New Zealand’s leading speedway drivers were recognised at the annual Speedway New Zealand Awards, held at Christchurch Town Hall on Saturday, July 18.
A full breakdown of the driver award winners and finalists can be found below.
Disclaimer: Statistics and results were compiled through a detailed review of Speedhive records, official results and social media posts. Every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate; however, should any minor discrepancies be identified, the figures presented remain representative of each competitor’s overall season.
Superstock Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Ethan Rees
Yet another outstanding season for Gisborne-contracted driver Ethan Rees, who steered the 127G machine to 2NZ at the New Zealand SuperStock Championship in Wellington. Rees narrowly missed the coveted top spot after finishing level with Brad Uhlenberg and being defeated in a dramatic championship run-off.
Rees was also a central figure in the Gisborne Giants’ New Zealand SuperStock Teams Championship victory, earning the prestigious Hero of Teams Champs award for his efforts in Palmerston North.
Captained by Rees, the Giants produced an almost flawless campaign, winning 13 of their 14 races and claiming victories at the SuperStock Extravaganza, the Whanganui SuperStock Teams event and Palmy Teams. Their only defeat came in the SuperStock Teams Nationals final in Auckland, where a controversial appeal resulted in the Auckland Allstars being crowned champions. Rees capped his remarkable season by being named Overall Competitor of the Year at the Gisborne Speedway prizegiving.
Rees has won this award once previously, in 2023.
Finalists:
Scott Tennant
Scott Tennant made history by becoming the first South Island-contracted driver to win the North Island SuperStock Championship, guiding the 808C machine home ahead of defending New Zealand champion Todd Hemingway.
Tennant continued his impressive individual campaign with second place at the World 240s, finishing behind Canterbury Glen Eagles teammate Jayden Ward. He also secured fifth at the New Zealand SuperStock Grand Prix, giving him three standout results in significant events.
The 808C was once again a prominent performer in teams racing. Although the Glen Eagles were unable to replicate their championship successes of previous seasons, Tennant remained one of their most dependable contributors. He later represented the Manawatu Mustangs as 808P at the SuperStock Teams Nationals, helping them emerge as the top qualifiers after the opening night before they fell narrowly short against eventual champions the Auckland Allstars in the semifinal.
While Tennant has not won the Superstock Competitor of the Year award before, he was 2022/23’s Stockcar Competitor of the Year.
Brad Uhlenberg
Claiming the coveted 1NZ title was undoubtedly the highlight of a career-defining season for Whanganui-contracted driver Brad Uhlenberg. He defeated Ethan Rees in a dramatic run-off at the New Zealand SuperStock Championship in Wellington to secure his first national crown.
Uhlenberg also finished third at the New Zealand SuperStock Grand Prix in Stratford and qualified directly for the World 240s finals after an impressive opening-night performance. However, he was forced to withdraw when the rain-delayed finals were rescheduled close to the New Zealand SuperStock Teams Championship.
Uhlenberg made his Wanganui Warriors debut at Palmy Teams, adding another significant milestone to his season. The Warriors recovered from a difficult qualifying campaign to defeat the reigning champion Canterbury Glen Eagles and claim fifth overall. While his teams-racing results did not match the heights of his individual campaign, Uhlenberg’s combination of 1NZ and a Grand Prix podium made him one of the season’s leading SuperStock competitors.
Stockcar Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Harley Robb
Robb was at his best behind the wheel in the 991C Stockcar, finishing as runner-up and missing out on 1NZ by a solitary point in an extremely competitive New Zealand Stockcar Championship at his home track in Christchurch.
Robb also placed third at the New Zealand Grand Prix in Blenheim, and was a crucial piece of the puzzle that delivered the New Zealand Stockcar Team Championship to the South Island for the first time in history.
Robb also won the Canterbury and Remembrance Championships and was recognised as the Woodford Glen Stockcar Competitor of the Year, finishing second in season points.
Finalists:
Riley Eathorne
Riley Eathorne’s standout achievement of the season came at the New Zealand Stockcar Championship, where the Nelson-contracted driver produced an impressive campaign to secure 3NZ and earn a place on the national podium.
Eathorne backed that result up with a strong season at club level, claiming the Nelson Open Championship before being named Nelson Speedway’s Competitor of the Year. Those honours reflected his consistency throughout the campaign and established him as one of the South Island’s leading Stockcar competitors.
