Images: Graham Hughes (Sportsweb Photography)
The countdown is truly on for the most anticipated speedway event of the year, the New Zealand Superstock Teams Championship, at Robertson Prestige International Speedway in Palmerston North.
Twelve high quality teams of Superstock drivers are set to engage in battle at the event which has run annually since 1981. There will be upsets, and there will be drama. An unforgettable weekend of racing awaits us.
Group 1: Canterbury Glen Eagles, Auckland Allstars and Wanganui Warriors
Three-time defending champions, the Canterbury Glen Eagles, have been pitted against the Auckland Allstars and Wanganui Warriors.
As narrated in Part 1 of our preview, a twist of fate sees the Glen Eagles and Allstars face off again, a year on from their infamous semifinal. The anticipated rematch has added a further layer of excitement in the lead-up to this year’s event.
The Glen Eagles enter the 2026 championship with the same six drivers that won the 2025 title.
Jayden Ward and Harley Robb are four-time Teams champions, having also won the event in 2019. Darrell Wallace and Scott 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.
Jason’s Predictions: Glen Eagles to win the group with two race wins. Allstars to beat Warriors.
Matthew’s Predictions: All teams to win one race. Allstars to beat Glen Eagles, Glen Eagles to beat Warriors, Warriors to beat Allstars. Warriors to top the on points.
Craig’s Predictions: Allstars to top the group with two wins. Warriors to beat the Glen Eagles
Group 2: Baypark Busters, Manawatu Mustangs and Rotorua Rebels
Last year’s losing finalists and four-time former winners of the event, the Baypark Busters, headline the second group that also includes Bay of Plenty rivals, the Rotorua Rebels, and the Manawatu Mustangs.
Incredibly, three-time former Teams Championship winner Kerry Remnant lines up for the thirtieth time at the event, bringing huge experience to the Busters which includes former Superstock 1NZ, Todd Hemingway, and former North Island Superstock Championship winner, Elias Dykstra.
Luke Alderdice, Dylan Towler, and Dan Pollock complete a strong Busters line up.
Their biggest threat is likely to come from the Rotorua Rebels. The rivalry with their neighbours has been elevated this season with the Baypark contracted Superstocks taking a particularly aggressive approach at Rotorua’s season opening event, and continuing across other big meetings including the North Island Superstock Championship and World 240s.
Front and centre of the Rebel response is Dion Henderson. Despite being a Teams Championship debutant, much is expected of the perennial entertainer, who was subject to a dramatic barrel roll down the front straight of Paradise Valley last weekend in the World 240s finals.
Three drivers who were part of the Rebels’ 2021 winning team have been included in their team this year. Brent Stewart, AJ Axtens, and Dale Stewart have talent and a strong combination with each other to challenge any team.
Matt Jarvis and Robbie Morris complete the 2026 Rebels lineup.
Former Stratford stalwart Tyler Walker has contracted to Palmerston North this season and lines up for the first time at the Teams Championship for the Manawatu Mustangs.
Matt Demanser, Justin Roberts, and both Brendon and Ron Tye have also been named in the team. Whanganui contracted Matt Buckley was a late announcement as the final driver on the Mustangs’ roster.
Jason’s Predictions: Busters to win the group with two race wins. Rebels to beat the Mustangs.
Matthew’s Predictions: Rebels win the group with two wins. Busters to beat the Mustangs
Craig’s Predictions: All teams to win one race. Rebels to beat the Busters, Mustangs to beat the Rebels, and Busters to beat the Mustangs. Rebels through on points.
Group 3: Stratford Scrappers, Great Britain Lions and Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes
The Stratford Scrappers head into their group as strong favourites to progress over the Great Britain Lions and Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes.
Now contracted to Stratford, the entertaining James brothers, Tyler and Brodie, are included in a strong Scrappers team that also includes former 2NZ Blair Uhlenberg, Blayke Adamson, Brad Podjursky, and Matt Picard.
Despite finishing in third place last season, the Scrappers are on a four-race winning streak at the Teams Championship. They won both qualifying races in 2025, but only finished as the fifth highest overall, before winning both their minor semifinal and third place playoff.
Their group opponents enter the event with mixed recent results.
The Great Britain Lions lost both of their practice teams races last weekend at Waikaraka Park to the Allstars and an Auckland Select lineup.
They have experience in the form of Karl Hawkins, Frankie Wainman Jnr, and Frankie Wainman Jnr Jnr, as well as the dynamic Charlie Sworder, and teams racing rookies Tom Bennett and Rob Plant.
The Lions have finished as runners-up three times in the history of the event, with Wainman Jnr featuring in all those teams. The latter two losses were both against group opponents, the Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes.
However, despite being four-time former Teams Championship winners, the Hawkeyes are less favoured in the 2026 edition of the event.
Their fate will depend heavily on the performances of Mike McLachlan and Regan O’Brien, both two-time former winners.
The pair are joined by Scott Gallop, Darcy Meurant, Dylan Ashton, and Brett Loveridge, who was fortunate that his suspension from last week’s World 240s finals finishes the day before the Teams Championship starts.
Jason’s Predictions: Scrappers to win the group with two race wins. Hawkeyes to beat Lions.
Matthew’s Predictions: Lions to win the group with two wins. Scrappers to beat the Hawkeyes
Craig’s Predictions: Each team to win a race. Lions to beat the Scrappers, Scrappers to beat Hawkeyes and Hawkeyes to beat Lions. Hawkeyes to progress on points.
Group 4: Palmerston North Panthers, Gisborne Giants and Wellington Wildcats
Although the Panthers boast an incredible eighteen championship victories at the event – the next highest for any team is only four victories – their last win came in 2018. The gap since that last championship represents their longest ever period without raising the trophy.
The most successful team in the event’s history, the Palmerston North Panthers, find themselves in an unusual position of entering the event as underdogs in their group.
However, their team is not to be underestimated. Key to their success includes William Humphries, who has been in top form this season with podium places at the New Zealand Superstock Championship, Superstock Grand Prix, and World 240s.
Humphries is also a former Teams Championship winner, having been part of the Panthers in 2018. Scott Joblin is also a three-time former winner in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
The pair are joined by a less experienced but talented set of drivers in Rebecca Barr, Scott Williams, Kyle Rowe, and Trent James.
For the last two years, the Gisborne Giants have been the bookies’ favourites leading into the championship and have failed to progress to the major semifinals on both occasions. Incredibly, the team remains in search of their first title at the event.
Despite the quiet retirement of Peter Rees, the lineup includes three-time former New Zealand Superstock Championship winner, Asher Rees, and his brother, current 2NZ Ethan Rees.
With Josh Prentice, Brad McGee, Tim Ross, and Regan Penn in readiness to accompany the Rees brothers, the Giants once again enter the event strongly favoured to push for a championship victory.
The Wellington Wildcats are the wildcards in this group. Nelsonians Alex Hills and Blake Hearne, and Gisborne contracted James Clarke, have been brought in from outside the region. They form an interesting looking lineup including Ethan and Keegan Levien, and Tim Parker.
Despite the unfamiliar combinations, the drivers in their team are full of quality, particularly with the teams racing experience of the Levien’s, and it would not be a shock to see the Wildcats pull out a surprise victory.
Jason’s Predictions: All teams to win one race each. Giants to beat the Panthers. Panthers to beat the Wildcats. Wildcats to beat the Giants. Giants to narrowly win the group on points difference.
Matthew’s Predictions: Giants to win the group with two wins. Wildcats to beat the Panthers
Craig’s Predictions: Panthers to win the group with two wins. Giants to beat the Wildcats.