Images: Graham Hughes (Sportsweb Photography)
It’s a balmy midsummer evening on the 8th of February 2025. The Auckland Allstars are in readiness to take the grid against the Canterbury Glen Eagles in a hugely anticipated teams racing semi final.
The Glen Eagles are targeting a third consecutive Teams Championship victory. Only the Palmerston North Panthers have achieved a streak of three or more consecutive titles in the history of the event.
On the other hand, the Allstars have never won the New Zealand Superstock Teams Championship, held annually at Robertson Prestige International Speedway in Palmerston North since 1981.
They were half a lap away from making the final in the previous season. An untimely red light saw Cody McKee, the lead Allstar, break his gearstick. The Rotorua Rebels win and the Allstars are eliminated.
The Glen Eagles go on to annihilate the Rebels in the final. No Rebels car finishes the race. The Glen Eagles finish 1, 2, 3 and 4, and defend their title.
The 2025 championship feels a little different. The Glen Eagles, whilst winning both of their night one qualifying races, look to be less cohesive than their 2023 and 2024 successes.
Jayden Ward, arguably the best teams racing driver in the entire field, has barely had a competitive meeting in his new car.
As with most Teams championships, there is a tension before the big races. Both teams are aware that the Baypark Busters had just upset the Palmerston North Panthers in the first of the major semifinals, with the crowd in a frenzied state.
But this is the big one. For most fans, the Glen Eagles vs Allstars shapes as the most critical race of the weekend.
Scott Tennant and Randal Tarrant made a jump from the start before Tennant’s educated block on Tarrant allowed the rest of his running teammates through.
Harley Robb and James Thian looked to have things under control for the South Islanders. But Aucklander McKee, that man who had suffered the ultimate misfortune in the previous year’s semifinal, had a point to prove.
McKee was on a mission, moving into second place behind Robb, and then he spun the leading Glen Eagle to take over in first place.
He surged around the Canterbury blockers, moving a lap ahead of anyone else in the field. But then ‘the moment’ happened.
In competitive sport, there is a fine line between the application of the rules and intention of the rules.
Englishmen are still incensed at Alex Carey’s runout of Jonny Bairstow in the 2023 Ashes. Correct in the application of the rules. Less so, in the intention.
The same could be said of Sam Cane’s red card in the last Rugby World Cup final. Again, correct in the application of the rules, but less so, in the intention.
McKee ploughed into the back of a Glen Eagles blocker, lost power to his car and deviated to the infield just as Tennant had the potential to attack him from behind.
McKee reignited and rejoined the race behind Tennant. With a large enough buffer, he successfully took the white flag, and then the chequered flag. The crowd went wild when McKee went on to provisionally win the race.
A lengthy delay in proceedings at major championships is usually indicative of behind the scenes drama. The officials had also been dealing with disqualifications in two of the three teams races that preceded the Glen Eagles vs Allstars race.
Finally, it was announced that the officials deemed McKee’s actions to be “seeking sanctuary”. In defiance, the Allstars elected not to contest the 5th vs 6th place playoff.
With the reprieve, the Glen Eagles went on to comfortably win the final against the Baypark Busters, in their best performance of the weekend.
There is still mixed thought as to whether the penalty was justified. And for many, there is unfinished business between the two teams.
Twelve months has passed but the rivalry seems as intense as it was on that night in Palmerston North.
The draw for the 2026 Teams Championship saw the top four teams seeded, with the rest of the teams randomly allocated. The Glen Eagles, Busters, Stratford Scrappers and Palmerston North Panthers were awarded with those seeds.
Surely we couldn’t expect a repeat of the epic Glen Eagles vs Allstars matchup? The fate was in the marbles.
As first seed, the Canterbury Glen Eagles’ first opponent was drawn first. And it was the Wanganui Warriors. Each of the other seeds drew their first opponents. The Allstars remained in the bucket.
Then the second opponent for the Glen Eagles was drawn. And it was, of course, the Auckland Allstars. As if the most anticipated event in the speedway season needed more talking points in the build up.
The Glen Eagles enter the 2026 championship with the same six drivers that won the 2025 title.
Ward and Robb are four-time Teams champions, having also won the event in 2019. Darrell Wallace and Tennant are three-time champions. Their class is undeniable.
Ward and Tennant have been in particularly strong form this season.
On Friday, they placed first and second at the Global Invitational ‘World 240s’ in Rotorua. Tennant also won the North Island Superstock Championship in Kihikihi earlier in the season.
James Thian and Jay “Huggies” Holtham will also undoubtedly play key roles as the championship progresses.
The Auckland Allstars also have a settled team. Five drivers in their lineup return from last year, including Cody McKee, former New Zealand Superstock champion Randal Tarrant, Codi Chatfield, Gary Lonergan, and Jamie Fergusson.
Tyler Ingram is set to make his Teams championship debut, replacing Seth McConchie from last year’s lineup.
Finally, the Wanganui Warriors will be hopeful that the attention on their opponents will allow them to focus on their own performances and progress from the group.
Their team includes newly crowned New Zealand Superstock champion, Brad Uhlenberg, in his first Teams championship appearance.
Ryan Marshall, Kaelin Mooney, Zane Dykstra, and Hayden Hart all return from last year’s team. Max Holloway also returns to teams racing action.
There will be upsets, and there will be drama. An unforgettable weekend of racing awaits us.
Part two, covering the remaining nine teams, to come.