He also made a significant contribution in teams racing, representing the Central Coyotes as they claimed the Mainland Stockcar Teams title. Eathorne later lined up for the Coyotes at the New Zealand Stockcar Teams Championship, adding another major appearance to a season highlighted by his 3NZ finish and success across both individual and teams competition.
Caleb Ireland
Back-to-back 1NZs is a remarkable feat in any grade, especially Stockcar, where the New Zealand Championship saw over 150 entrants, and even qualifying for the finals is considered an achievement.
Ireland was also a top qualifier in his group at the North Island Stockcar Championship, which attracted nearly 100 entrants. He finished 12th in Race 1 and topped Race 2 before he was taken out of contention in the finale.
Ireland was also last season’s winner of the award.
Streetstock Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Paul Leslie
Leslie, who won the Streetstock Competitor of the Year award in 2023 when he claimed his maiden New Zealand title, is again in the mix through another standout campaign where he became just the fifth driver to claim 1NZ for a second time in the grade. Results of second, eighth, and second delivered Leslie the title.
Nelson proved a happy hunting ground for Leslie, who also won the Easter Championship there.
Paul Leslie also won Streetstock Competitor of the Year in 2023 after his first national title.
Finalists:
Mike Jones
It was a big season behind the wheel for the 29C Streetstock driver, Mike Jones, winning the South Island Streetstock Championship in Greymouth, finishing as runner-up in the New Zealand Grand Prix in Blenheim, and winning Woodford Glen’s Remembrance Championship.
Jones was unlucky to miss out on automatic qualification for the New Zealand Championship finals by means of a runoff, but progressed through the repechage and finished fourth in overall points, despite running an extra race on finals day.
Corry TeRito
In a New Zealand Championship dominated by South Island competitors since 2019/20, Corry TeRito put his best foot forward in the 2025/26 edition, looking in the hunt until a Race 2 DNF on finals night put a dent in his chances of putting a small number on the side of the car.
Further north, however, TeRito was a standout performer all season, finishing third in the North Island Championship, winning all three races on New Year’s Day at Waikaraka Park, and taking podium results at venues across the island all season long.
Sprintcar Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Joel Myers Jnr
The American ace, who has only recently turned 20, Joel Myers Jnr turned his 3NZ into a 2NZ in the New Zealand Sprintcar Championship, meaning he has now sported the 1NZ, 2NZ and 3NZ. He fell just four-tenths short of replicating his 2023/24 success in this year’s feature in Cromwell.
Myers Jnr also won the acclaimed Salute to the Goodie at Ruapuna on February 7th, and claimed his third-straight Gold Cup victory the next day.
Season highlights also included winning the Feature at Riverside’s Memorial meet on November 22, his first New Zealand hitout of the season, winning the War of the Wings Feature at Ruapuna on February 7, and taking two wins at an ‘Old Guns vs. Young Guns’ showdown at Central Motor Speedway on New Years Day.
Myers Jnr’s sole SprintCar Competitor of the Year Award came in 2024.
Finalists:
Jonathan Allard
Yet another memorable season for Jonathan Allard was highlighted by a New Zealand Grand Prix victory at Ruapuna. Allard also won two features at Baypark, was third in the Salute to the Goodie Feature at Ruapuna, and runner-up in the Gold Cup at the same venue.
Allard also won two heats against a stacked field in the USA Invasion event at Central Motor Speedway, was runner-up in the War of the Wings Feature at Ruapuna on December 12th, which doubled as Round 2 of the American Invasion, and was fourth a day later.
Allard is a three-time winner of the award, first in 2011, then again in 2016 and 2021.
Zack Sokol
Central Motor Speedway’s Zack Sokol began his season with a roar in the Central Otago Championship, winning the feature. He was also a heat winner in the USA Invasion event.
The 47T driver fell just four-tenths short of 3NZ in the New Zealand Championship, finishing fourth in the A-Main in January’s event at his home track. Sokol then finished third in the War of the Wings Feature at Ruapuna on February 7, before taking his maiden series feature win in Blenheim a week later. He was also classed as the winner at the Ellesmere event, which was cut short due to a medical incident in the crowd. Overall, he finished the War of the Wings Series in third.
Sokol also enjoyed success in Cromwell’s Easter Champs, before claiming the coveted King of Cromwell crown two days later. He was fifth in the Salute to the Goodie, and fourth in the Gold Cup.
In 29 race events, Sokol took 25 top 5s, 12 top 3s, and six wins.
