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Stockcar Racing Entertains Crowd

Drivers in the contact classes entertained the spectators at Stratford Speedway on Saturday March 29th, racing well within the spirit of their classes and using their bumpers to good effect.

Kelvin Good won the Michael Walker memorial trophy after three torrid races in the Stockcar class.  Good won race one, placed sixth in race two and completed race three in second place.  He was one of the few drivers within the class who didn’t seem to be a target and his ability to stay out of trouble, particularly in the last race was what won him the trophy.   Tyler Walker, who really would like to win the event that is raced for in his grandfather’s memory, had the trophy within his grasp.  He entered the third race leading first equal on points with Mark Woods and Bevan Phillips and was leading the race for the first three laps before he was fired into the wall by Gary Worthington and then attacked by Wayne Booker.  Bevan Phillips also had his race progress halted by both Worthington and Andrew Dodunski, who was on a seek and destroy mission all night.  Joining Worthington, Booker, and Dodunski in the spirited Stockcar racing were Willy Bolland and Josh Walsh.  Walsh was judged to be the best stirrer and claimed the Warren Lowry memorial for his on track antics.

Wayne Moss at last had some consistent luck in the Superstock class when he won the John Adamson memorial.  Moss placed third in the first race of the night for the class before winning the next two and claiming the top spot on the podium.  Greg Moseley was awarded the Gary Adamson memorial trophy and Bruce Williams the Jason King memorial trophy for their stirring antics on the track.  Stockcar driver Haydin Barker was piloting Corey Bakers car for the night and did well to tame the car with much more power than he is used to.  He finished fifth in every race while Hamish Booker, who was having only his second night’s racing in his father’s Superstock picked up a sixth and two fourth placing’s over the three races.

Brett Barron continued his good run in the Saloon class and added another trophy to his cabinet when he won the Plews memorial.  Barron placed second in race one behind Ash Cook before placing fourth in race two and third in race three.  He won the trophy by just one point from Ali Stewart who produced a brilliant third race drive to collect a well-deserved win, his first ever.  Former Superstock competitor Tony Schrader, who began racing in the Saloon class just four meetings ago ended his night abruptly when he ploughed his car into the turn two concrete midway through race two.

Graeme Washer won his first race of the season in the Streetstock class when he claimed the chequered flag in race one after making his way to the front of the ten car field from.  Jonathan Price won race two and Gordon Fowler won race three but it was Richard Kettle who was the most consistent driver.  His finishing places of two seconds and a fifth were enough for him to win the Olsen memorial trophy by one point from Gordon Fowler.  Nigel Shingleton damaged both himself and his car when crashed into the wall at speed after his steering column broke.  He was taken to hospital as a precaution and later released, just battered and bruised.

In the support class racing, Karl Uhlenberg found things to be a little too hot in the race seat of his race car before the first Minisprint race even started when his car caught fire in the pits.  The flames were quickly extinguished and he did make it out for the next race.  Shaun Dickie dominated the racing in the class, winning the first two races and placing second in the third race behind Dylan Waite.

A large field of thirty four Youth Ministocks were on hand and produced some close racing.  Thomas Meyer won the first two races while Chris Collingwood claimed the chequered flag in the third.

On the same night, New Plymouth Modified driver Richard Pierce placed third at the North Island Championship in Auckland, completing a good late season run for the driver who also won the Grand Prix at Rotorua the week prior.

Sean Rice, who was racing his Minisprint in Palmerston North finished fourth in the Manawatu champs for the class.