THE Rees family from Gisborne Speedway Club took the top two spots on the podium at the World 240s superstock championships at Rotorua on Saturday night.

Ethan Rees (127G) won the prestigious title and his father Peter (10G) finished just one point behind him in second place across the three-race finals series.

They were among five “G” cars among the 27 starters in the finals, which — in hard and fast eliminations on Friday night — had been whittled down from 130 entrants.

The five Gisborne finalists were Josh Prentice (5G), Peter Rees (10G), James Clarke (29G), Brodie James (87G) and Ethan Rees (127G).

Tim Ross (144G) contested the repechage on Saturday but couldn't get through to the finals.

Gisborne had more cars than any other club in the finals.

“The eliminations on Friday night were clean and hard, with some big hits,” Gisborne superstock class rep Trevor Mullooly said.

“All 11 of the Gisborne cars raced well. They shone out and we could have had more than five in the final.”

Mullooly said the rest of the Gisborne drivers worked hard to support Ethan and Peter Rees in Saturday night's finals.

“They all drove out of their skins,” he said.

“James Clarke, particularly, put in some big hits.

“It was a huge effort by everyone in the Gisborne club, including the pit crews who worked so hard to keep the Gizzy cars going during the eliminations and the finals. It was great to see.”

There was help from elsewhere, too.

Superstocks 1NZ Asher Rees, who races for the Kihikihi club, did a lot to help his brother and his dad on Saturday night.

“Asher really got stuck in, in support of his brother and his father,” Mullooly said.

Ethan Rees said the win was still sinking in.

“It was definitely a very proud moment,” he said.

His placings across the three finals races were a third, a fourth and a seventh, enough accumulated points to take the title.

“The finals were ruthless,” Rees said.

“There were cars going everywhere, getting taken out, crashing.

“The other Gizzy guys really backed Dad and me up well.”

Gisborne Speedway Club posted on its Facebook page: “Congratulations to Ethan and Peter for their podium finish last night at the World 240s, and to the other three ‘G' cars in the final for helping make it happen!

“Ethan has made history by being the first-ever Gisborne car to win the World 240s and to have his dad following him home in second was pretty cool to see!

“Such an action-packed night of racing and the Gisborne club is incredibly proud of all of our club members who raced.”

Along with the New Zealand superstock championship title, the World 240s has become the event of the year for superstock fans.

Every year this event gets bigger, both in car numbers and spectators.
 

Written by Murray Robertson, The Gisborne Herald

Photo by Graham Hughes, Sportweb Photography

Article added: Wednesday 25 January 2023