Midget Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Alec Insley
Another big season for the Auckland-registered Alec Insley, whose season highlights include a runner-up result in the New Zealand Grand Prix in Palmerston North, and qualifying on top for the New Zealand Midget Championship at Baypark, winning four of his five qualifying heats. He finished fifth in an extremely competitive final.
Insley also won the Gold Cup at Ruapuna and was fourth in the BT Race 4 Mates Feature at the same venue.
Finalists:
Brad Mosen
Brad Mosen returned to the New Zealand Championship podium for the eighth time in his career in 2025/26, finishing runner-up at the Baypark event. He was also fourth in the North Island Championship at Kihikihi.
Mosen also found success in features at Baypark and Palmerston North, was runner-up in Ruapuna’s Gold Cup, and third in the BT Race 4 Mates.
He also finished fourth in the Australian Speedcar Championship at Simpson Speedway in Jancourt East, Victoria, in February.
Mosen is a three-time winner of the award, first claiming it in 2015 and again in 2023 and 2024.
Trent Way
By Way’s own admission, 2025/26 “wasn’t quite the year we were hoping for,” yet the 9A Midget driver finds himself deserving of a nomination from a season highlighted by North Island Midget Championship glory.
Way finished in the top ten in all 11 races he started, coming in the top five in eight of those. He was narrowly pipped for glory in Ruapuna’s BT Race 4 Mates and finished fourth in the Gold Cup the following night.
Way did not compete in the New Zealand Championship, instead opting to run at the Chili Bowl Nationals in the United States.
Super Saloon Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Chris Cowling
Just half a second separated Chris Cowling from yet another Super Saloon Grand Slam, the Baypark driver winning his third New Zealand title, the North Island Championship and the Grand Prix. He was runner-up in the South Island Championship.
Cowling, who has won the last three Super Saloon Competitor of the Year awards in addition to his 2019 success, also won numerous other events, including the Hawkes Bay, South Pacific, Canterbury and Auckland Championships, as well as the Black Baldy 30 at Woodford Glen.
In 56 starts in 2025/26, Cowling claimed 24 wins, finished on the podium 41 times, and only failed to finish in the top five on five occasions.
Cowling also previously won Speedway New Zealand’s Overall Competitor of the Year Award in 2023.
Finalists:
Steve Flynn
Two-time Super Saloon Competitor of the Year Steve Flynn (2012 & 2015) finds himself nominated once again off the back of a standout campaign highlighted by a runner-up result in the New Zealand Championship at Meeanee, earning the right to put a 1, 2 or 3 on the side of the car for the fourth time.
Flynn was also the runner-up in the South Pacific Super Saloon Feature at Baypark, and rounded out his season with a second-place finish in the feature at Waikaraka Park on April 25.
Joe Ingram
Stratford’s Joe Ingram gets the nod as a finalist off the back of a breakthrough campaign that saw him podium at a national event for the first time, with a result of third at the New Zealand Super Saloon Grand Prix at Palmerston North.
Ingram finished sixth in the New Zealand Championship, but is commended for a strong drive having started 15th, his efforts rewarded with the Hard Charger Award.
Ingram also won the Manawatu Super Saloon Championship in Palmerston North and was runner-up in Kihikihi’s Waipa Championship.
Saloon Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Jarred Fletcher
Grand Prix success at Waikaraka Park and runner-up in the New Zealand Saloon Championship at Stratford were the highlights of the two-time New Zealand champion’s season.
Fletcher, who has won the previous two editions of this award, also took four feature race wins in 2025/26, being two at Kihikihi, one at Huntly, and one at Waikaraka Park.
Finalists:
Ethan Cook
Gisborne’s Ethan Cook claimed his second New Zealand Saloon title this season, winning at Stratford and backing up his 2018/19 title success.
Cook, who was the Saloon Competitor of the Year in 2019, also finished fourth in Palmerston North’s North Island Saloon Championship and was runner-up in the Manawatu Saloon Championship, falling less than one-tenth short of claiming the spoils.
Rodney McIndoe
An extremely busy season for Gisborne’s Rodney McIndoe across the North and South Islands. National title success was experienced through the means of the South Island Championship at Riverside, while the 7G was also fourth in the New Zealand Championship.
