Gisborne Speedway Club

Meeting 3 Review.

Another very good night of Speedway action at the Eastland Group raceway on Saturday night when the two main events on the programme produced some great entertaining racing. The Gary’s Painting and Paperhanger Ministock Best Pairs and the 30 lapper Streetcar Race both had huge fields that kept the good sized crowd well entertained.

28 cars faced the starter in the opening Ministock race where the drivers only found out who they had been paired up with after their final race meaning that all had to drive to the limit all night long.  8 young drivers from Hawkes bay joined the locals for three very good heats of racing, the opening heat going to local driver Ethan Cook (76g) from Hawkes Bay’s Quinn Ryan (46b) and another of our local drivers William McClune (61g). They were followed home by Daniel Corrin (24g) one of the defending title holders, Hawkes Bay driver Alice Bayley (96b), Logan Taylor (98g) and Mitch Fairhurst (85b).  Race two went the way of Corrin from Nic Gibbins (55b), Alice Bayley, Ryan, Taylor, Ben McArthur (71g) and Simon Jones (49b).Ryan and Corrin had a real battle in this race but Ryan paid the price for some over driving early in the race and was put back two placings. Ryan did set the fastest lap of the night for this class in this race with a very quick lap of 18.036 secs. Alice Bayley showed her great ability to hold out the chasing pack in the final race of the night for this class with a very good win from Cook, McArthur, McClune, Max Bayley, James Kirk (31g) Fairhurst and Corrin. Once the names had been drawn the winning pair to take home the 09-10 season were Corrin and Gibbons who had amassed 117 points between them. Coming home second were McClune and Benjamin Hindmarsh (38g) with 110 points from Taylor and Nikki Ellmers (18g). Alice Bayley was the highest individual point’s scorer with 78 from Cook (75points) and Corrin (74points). Great to see a couple of the new drivers , Ellmers and Hindmarsh featuring in the placings I am sure this will spur on all the rookies to better things as the season progresses.

Jason Jones (81g) was the pick of the Stockcar class with two wins, the other going to Brett Lloyd (92p). Jason Harding (86g) with 2 seconds and a third was the most consistent while Toby Pickering (27G) was also right on the pace with a second and third placing. Former Streetstock driver Shane Walker (21g) had his best night picking up a third and forth placing. Plenty of hard hits once again the feature of this class with a number of drivers looking at some very late nights in the shed over the coming weeks to get their cars ready for their big meeting here on the 12th Dec. Lloyd had the fastest lap of the night on the way to his win that been  18.434 seconds.

Sidecar pair Deane and Rob Miller (9g) had a clean sweep of the Sidecar races also having the fastest lap of the night (15.465). Stu Priest and former National Champion Mike Bond (59g) pushed the Miller pair hard all night but had to be content with 2 second placings and a third. This pair who are racing together this season for the first time are getting better with every meeting and will be ones to watch as the season progresses. Clive Ireland and Brendon Webber (56g) are also starting to hit their straps with a second and third placing, mechanical trouble in race two putting paid to a good result while holding second place.

A small field of Saloons was on hand to produce some very close racing that involved a number of crashes and near misses. Local driver David Moorcroft (8g) won the opening race but then loaded up with mechanical woes ending his night. Steven Martin (29b) beat home Ralph Scott (86g) in the opening race and then followed this up with a win over Rotorua visitor Murray Guy (13r) and Scott. The final race for this class had Hawkes Bay driver Mark Haymon (18b) take out the win from Scott. This race was marred by the deliberate straight line hit on Guy by Martin who had taken exception to the way Guy had passed him on the final lap. Martin should be stood down for some time for this deliberate act but i was informed by the referees that no punishment was handed out. I am sure all who saw this incident would be more than a little surprised that no action was taken.

Once again the Streetstock class turned on some great racing with the local drivers joined by David Hunter (92b) and Ben Yeoman (16b) from the Meanee track. Three different winners from the three races showed just how close the racing was in this class. Frank Hartley (71g) fronted up in his last seasons car while he tries to get another Diff for his new Toyota, the old HQ Holden taking out the opening race from Cody Gooch (6g) and Dave Miller (44g). Ben Donaldson (4g) took out race two from Hunter and Travis Gooch (7g) while the feature race went to Brendon Gooch (3nz) from Cody and Travis Gooch.  Plenty of action in all three races with Anton Mckay (99g), Ken Hazelton (14g), Yeoman and Patrick Pollard (28g0 all in the thick of it. Donaldson had the fastest lap of the night in the opening race with a time of 19.122.

Wayne Hall (99g) won the opening two races of the night in the Production Saloon class  but mechanical trouble in the feature had him suffer a DNF. This race went to his brother Mike (88g) who also had a second place in the opening race. Jed Miller (85g) had another good night with three 3rd placings while Steph Rangi (31G) enjoyed her best night with a good second place in the second race of the night. Shaun Kingi (8g) also drove well with a second placing, 4th and 7th while the fastest lap of the night went to Wayne Hall in the second race of the night with a very good time of 17.243 seconds.

