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Ingram and Korff shine in Speed Week Round

Jarrod MacBeth

Taranaki racers Joe Ingram and Thomas Korff were the stars at the opening round of the Saloon Car Speed Week at Stratford Speedway on Boxing Night in front of a massive crowd that had packed into the venue to witness the Speed Week, King of the Mountain Superstock Champs and Ramp Demolition Derby. 

The Speed week, which runs over six consecutive nights at tracks around the North Island, runs a different format to the usual three heats.  The twenty two Saloon competitors in the series are divided into three groups who race each other over three races before the top point’s scorers take part in a pole shuffle to determine the starting grid for the twenty lap feature race.  Points are also awarded to competitors each time they pass an opponent.  The Speed Week round at Stratford was the first in a number of seasons and also the opening round of the series.  Joe Ingram improved his form throughout the meeting to come out on top in the feature race while Thomas Korff’s daring outside line racing saw him finish the night as the round leader.  Ingram’s two heat races were nothing spectacular, finishing second in his first race form a grid four start before placing tenth in his second race from grid thirteen.  It was the pole shuffle where he really showed what he could do.  Thomas Korff was the initial front runner in the shuffle, beating his father Craig in the first two lap run before winning against South Island driver Josh Boulton then Chris Cowling.  Ingram put an end to Korff’s winning streak, sending him back to the infield before doing the same to Paddy North, Daniel Hinton, Steve Cowling and Chris Taylor and eventually winning the last run again Bodie Abrahamson.   The pole shuffle victory set Ingram up with a grid one start for the feature race and he held the lead for the first twelve laps of the race.  Hesitating for a lapped car however, allowed Steve Cowling to make a pass and head the field for almost the entire remainder of the race.  Ingram snatched back the lead to win by the smallest of margins on the last lap when he and Cowling went one each side of a lapped car.  Ingram’s exceptionally quick of the mark car getting to the finish line just a fraction ahead of Cowling.  Thomas Korff, who drove exceptionally well and was impressive to watch using the outside line of the track, came home in third place.  Korff’s numerous passes throughout the night ensured that he finished the racing as the round winner, despite Ingram’s win in the feature.

Phil Ogle beat home the rest of the large nineteen car field to win the King of the Mountain Superstock champs.  Ogle won the first race for the class after pushing initial leader Mitch Vickery wide in turn three in the closing stages of the race to take the lead before again wining race two and then placing third in race three to collect a points total of fifty seven.  Vickery finished second overall, five points behind Ogle while Nik Kiser, who was very quick all night, was a further one point behind in third place.  Paul Johnson may have some explaining to do after rolling his Brother Blair’s car in the second race for the class.

With the New Zealand Championship coming up in January, the Streetstock field was bolstered by several out of town competitors.  Eighteen cars lined up on the grid for the first race which was won by Wayne Barron.  Rotorua driver and former Taranaki Champion Chris Shingleton won the next two races which showed that he could well be a threat to win the New Zealand title.

Minisprints and Youth Ministocks also raced on the night.  Shaun Dickie picked up two wins in the Minisprint class while Kurt Phillips won the third race.  William Hughes and Huntly racer Dylan Marshall won two races each in the Youth Ministock class.

The always popular Ramp Demolition Derby was the last event on the program.  Over forty cars smoked, screamed and struggled their way around the track.  Josh Houghton, Rhys Peacock and Megan Collins were the last three cars mobile and split the prize money.  Cody Clarke was judged to be the best presented, the hard luck prize went to Nathan Hammersley while Ritchie Rudolph and Jason Dunn collected the prize money for the best stirrers.