Farmline Speed 'N Smash Fest

April 6th

Kihikihi Speedway

Brilliant weather matched the action on track at Kihikihi Speedway last Sunday with four Stockcar teams races, Saloons contesting the King Country title and Streetstocks rounding out a decent programme. Our first Stockcar teams race had the Kihikihi Crusaders (or really a select team) up against the Stratford Stormers. 51h Ali Van Amsterdam had the pace and lead out early with 402s but once 86r Richard Keizjer pulled off the track the Stormers took hold of the race and 405s and 402s came home for a convincing win. Gisborne Gladiators were up next against the Waikato Raiders and it was a fairly even match up with 45g Nick Vallance chasing the 97h of Gallop for most of the race. Great blocking by 99h Neill and 98h Hutchby the difference between the two teams, the Waikato boys heading to the final against Stratford.

The Kihikihi team could only front 3 cars but with the pace of Van Amsterdam, they took an unlikely win from a shellshocked Gladiators team. The Gizzy team deserving better for their efforts but no shame as they gave it everything they had. The final was great and came down to whose runner could avoid the plentiful blockers. 402s Bevan Phillips had the lead and was chased by 97h Scott Gallop running for the Raiders. Multiple attempts by Hutchby and Robbie Neill to get Phillips failed until near the end of the race when the 99h managed to trap and block the 402s in the turn one wall. Gallop had survived his own close call nearly rolled by 406s, before snatching the lead and surviving a last gasp attack that almost had him crossing the line on his side.

Nigel Ross dominated the Saloons winning the feature event and the 25 lap Rosetown Classic could only muster 11 cars after a torrid day of Stockcar heats. Going into the race 72r Michael Rumney looked the favourite but was set upon by the local Kihikihi cars leaving the door open for 555r Les Holland to grab a well deserved win.

Stockcar Teams Update 11 - Final table

Despite having their best season ever, the unbeaten Rotorua Rascals are pipped for the title by the Wellington Young Guns who share the same points but competed in 3 more races, earning the top spot. Barring any late teams races, we have our fourth different winner in the four seasons I've been recording the results of Stockcar Teams racing. Gisborne, Stratford and Waikato competed in the most races (14 each), Rotorua won the most (10), and the Canterbury Crushers were the most successful South Island team making the top 10. Six mainland teams raced this season, the most ever.

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 Stormers

January 2nd
NZ Stockcar Teams Champs Qualifying
Rotorua Rascals 175 def Waikato Raiders 20
Wellington Young Guns 160 def Gisborne Gladiators 35
Canterbury Crushers 160 def Baypark Bulldogs 35
Tasman Thunder 185 def Auckland Alleycats 0
Stratford Stormers 135 def Eastern States Titans 60
Meeanee Maulers 165 def Wanganui Vulcans 0
Palmerston North Pumas 145 def Waikato Raiders 50
Rotorua Rascals 150 def Wellington Young Guns 45
Gisborne Gladiators 160 def Canterbury Crushers 35
Auckalnd Alleycats 110 def Baypark Bulldogs 85
Stratford Stormers 165 def Tasman Thunder 30
Wanganui Vulcans 145 def Eastern States Titans 50
Palmerston North Pumas 155 def Meeanee Maulers 40

NZ Stockcar Teams Finals

Wellington Young Guns def Canterbury Crushers

Gisborne Gladiators def Meeanee Maulers

Rotorua Rascals def Tasman Thunder

Palmerston North Pumas def Stratford Stormers

Stratford Stormers def Gisborne Gladiators

Wellington Young Guns def Tasman Thunder

Rotorua Rascals def Palmerston North Pumas

At World 240's, Paradise Valley Raceway

Rotorua Rascals def Waikato Raiders

Jan 31

Peter Barry Teams, Meeanee Speedway

Wellington Young Guns def Waikato Raiders

Palmerston North Pumas def Meeanee Maulers

North Island Select def Stratford Stormers

Wanganui Vulcans def Gisborne Gladiators

Waikato Raiders def Hasbeens

Baypark Bulldogs def Meeanee Maulers

Wellington Young Guns def North Island Select

Meeting abandoned due to rain.

