelers

Wanganui Vulcans def Waikato Raiders

Rotorua Rascals def Meeanee Maulers

Stratford Stormers def Gisborne Gladiators

Manawatu Steelers def Wanganui Vulcans

Auckland Alleycats def Waikato Raiders

Night 2

Manawatu Steelers def Gisborne Gladiators

Huntly Hawks def Baypark Bulldogs

Waikato Raiders def Meeanee Maulers

Auckland Alleycats def Stratford Stormers

Rotorua Rascals def Wanganui Vulcans

Meeanee Maulers def Gisborne Gladiators

Manawatu Steelers def Waikato Raiders

Wanganui Vulcans def Stratford Stormers

Rotorua Rascals def Auckland Alleycats

November 24th

Oceanview Speedway

Stratford Stormers def Wanganui Vulcans

Baypark Bulldogs def Huntly Hawks

November 30th 

Rotorua Rascals def Auckland Alleycats (Rees Shield)

Huntly Raiders def Gisborne Gladiators

Nelson Thunder def Canterbury Crushers

December 14th

Palmerston North Pumas def Wellington Young Guns

Wanganui Vulcans def Stratford Stomers

2012/13 Season Final table HERE  Winners Eastern States Titans

2011/12 Season Final table HERE  Winners Waikato Raiders

2010/11 Season Final table HERE  Winners Palmerston North Pumas

WP Christmas Meeting

Waikaraka Park
Dec 21st, 2013

Here are a few photos from the Christmas meeting at Waikaraka Park last weekend. I hit the road now for trips to Palmy and Napier and hopefully some great Speedway weather. Hope to catch up with a few people and enjoy some great racing. All the best for Christmas and New Years and thanks again for all your support viewing and commenting on the webpage. Take care everyone and see you trackside!

Calm before the storm...

Paradise Valley Speedway
Rotorua, Dec 7, 2013






Because there was no meeting at Auckland or Huntly I took a quick trip down to Rotorua to see the Auckland Allstars make a very rare appearance at Paradise Valley against the Rotorua Rebels. Both teams are in a rebuilding phase and when I spoke to a few people the last time we could remember any sort of Superstock Teams racing at Rotorua was around 2001, a decade at least! Funnily enough in the pits helping with the Allstars were Frank Irvine, Dave Tennant and Neil McCoard who were probably part of the last recognised team that raced there! Great to see Auckland legends like these helping the new boys. The Rotorua Rebels unveiled their new look and impressive it is too, specially as the entire team comprised of Top Gear chassis which are a sight to behold.

Long time campaigner for the Allstars Bryce Marx was joined by experienced teams racer Brad Ridland, and new to Superstock teams racing Scott Tennant, Jamie Fergusson and Carl Hodge. The Rebels included Scott Hewson, Lance Ashton, Bryce Steiner and newby Richard Mahy in their team. A brand spanking new Top Gear was in the pits for Tony Fabish but didn't run, although later in the night Fabish took the Hewson car for a spin in the Superstock feature. Needless to say, for me, the teams race was the highlight of the night. Auckland won pole and although 5a Ridland took off as the Allstars runner it barely lasted a lap as the engine expired leaving the Allstars a man short. 95r Hewson was running for the Rebels while both Tennant and Marx managed to take Steiner and Mahy to the wall respectively. 9a Fergusson managed to get one of the few hits landed on Hewson during the race but was immediately belted out of the way by a rampant Bryce Steiner who was easily the best performer of the race. Fast AND lethal he made the difference once 96r Lance Ashton retired from the race and we reverted to a 3 on 3 race. At this point Scott Tennant had managed to get within reach of Hewson for the lead but that man Steiner stopped him and that was the last time the Allstars challenged for the win. A clever piece of blocking by Mahy allowed his runner through and a final rolling block by Jamie Fergusson and Bryce Marx failed to stop Hewson who threaded the needle and crossed the line for a great win. Fergusson's car had a lot of damage but his blocking skills had translated well from the Stockcar class and Richard Mahy's first teams race was incredible I thought. A great warm up for both teams who wont head into the big Palmy teams meeting cold like most years. Result: 95r, 97r, 7a, 8a.

The balance of the programme was a little 'thin' shall we say, 14 production saloons, 6 Streetstocks and the BOP Minisprint title which was a cakewalk for 2nz Jade Barnett. Only 19 Stockcars appeared although a few were down at Wanganui for the GP. Of note was the 19r Stockcar of Sam Pearson who I've seen race once before and man this fulla can fly! He took out the first heat and despite being a target in the other two heats, was never far from the lead, one to watch I'm guessing. 13r Grendon Beazley was all class picking up the other two wins. So that was my flying visit to Rotorua, it feels a bit like the calm before the storm as we head into the exciting Christmas period with a whole host of titles up for grabs, lets just hope the weather comes to the party and we have another epic summer like last season.