McIndoe won the Hawkes Bay Championship at Meeanee as well as the Far East Saloon Championship, and also took a Feature win in the Brian FM South Island Saloon Series in Nelson. He took overall honours in two events at Palmerston North Speedway, and capped off his season with a heat win at his home track in Gisborne.
Modified Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Brad Lane
Brad Lane continued to be a standout performer in the Modified grade in 2025/26, winning his fourth New Zealand title in Wellington and claiming a maiden North Island Championship at his home Huntly track, completing a career Grand Slam.
Four of this season’s features at Huntly were won by Lane.
A trip south proved fruitful for last season’s Modified Competitor of the Year, with a heat win at Modified Thunder as well as the Otago Modified Championship making. He also wrapped up the season with the Auckland Modified Championship at Waikaraka Park.
Finalists:
Luke Keegan
Christchurch’s Luke Keegan was a cut above the rest in the South Island Championship, taking the spoils by nearly four seconds at Woodford Glen.
The 2013, 2014 and 2015 Modified Driver of the Year was the man to beat at his home track, winning the Canterbury Championships, as well as feature races on March 7 and April 3’s Easter Spectacular Modified Invasion. Keegan also won all three races when the grade raced in support of the New Zealand Stockcar Championship.
Keegan was also a standout performer in Blenheim’s North vs South Modified showdown, winning a heat and Friday’s finale, before doubling down for the same results on Saturday. Venturing north, Keegan also won the Tama Arapere Memorial in Wellington.
Dan Rae
Christchurch campaigner Dan Rae returned to the podium in the New Zealand Modified Championship for the first time since the 2011/12 season with a runner-up result in Wellington.
The 2023/24 New Zealand Grand Prix winner was also the runner-up in Woodford Glen’s famed Modified Invasion at their Easter Spectacular, and finished on the podium in several other events at the Christchurch venue in 2025/26.
TQ Midget Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Regan Tyler
Tyler had yet another barnstorming campaign in 2025/26, winning the New Zealand T.Q Midget Grand Prix at his home track Kihikihi, the North Island T.Q Midget Championship at Rotorua, and the South Island Championship in Nelson.
In all, Tyler won 12 features in the season, including the Dusty Rhodes T.Q title at Meeanee.
While a gremlin with an electrical component haunted Tyler at the New Zealand Championship, his run of six straight feature victories heading into the event was a great lead-in and shows a career Grand Slam in the grade is not far away.
Finalists:
Lachy Brett
A stunning breakthrough season for the Christchurch-based driver, who stamped his mark in a grade stacked with talent.
In only his second season in the grade, Brett was the runner-up in the New Zealand TQ Midget Championship at Waikaraka Park, runner-up in the North Island Championship in Rotorua, and third in the South Island Championship in Nelson.
Brett also won three rounds of the South Island TQ Midget Series, the Ryan Stone Memorial, the Canterbury Championship, and the BT Race 4 Mates at Ruapuna.
In total, in 68 starts, Brett won 23 times, with eight of those being feature victories.
Peter Hunnibell
Success in the New Zealand Three-Quarter Midget Championship has been a long time coming for the 2015/16 New Zealand Midget Champion, Hunnibell getting the job done at Waikaraka Park in Auckland.
Hunnibell featured on the New Zealand podium three times before the event, but finally gets to sport the coveted 1NZ.
Minisprint Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Regan Ogle
The Stratford-contracted driver featured on the national podium for the first time with a runner-up result in the New Zealand Minisprint Championship at his home track. He then went on to win the North Island Championship at Palmerston North.
Ogle’s also swept all three races at Palmerston North on November 22, won an OST heat at Whanganui, and finished top-equal on points in an inter-club challenge between Stratford and Palmerston North, helping his club clinch the title.
Finalists:
Daniel Nickel
After a difficult start to the season, Daniel Nickel produced a remarkable turnaround to become one of the standout performers in the Minisprint grade throughout 2025/26.
Nickel claimed the New Zealand Minisprint Grand Prix and finished third in the New Zealand Championship, earning the right to carry a New Zealand number for the second time following his 2022/23 2NZ
Consistency across the season saw Nickel win the Oval Superstars Tour (OST), recording two feature victories, a second and a third during the series. He also collected the East Coast Championship, West Coast Championship and King of the Mountain title, while finishing runner-up in the Manawatu Championship.
Karl Uhlenberg
Karl Uhlenberg reinforced his standing at the top of the Minisprint grade throughout 2025/26, successfully defending his New Zealand Championship and becoming a back-to-back 1NZ.
