Images: Jo Broadhead Photography
A rescheduled South Island Super Saloon Championship brought a stacked field of the country’s top talent to Powderworx Central Motor Speedway, with Heavy Trax Hire backing the event.
The presence of the top three finishers from the recent New Zealand Super Saloon Championship added serious star power, exactly the boost the class needed after the original meeting was washed out, a setback that drew some criticism toward the club.
Reigning champion Chris Cowling was a major drawcard as he chased an elusive Super Saloon Grand Slam of the New Zealand Championship, Grand Prix, and both Island titles. Joining him were current 2NZ Steve Flynn and 3NZ Mark Osborne , adding even more firepower to the headline acts.
But it would be no easy path. With a stacked field of proven contenders in attendance, this was shaping as a must-watch showdown from the outset.
It was a strange sight not to see either Steve or Grant Flynn in their familiar Burger King / Popeyes colours. Instead, the Boulton Racing Team stepped in to supply matching cars for the pair, a big win for the class and the fans.
For the commentator, though, it was a different story, with a fleet of near-identical machines making life just that little bit harder.
Central Motor Speedway has always been a very good Super Saloon track, with a tight entry into turns one and two, followed by a foot flat, sweeping turn three and four, making these methanol monsters absolutely scream.
It’s a sight and sound to relish amongst the amphitheatre setting and the mountains surrounding the circuit.
The event also served as a tribute to Daryl Ainsley, a former club president and competitor who was tragically lost in 2018, with all grades racing for the Daryl Ainsley Memorial Trophy.
The event was run over three 15-lap heats, followed by a 20-lap feature to decide the South Island Championship.
The final race would be another 20-lap outing, this time a reverse order of the South Island title placings, to determine the winner of the Memorial trophy.
Beachlands’ Terry Soper cleared off from the outset of the race to power away to a massive victory of over five seconds in Heat 1. Behind was Richie Taylor of Christchurch in second, and his clubmate Mark Osborne home in third.
Central Motor Speedway’s Greig Johnson got the locals excited when he ran away from the field in the early stages of Heat 2. By Lap 8, however, Cowling and Steve Flynn had caught up to Johnson, Flynn making a pass with just five laps remaining to snatch the lead. Cowling slipped past Johnson just two laps later.
Johnson managed to hold onto third despite pressure from Christchurch’s Ashton Osborne. Flynn grabbed the Heat 2 win ahead of Cowling, who charged home in second.
While the opening outings had been clean, carnage followed in Heat 3. Soper, Johnson, Steve Flynn, and Taylor, who had all had placings, were involved in incidents that really turned the South Island Championship on its head.
The race started with Beachlands’ Ricky Boulton getting off to a flyer. He raced away to a buffer before, on Lap 3, Steve Flynn, Soper, Grant Flynn, Taylor, and Jacob Flynn had a coming together in Turn 1. Taylor and Soper retired from the race as a result.
Then, at the restart, Johnson and Christchurch’s Matt Summerfield came together. Steve Flynn then made contact with these cars, putting himself out of the race also.
The drama didn’t stop there, however, with an eye-opening moment just a couple of laps later when Nelson’s Paul Power looped up in Turn 2.
His car sat for an eternity before the officials hit the yellow light, right as leaders Ricky Boulton, Mark Osborne and Cowling were almost on him.
From here, with several cars parked up infield, it was a good, hard fought battle.
Osborne managed a move on Boulton with four laps remaining and remained unstoppable to take the Heat 3 win. Boulton fought off a fast-finishing Cowling to claim second, while Cowling’s third place was enough to give him a front row starting spot for the title race, alongside Mark Osborne.
The scene was set for the 20-lap feature race. Could the event favourite Chris Cowling snare the Grand Slam and take the South Island Championship back to Tauranga, or would one of the Mainlanders keep the silverware firmly in the south?
The feature was to be fair and fairly straightforward, with not a yellow flag for the entire 20-lap race. It was good, wheel-to-wheel, fast action the entire time.
Mark Osborne was out in front, with Cowling trying to chase him down after Osborne had charged away to hold a substantial race lead. Lapped traffic is where this race would be won or lost.
Osborne passed a few of the back markers with relative ease, but as he tried to negotiate spots in the mid pack, he started to lose ground to Cowling, who was coming through the back markers at haste.
As this transpired, the battle for the minors was on. Ricky Boulton and Taylor were scrapping hard, and Ashton Osborne was also punching out some smart lap times by mid-race distance.
With a handful of laps remaining, Cowling was within a car length of Osborne, the feature going to go down to the wire.
Cowling was hungry to grab the Grand Slam, but Osborne made his Stealth machine twelve feet wide, placing his car with precision in the spots he knew his rival couldn’t get a run.
The white flag was waved, one lap to run. Cowling looked to have the measure of Osborne, having been strong all night, particularly with his speed into turn three. It seemed certain he would make his move, sweeping from the outside to the inside of the leader.
But Osborne was flawless, placing his car perfectly and shutting the door every time.
The chequered flag fell, and it was Mark Osborne who claimed the South Island Super Saloon Championship for the second time. Cowling came up just short after a sensational drive to finish second, while Taylor broke clear of the pack to secure third.
The reverse grid race for the Daryl Ainsley Memorial was a brilliant spectacle, with drivers who had just tasted success in the South Island final now having to charge from the back of the field.
Again, this race was clean and fast with no cautions.
Cowling and Osborne wasted no time at all weaving their way through the pack. Within a couple of laps, the pair had picked up multiple spots.
Out front was Soper, who started from the front row and got away to a flying start and put in fast laps when it mattered the most. He battled early with Steve Flynn, but Flynn eventually fell down the order.
Johnson worked his way into second and was hunting down Soper, while Cowling and Osborne were still passing cars mid-pack.
Cowling had to fight hard with Ashton Osborne, but made the pass, which moved him up to just outside the top three.
Soper was looking unstoppable at this point, with Johnson the only driver within striking distance as the laps counted down.
By this point, Cowling was on the podium, an amazing drive to get up to third, but too little too late.
Soper would win the feature race to claim the Daryl Ainsley Memorial Trophy, with Johnson superb in second and Cowling content with third.
Other results from the Daryl Ainsley Memorial were:
In Youth Ministock, Lucee Scott of Cromwell was first, ahead of Christchurch’s Dylan Johnson in second, and Cromwell’s Ryder Harris third.
In Saloons, Cromwell’s Phil Burgess was first, followed by clubmate Mike Verdoner in second and Riverside’s Graham Williamson in third.
For Production Saloons, Cromwell’s Steven Nicholas was victorious, ahead of Cromwell’s Aven Erskine in second and Cam Bower of Dunedin in third.
In Six Shooters, Luke Shearing of Riverside was first, Blair Smith of Cromwell second, and George Hedley of Cromwell third.
In Sprintcars, Jacob McIntyre of Riverside was first, followed by Gus Dawson of Nelson in second and Josh Buchanan in third.