Stockcar Teams Update 4

The Rotorua Rascals extend their lead and picked up the Rees Shield after their victory at Waikaraka Park over the Alleycats team. The Palmerston North Pumas and Wellington Young Guns will fire in to life on December 14th at Arena Manawatu as two of the most succesful teams in the last few seasons get some practice in before the next big meeting for Stockcar Teams which will be in Palmerston North for the NZ Stockcar Teams championship meeting, January 1 & 2.

November 2

Top of the South Speedway, Nelson

Tasman Thunder def Greymouth Grizzlies

November 9

Eastern States Speedway, Blenheim

Ken's Cowboys defeat Eastern States Titans

Canterbury Crushers def Ken's Cowboys

Eastern States Titans def Canterbury Crushers

November 15 & 16

Woodford Glen, Christchurch

Eastern States Titans 140 def Team Heibner 45

Ken's Cowboys def 150 def Canterbury Crushers 25

Ken"s Cowboys 150 def Eastern States Titans 35

Canterbury Crushers 150 def Team Heibner 35

November 15 &16

Huntly Speedway, Waikato

Rotorua Rascals def Gisborne Gladiators

Stratford Stormers def Meeanee Maulers

Auckland Alleycats def Manawatu Steelers

Wanganui Vulcans def Waikato Raiders

Rotorua Rascals def Meeanee Maulers

Stratford Stormers def Gisborne Gladiators

Manawatu Steelers def Wanganui Vulcans

Auckland Alleycats def Waikato Raiders

Night 2

Manawatu Steelers def Gisborne Gladiators

Huntly Hawks def Baypark Bulldogs

Waikato Raiders def Meeanee Maulers

Auckland Alleycats def Stratford Stormers

Rotorua Rascals def Wanganui Vulcans

Meeanee Maulers def Gisborne Gladiators

Manawatu Steelers def Waikato Raiders

Wanganui Vulcans def Stratford Stormers

Rotorua Rascals def Auckland Alleycats

November 24th

Oceanview Speedway

Stratford Stormers def Wanganui Vulcans

November 30th 
Rotorua Rascals def Auckland Alleycats (Rees Shield)
Huntly Raiders def Gisborne Gladiators
Nelson Thunder def Canterbury Crushers

2012/13 Season Final table HERE  Winners Eastern States Titans

2011/12 Season Final table HERE  Winners Waikato Raiders

2010/11 Season Final table HERE  Winners Palmerston North Pumas

Not Paradise!

For a few moments I wondered if I was sitting at Waikaraka Park or Paradise Valley last night as Rotorua cars kept winning races. Sadly, it was a soggy old night at WP and yes, two Top Gear Superstocks cleaned up in their races while the Rotorua Rascals managed to wrestle the Rees Shield away from the Alleycats on a night that was lucky to proceed with many tracks pulling the plug earlier in the day. A damp track and a few light showers during the racing didn't make it a comfortable night but it was mercifully short and finished about 9.30pm and unless you were a Rotorua fan, it wasn't great viewing.

Auckland Alleycats v Rotorua Rascals
After the Huntly Teams meeting, the Rascals came in as favourites but facing the Alleycats on their home track evened things up somewhat. Unfortunately the track had been quite slushy after a couple of showers so it wasn't going to be a classic. Despite that fact, the Rascals come home with a comprehensive victory and another trophy to add to a golden run they are having this season. An early lead to Gary Lonergan ended when spun by Damian Orr and from that moment onwards Chris Hall and Orr held a strong lead and were never really in any danger of losing it. Both Craig Chatfield and Tony Baldwin were out of the race after about two laps and with no blockers the Alleycats shield reign was about to end. Shannor Orr eventually blocked Lonergan in the turn two wall and that left Scott Tennant as the only mobile Alleycat unable to stop a group of three Rascals cars, Chris Hall crossing the line ahead of Orr for a solid win.

The rest of the programme included Superstocks (9) with 135r Scott Hewson and 23r Lance Ashton from Rotorua taking out all three races in either first or second place. Ministocks (15), Saloons (6) mixed in with Supersaloons (2) and a field of about 21 Stockcars including a few of the teams racers providing the other highlights of the night. Gary Lonergan did pick up the Stockcar feature race so things did end on a positive note of sorts. Drive of the night though was a toss up between 61a Roy Walker in the Saloons or 10a Chanelle Gordon who almost lapped the entire field in the first Stockcar heat.