The reigning Minisprint Competitor of the Year also won Stratford’s Merv Julian Challenge and Taranaki Championship, took the feature at Palmerston North’s opening night and topped the points at Stratford’s season finale.
Across 25 starts, Uhlenberg recorded 11 victories and 19 podium finishes. He finished inside the top five on 24 occasions, with an average result of 2.44, underlining the consistency behind another outstanding campaign.
Solo Competitor of the Year
Winner:
George Congreve
Last season’s overall Competitor of the Year, George Congreve, returned to the top of the podium in the New Zealand Solo Championship at Oreti Park, and also finished third in the South Island Solo Championship at his home track Moore Park.
Congreve, who has won the Solo Competitor of the Year three times prior, finished the season top on points at Moore Park, was runner-up in the Ronnie Moore Remembrance Championship, and third in the Canterbury Championship.
Congreve’s New Zealand Championship success was his fifth time on the podium at the event, and his second as 1NZ. He has also won the Grand Prix twice, the South Island Championship three times, and the North Island Championship once.
Finalists:
Ryan Colvin
The 2021 Youth Motorcycle Competitor of the Year once again established himself among the country’s best, producing a barnstorming performance to claim 2NZ in the New Zealand Solo Championship.
Colvin also finished runner-up in the Super Seller Shelley Burt Munro Challenge at his home Oreti Park, while adding third-place results in the Brian Reed Memorial Solos, Southland Solo Championship and Ronnie Moore Remembrance Championship.
Now carrying 2NZ, Colvin is undoubtedly one to watch in the years ahead. He has featured on three national championship podiums across the past two seasons but is yet to reach the top step, a breakthrough that appears increasingly close.
Finn Reed
Winning the South Island Championship at Moore Park, finishing runner-up in the New Zealand Under-21 Solo Championship and claiming third in the New Zealand Solo Championship at Oreti Park were the highlights of a superb season for Reed, whose potential in the sport appears limitless.
It is increasingly a matter of when, rather than if, Reed carries a number lower than 3NZ. He came agonisingly close at this year’s national title, engaging in an enthralling battle with Congreve through the early stages before falling on the final lap. Reed recovered to wheel his bike across the line and secure 3NZ.
Reed also went undefeated at the Burt Munro Speedway Spectacular at Oreti Park, won the Brian Reed Memorial in tribute to his grandfather and finished third in the Mainland Championship.
Sidecar Competitors of the Year
Winners:
Aaron Rose & Nigel Sturgeon
The 34V Sidecar pairing of Aaron Rose and Nigel Sturgeon produced an outstanding 2025/26 campaign, claiming the New Zealand Championship and finishing runner-up in both the North Island and South Island championships.
Rose and Sturgeon also won the Hawke’s Bay Championship, finished runner-up in the East Coast Championship at Meeanee and placed third in the Ray Tarrant Memorial Trophy at Palmerston North. Their speed was evident throughout the campaign, with heat victories recorded at Kihikihi, Palmerston North, Meeanee and Rosebank.
Their season was brought to a premature end by a crash during the Sidecar Super Cup at Moore Park on February 27, with injuries preventing the newly crowned 1NZ pairing from completing an otherwise exceptional campaign.
Finalists:
Taylor Green & Callum Innes
The 73C Sidecar team of Taylor Green and Callum Innes enjoyed an outstanding domestic campaign, headlined by victory in the Speedway New Zealand South Island Sidecar Championship at Moore Park and a runner-up finish in the New Zealand Grand Prix at Rosebank.
Green and Innes also claimed the Canterbury Championship and won the two-round Sidecar Super Cup, contested at Moore Park and Oreti Park, while finishing fourth at the Burt Munro Challenge.
The pair also enjoyed a busy first season racing in Australia, gaining valuable experience across several major events.
Rob Miller & Jaxon Hannan
The 8P Sidecar team of Rob Miller and Jaxon Hannan enjoyed a superb 2025/26 campaign, winning both the Speedway New Zealand North Island Championship at Meeanee and the New Zealand Grand Prix at Rosebank.
Miller and Hannan were also the top qualifiers at the New Zealand Championship before a crash in the B Final ended their title bid. Further success included victories in the Manawatu, Auckland and West Coast championships, along with feature wins at Palmerston North and Kihikihi.
Their outstanding season was recognised at Robertson Prestige International Speedway’s prizegiving, where they were named both Sidecar Competitors of the Year and Overall Competitors of the Year.
