The season’s trend of weather-interrupted major championships continued at Christchurch’s Woodford Glen Speedway, when the qualifying night of the New Zealand Stockcar Championship was abruptly paused during the final round of heat races.
The start of the evening had already been delayed by 90 minutes when an untimely shower just before the start of scheduled racing required maintenance to the track. When the precipitation returned just before 11pm, there was little chance that the qualifying could be completed without finishing well into the early hours of the morning.
It was unfortunate that the decision to defer the rest of the heat races did not take place before the Aspiring Glass group’s final race. The drivers had to contend with a very slippery track which was not fitting for a national title.
The interruption means that the final four qualifying races will conclude before the scheduled finals night races, on Saturday 21 February.
Robb Race Cars group
Teams racing star Jay “Huggies” Holtham dominated the Robb Race Cars group. Holtham recorded a second place and two fourth place finishes, to amass 83 points. His performance in the group’s second race, when he finished in second place, was hugely impressive. Holtham moved from his starting grid of 23 to finish just a second behind the race leader.
Race two winner Hamish Whyte (79 points) and Wellington’s Daniel Pye (77 points) were also well positioned throughout the evening and comfortably qualified. Local Jack Honeybone (75 points) progressively improved his placings as the night advanced and was the fourth qualifier from the group.
Unluckily, race one winner Troy Cleveland, former North Island Stockcar champion Callum Flavell, and Cromwell’s Trazarn Ryland-Annabell, all suffered flat tyres in the third heat and had to withdraw from the race. All three drivers were otherwise in contention for a qualification spot.
A win in the group’s third race for Roydon Winstanley was also not enough for the Palmerston North contracted driver to progress to the finals.
Aspiring Glass group
Gisborne’s Brad McGee came under some attention in the weather impacted final race in the Aspiring Glass group, particularly from Christchurch’s Jayden Nicholl, but he was composed and ended up topping the group with 82 points. McGee had started the evening with a second and first place in the first two races.
Equally as impressive was the veteran Dennis Andreassend (80 points), who rarely looked troubled on his way to cementing his spot in the finals. Similarly, race one winner Karl Garnett (78 points) drove smartly to guarantee his qualification.
The race for the final qualification spot ultimately went in the favour of race three winner Liam Gray (77 points). The thirty points he gained from the final race of the night were crucial, as it pushed him a single point overall ahead of Dunedin’s Zane Tuhura, with Tim Parker and Dylan Robb each a further point behind.
However, the drivers who missed out may feel oppressed by the condition of the track for their final race of the evening, which ended up being the last on-track action before the halting of the meeting.
Eyrewell Dairy group
With one race remaining, Tyler Walker, Will Pilcher, and Chris Shingleton (all with 56 points) share the lead in the Eyrewell Dairy group, with Huntly’s Kacey Cheetham (53 points) also well placed.
Pilcher, who won the group’s first race, and Shingleton, who won the second race, both took advantage of front row starts on the grid for their respective victories.
However, all four of the leading drivers have their least favourable grid remaining in the final race.
The likes of Riley Eathorne, Mitchell Lockett, and Cody Hague, who starts from grid two in the final race for the group, remain in pursuit of a qualification spot.
BL Graphics group
Palmerston North’s Daniel Burmeister currently leads the way in the BL Graphics group. After a third place finish in the group’s first race, Burmeister sliced through the field in the second, starting from grid 23, and going on to collect the chequered flag. He currently sits on 58 points.
Woodford Glen’s Hadleigh Smith (55 points) and Kihikihi contracted William Whyte (54 points), are also well positioned with the final race in the group to run.
The battle for fourth position has also intensified. Race one winner Braydon Lennon could only finish in ninth in his second race, and sits on 52 points, with Rhys Marsden a further point behind. However, the pair starts on the last row of the grid for the final race.
Cromwell’s Casey McEwan, who won the South Island Stockcar Championship earlier in the season, is still one to watch. Whilst he only has 48 points to date, he starts on pole position for the final race, and had made up 16 spots in moving from grid 26 to tenth in the opening heat.
The Pits TV group
Victory in the first race of the Pits TV group for Whanganui contracted Lucas Hey currently sees him tied at the top of the group alongside local favourite Wade Sweeting (both on 57 points).
Defending New Zealand champion Caleb Ireland is also well in contention, moving from grid 22 to seventh in the first race, before winning the second. He currently has 54 points.
Woodford Glen’s Craig Robb (52 points) is provisionally in fourth but will be mindful of Josh Mulcahy, who sits a point behind, but has the benefit of pole position for the final race.
Troy Currie and Jayden Dreadon-Manning are each a further point adrift and set to present a strong challenge in the final race of the group.
Complete Tyre & Auto group
The Complete Tyre & Auto group was completely dominated by the bookies’ favourite, Harley Robb. Starting from grid 24 in the first race, Robb moved up 19 positions, and then converted his grid 11 start in race two into a victory. He starts on grid 5 in the final race, and with 56 points already accumulated, only a DNF would realistically deny him a place in the championship finals.
Race one winner Luke Fallow, Stratford’s Shane Denham, and Palmerston North contracted Caleb Coxhead (all with 53 points) are well placed, although they face a challenge from Hawkes Bay’s Zayne Pullen, and local Cruiz McCreath (both on 51 points).
McCreath in particular has the potential to cause an upset, and he starts on grid three for the group’s final race.