Feb 2 Sunset Speedway, Westport

Greymouth Grizzlies def Sunset Slayers 

At Waikaraka Park

City Sinnerz def Huntly Hawks

At Greenstone Park, Greymouth

Greymouth Grizzlies def Canterbury Crushers

At Oceanview Speedway

Wanganui Vulcans def Ken's KB Cowboys

Peter Barry Teams Meeting Rerun

Meeanee Speedway Hawkes Bay

Wanganui Vulcans def Palmerston North Pumas

Wellington Young Guns def North Island Select

Hasbeens def Waikato Raiders

Meeanee Maulers def Gisborne Gladiators

Wellington Young Guns def Palmerston North Pumas

Wanganui Vulcans def North Island Select

Waikato Raiders def Gisborne Gladiators

Meeanee Maulers def Hasbeens

Hasbeens def Wellington Young Guns

Meeanee Maulers def Wanganui Vulcans

At Baypark Speedway

Mount Mavericks def Baypark Bulldogs

At Greenstone Park, Greymouth

Greymouth Grizzlies def Tasman Thunder

At Sunset Speedway, Westport

Sunset Slayers def Nelson B Team

At Te Marua Speedway, Wellington

Wellington Young Guns def Palmerston North Pumas

At Stratford Speedway
Wellington Young Guns def Stratford Stormers

At Kihikihi Speedway
Stratford Stormers def Kihikihi Crusaders
Waikato Raiders def Gisborne Gladiators
Kihikihi Crusaders def Gisborne Gladiators
Waikato Raiders def Stratford Stormers

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

Limping to an end...

John Webster XV
April 19, Waikaraka Park

The 15th running of the John Webster was slightly different to previous years with only 2 classes from each of the Auckland tracks, Sprintcars and Midgets from Western Springs and Superstocks and Supersaloons representing Waikaraka Park. There was also a demo derby and fireworks to pretty much guarantee a big crowd and a 6pm start to make sure all the ingredients were there for a great night. I don't know if its just me or if Im a bit jaded or what, but from there it all went pear shaped.  The night was late starting, the track was slushy (understandably though) for the first few races and then I felt the meeting never really lifted to any great heights, in fact it had the foul odour of "end of season" hanging about sadly.

Supersaloons were undoubtably the biggest let down, last year they managed to gather 5 cars and 2 Saloons to boost the numbers, this year it was 6 cars and not much action, 46m Matt Smith taking the Glen Turner Memorial after a race long tussle to get passed 96a Lance Jennings. If this class can't reach double figures they should be dropped from this event, its supposed to be the best of each track being showcased and there are other classes from WP that would fit the bill better than these guys. The other class representing WP were the Superstocks who at least managed to front with a decent field of 17 cars although the 49m Brown car never made it out on to the track. 95r Tony Fabish was the pick of the drivers along with 23r Lance Ashton. 11a Carl Hodge provided the only real action of the night hooking reverse while being spun and tipping 97r Pat Westbury over. The three heats were okay I guess, 5a Brad Ridland taking out the feature. Again nothing stunning to report here and so the two classes from the host track get a "must try harder" on their Webster report card. It was odd seeing the local cars all shoved down the far end of the pits at their own track while the Sprintcars and Midgets had the prime spots. Would this happen if the meeting was held at Western Springs... am I too late for stirrer of the year?

Midgets probably provided the best race of the night (but that's not saying much) with their 30 lap feature. 3nz Hayden Williams repeating his complete domination of the race in a carbon copy of last year. No one was even close to matching his pace and his win was made to look easy. I think he also took the decent cash prize for the shootout provided by the Outlaw Club. Sprintcars were similarly dominated by 3nz Jamie McDonald although 21w Stephen Taylor looked pretty good and lead for a while in the feature race until every car that challenged him decided to give him a shunt, nudge or tag until he was taken out of the race altogether! The track surface for these races was excellent and the saving grace of the show. The night finally dragged to a close with the fireworks and then a demo derby which was still going when I left after 10.30pm. The whole point of an early start lost on the organisers unfortunately. A pass mark then for the Springs two classes, but only just. As mentioned by Macgor on his website the other week, I too am getting a bit over endless shootouts, four wide salutes and jostling for positions on a restarts. These are all good when the programme is running swiftly but last night it wasn't. WP has one more meeting for the 2013/14 season, the King of the Park on April 26th.