The pair also represented New Zealand at the FIM Oceania Sidecar Championship in Adelaide, although mechanical issues limited their result.
Regional Adult Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Brent Hackett
Production Saloon driver Brent Hackett produced a remarkable 2025/26 campaign in the 434V machine, collecting championship victories across the country.
Hackett won the Bay of Plenty, West Coast, Wellington and Rotorua Easter championships, while also finishing runner-up in the Canterbury Championship at Woodford Glen. He tied on points with teammate Ray Jaggard but missed out on the title through the fastest-lap tiebreaker.
His season-long statistics were extraordinary. Across 39 races, Hackett recorded 26 victories and six runner-up finishes, failing to reach the podium on only three occasions. He never finished lower than fifth.
Hackett won exactly two-thirds of the races he contested and finished on the podium in more than nine out of every 10 starts. His 26 victories also exceeded every other finishing result combined, with only 13 non-winning finishes across the entire campaign.
His contribution extended beyond the driver’s seat, with Speedway New Zealand also recognising Hackett earlier in the season for his outstanding contribution to speedway officiating.
Finalists:
Brett Booth
Christchurch’s Brett Booth was one of the standout performers in the Lightning Sprint ranks throughout 2025/26, winning Ruapuna’s Clay Cup and finishing runner-up in the King of the South Series.
Booth’s season was defined by remarkable consistency. He finished all 38 races he started, including appearances at Ellesmere, and was statistically more likely to win than finish in any other position.
Across the campaign, Booth recorded 14 victories from 38 starts, a strike rate of 36.8 per cent, while adding 13 runner-up finishes. He missed the podium only five times and finished outside the top four on just two occasions, both coming at the same April 11 meeting.
Boyd Westbury
Boyd Westbury produced an impressive 2025/26 season in the Six Shooters, with his campaign highlighted by victory in the Predator Series.
The Rotorua-contracted 71R driver demonstrated excellent speed and consistency across the series before finishing strongly at Baypark, winning both of the final two races to secure the title by 12 points.
Westbury was regularly among the leading contenders throughout the season, taking wins at Waikaraka Park, Rotorua and Baypark. His sustained run of front-running performances established him as one of the grade’s standout drivers and made the Predator Series crown a fitting reward for another highly competitive campaign.
Regional Youth Ministock Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Locky Martin
An exceptionally busy and consistent season for 14-year-old 48N Ministock driver Locky Martin, who started 71 races at Speedway New Zealand tracks and failed to finish on only three occasions.
In one of the country’s most competitive youth grades, Martin recorded 15 victories, 18 runner-up finishes and 12 thirds. He reached the podium in 45 of his 68 completed races on SNZ tracks, giving him a top-three strike rate of 66.2 per cent, while finishing inside the top five in nearly four out of every five starts.
Martin claimed Nelson’s Club Championship, sealing the title with a superb charge from 17th to third in the finale, and also won Blenheim’s Remembrance Championship. He was a key member of the New Zealand Youth Ministock Team, with a successful trip to the North Island including victory for the Kiwi side in the opening event at Waharoa.
Martin also impressed at Huntly’s Future of Speedway meeting, finishing fourth in his group and missing third by only a single point. He then won the Interclub Challenge to conclude the meet.
At Ministock Mania on his home track, Martin collected three podium finishes from six starts to remain firmly among the leading contenders. Such was the closeness of the field that he ultimately finished 10th overall, despite ending the event only 11 points behind the winner.
Finalists:
Kaiden Beale
The Meeanee-registered 211B Ministock of Kaiden Beale showed considerable growth throughout the 2025/26 season, overcoming a relatively slow start to emerge as one of the grade’s leading young competitors by the end of the campaign.
Beale opened the season with flashes of speed, including third and fourth-place finishes at the Oceanview 5000 and seventh overall in the Hawke’s Bay Ministock Championship. His results steadily improved from there, with three top-three finishes while supporting the New Zealand Super Saloon Championship at Meeanee before winning the senior section of the Rising Stars Ministock Challenge on the second night.
He continued to build momentum with fourth in his group at Huntly’s Repco Future of Speedway and fifth in the inter-club challenge, before producing some of his strongest performances late in the season. Beale topped the points at Meeanee’s Peter Barry Memorial opening night with a win and two third-place finishes, added a win and a runner-up result at Oceanview, and finished 11th on points at the Palmerston North finale despite missing a race, claiming a heat victory along the way.
