Words & Images
Images: Stuart Wright (The Wright Angle)
Baypark Speedway delivers a double helping of full contact racing this weekend with the heavy metal entertainers of dirt track racing lining up for two late-season headline events.
A 32-car field has entered the annual Technical Welding Services Super Stock Rumble and an even bigger line-up of 36-cars is expected to pack the track for the 2026 edition of Harry Fredrickson Memorial Gold Cup for the Stock Car division.
Both classes feature drivers from throughout the North Island. The Super Stock Rumble includes visiting drivers from Palmerston North, Rotorua, Gisborne, Wellington, Auckland, and Hawke’s Bay among the entries.
The Super Stocks are making their final appearance of the season at Baypark and the visitors include Manawatu racer William Humphries – who recently finished third at the NZ title – along with Aucklander Cody McKee, who returns to Baypark after winning the BOP Championship last month and setting the fastest lap of the season.
The field for the Stock Car Gold Cup – rescheduled after a February rainout – sees the Baypark racers challenged by Gisborne, Auckland, Rotorua, Huntly, Kihikihi, Stratford and Wanganui drivers.
Defending champ Karl Garnett (Kihikihi) returns while the in-form Stock Car drivers are the Auckland duo of Sam Wright and Azaria Simpson along with Rotorua’s Caleb Stanaway, who were the podium finishers at the BOP Champs last weekend.
There’s also international competition for the Youth Mini Stock class with Baypark hosting the second round of a Trans-Tasman challenge involving five Australian racers lining up against a five-strong Kiwi team which includes Baypark racer Karl Vazey.
A combined grid of Midget and F2 Midgets will also be in action with the entry list including NZ Sprint Car champion Daniel Thomas – who makes another non-wing appearance for the BSL Racing team – along with Mitch Fabish, Luke McClymont and Corbin Anderson.
The Sprint Cars are contesting the second round of the Auto Super Shoppes Baypark Trifecta Series, a late-season three-round series carrying a $5000 prize fund to be awarded after the Easter weekend season finale.
Drivers were required to commit to all three rounds ahead of last weekend’s first round and the points leader is Cole Wood who drove to an impressive third place finish in last weekend’s BOP title and leads the points ahead of Keaton Dahm and Ryan O’Connor.
Racing starts at 6.30pm.