To finish off the night 37 cars fronted up for the first of the 30 lapper Streetcar races. The field featured a mix of new drivers to the track and some old heads making a welcome return and it was one of the older heads who stole the show. Former National Streetstock driver and now Top Targa and Tarseal track driver Nigel Patterson showed his class with a masterful drive avoiding all the carnage to take out the victory. He had to work hard for the win which only came after early leader Blair Gordon who had lead for a good majority of the race faded over the final couple of laps to eventually finish 3rd. Between him and Patterson was another of the regular speedway drivers in Brendon Gooch while club committee member and Ministock rep Graham Brown enjoyed his first time out coming home in 4th place just ahead of Derby king Neil Gooch who was driving in his 84th derby.  Plenty of action with Awapuni School getting great value for money out of their driver who came home in a very good 11th place while the local Sun Shine Bus entry driven by Matt Todd came home in 7th place. Unfortunately mechanical woes hit the Te Wharau school entry and it only completed 4 laps. The large field produced plenty of mayhem with some of the newer drivers letting the excitement of the event getting the better of them which created a number of big crashes. Glen O’Conell was on the receiving end of a deliberate straight lining the driver of the offending car in this case banned from the next few derby’s , O’Conner did record the fastest lap of the race with a time of 18.357 and a top ten finish overall.

The club's next meeting will be on the 12th Dec and will be the last meeting before Christmas and will feature the very popular Stockcar Classic with a top line up of cars expected for this event.

Richard Jones.

Eastland Group Raceway

Preview of meeting 3
Saturday 28/11/2009.

This weekend the Eastland Group Raceway holds the first of it Novelty races with the running of the Gary’s Painters & Paperhangers 30 lapper Streetcar Race. Also on the nights race programme the Youth Ministocks will race for their best pairs trophies.
A Full support programme of Streetstocks, Stockcars, Sidecars, Production Saloons and Saloons all running for club points, should set the scene for the  very popular 30 lapper streetcar race to finish off the night.

Ministock driver Daniel Corrin (24g) won the Best pairs trophy with Kurtis Michie last season but will have a new partner this year as Michie has retired from the sport. Corrin is in a hot run of form at present having picked up 2 wins and a 2nd placing last weekend at the Huntly track.  The drivers in this event will race over three heats with each individual driver accumulating as many points as possible. At the end of the nights racing a marble draw will pair up the drivers who then add there respective tallies together and the highest combined score will be the winners. Trophies and sashes are handed out for the top three pairs. This is a great way for every driver to have an even chance of winning the event. The more experienced drivers like Ben McArther, Willie McClune, Joel Gardner, Ethan Cook and James Kirk  should be the cars looking to bank the highest points while all the new drivers have the chance to shine in the first of this classes big events of the year.

With honors shared between Ben Donaldson, Brendon Gooch and Frank Hartley in the Streetstock class at our last meeting expect plenty more fireworks in this class come Saturday night. Anton McKay, Cody Gooch, Travis Gooch, Ken Hazelton, Sam Callaghan and Dave Miller have all been in the thick of the action in this class and with Nigel Moiser also due out we should see some great entertainment from this class.

Production Saloons may see a new face behind the wheel of the Daniel Cook car shortly as he has sold the car. Cook has been one of the standout performers in this class over the past couple of seasons and his battle with the Hall brothers, Wayne and Mike have been nothing short of spectacular. It is time now for the likes of Crystal Gooch, Allan Will, Matt and Jade LeCompte, Chris and Jed Miller and Tony Land to step up and provide the Hall brothers with some stiff opposition for the remainder of the season.

Another good field of Sidecars should once again provide plenty of thrills as these daredevils of the oval once again look to turn on there impressive talents on the big banked track, without doubt the fastest track in the country.  A top field of Saloons will also feature here again this weekend with a number of cars once again making there way up from the Hawkes Bay. With the Meanee track not running this weekend there may be a few more cars in the different classes looking for track time as well. Former Production Saloon driver Roger Corrin should have his new saloon out this weekend and Super saloon driver Grant Brown is also expected out for his first run this season.

The Stockcar class has really been turning on the hits this season with the opening two meetings seeing plenty of sparks flying. With the Gladiator Team members back in the fold this Saturday night and club points on the line expect the likes of Ian Barron, Bruce Harding, Sam Hughes, Toby Pickering and Lance Sutherland to name just a few who will be dealing it out over the night.

The 30 lap Streetcar race will finish the night off and if past years are anything to go by then the crowd will be in for plenty of action to end the nights racing. Once again a very good field will be on hand with one local school ready to cheer on their nominated driver in the car won in a coloring competition by one of its students. The local Sunshine Bus Service will also have a car in the race painted up by Dave Gooch and sponsored by a number of local businesses, it will be driven by Eastland Group CEO Matt Todd who now races a Production Saloon but got his start in speedway in this race last year.

Gates will open at 6pm with racing underway at 7pm.
Richard Jones.