A heat win helped Beale secure third overall in the East Coast Ministock Championship, before two further podium finishes at Gisborne completed a season in which his development, growing consistency and increasing confidence were evident with every appearance.
Jesse McPhee
Jesse McPhee was one of the most consistent frontrunners in the Ministock ranks throughout 2025/26, combining an excellent winning strike rate with strong performances at several of the grade’s biggest meetings.
Across 64 starts, McPhee recorded 18 victories, 10 runner-up finishes and nine thirds. He reached the podium in 37 races and, excluding DNFs, finished inside the top three in 63.8 per cent of his completed starts. He also recorded a top-five finish in 49 races, with victory comfortably his most common result.
McPhee topped the points at the Tama Arapere Modified Memorial meeting and on both nights racing in support of the New Zealand Modified Championship. He also finished third in the New Plymouth Classic and runner-up in Wellington’s Capital Cup.
At Nelson’s prestigious Ministock Mania, McPhee claimed two heat victories and finished sixth overall, ending the event only seven points behind the winner. He also came agonisingly close to victory in Stratford’s Youth Spectacular, finishing runner-up after losing the deciding run-off.
McPhee was equally impressive at the prestigious Oceanview 5000, leading the final series before being caught in an incident during the finale. He played a key role in helping Wellington claim the accompanying interclub challenge with fourth in that outing to conclude the meet.
Regional Youth Bike Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Jack Chapman
Oreti Park’s Jack Chapman enjoyed an outstanding campaign in the 200cc class, collecting a host of major titles across the South Island throughout 2025/26.
Chapman claimed victory at the prestigious Burt Munro Challenge, while also taking out the Mainland Mechanical Championship and Vertical Build Southland Championship. He added a runner-up finish in the Youth Gold Cup and made his regular trips to Christchurch count by winning the Mooreti Cup.
His consistency across the season saw him finish first in the overall Oreti Park points standings and equal first for grid-start points.
Chapman’s impressive performances and continued development were recognised at Oreti Park’s end-of-season prizegiving, where he was named the club’s Most Promising rider for 2025/26.
Finalists:
Hudson Crowe
Christchurch-based youngster Hudson Crowe was a consistent frontrunner in the 125cc Junior Solo ranks throughout 2025/26, regularly featuring near the front of competitive fields at Moore Park and further afield.
A trip south for the prestigious Burt Munro Challenge produced one of the highlights of Crowe’s campaign, with the 51C rider finishing third in the 125cc final at Oreti Park.
Crowe also collected several runner-up finishes at his home Moore Park circuit, including second-place results at the season-ending Dirt Quake, the Ronnie Moore Memorial and during the South Island Sidecar Championship programme.
His speed, consistency and conduct were recognised at Moore Park’s end-of-season prizegiving, where he was named the club’s 125cc Sportsperson of the Year and also received the Gillard Award.
Karter McKay
Just six years old, Peewee Solo rider Karter McKay enjoyed another remarkable campaign to become the youngest finalist across this year’s Speedway New Zealand Awards.
Across eight major meetings, McKay recorded six victories and two runner-up finishes, travelling more than 8,400 kilometres with his family to compete against New Zealand’s leading young riders. He achieved those results despite regularly racing older competitors aboard motorcycles of up to 75cc.
McKay finished runner-up in the Youth Gold Cup in Christchurch, recovering from a technical exclusion in his second heat to win each of his remaining three races. The result made him the only North Island rider to finish on the podium and followed his history-making victory in the event one season earlier, when he became New Zealand’s youngest Speedway champion at just five years old.
The third-generation rider has been beaten only once since making his debut in January 2025, with that defeat coming against a competitor four years his senior. His determination, sportsmanship and respect throughout the season also saw him recognised as an outstanding young ambassador for the Auckland Speedway Riders Club.
Regional Youth Saloon Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Max Kemp
Max Kemp enjoyed an impressive 2025/26 campaign in the Youth Saloon ranks, establishing himself as one of the leading young competitors in the South Island.
The highlight of the 36D driver’s season came on January 17, when he claimed the Youth Saloon Otago Championship at his home Beachlands Speedway.
Kemp had begun the campaign in outstanding form, taking overall honours on both opening night and fireworks night at Beachlands. He also performed strongly when the grade raced in support of the South Island Stockcar Championship at the Dunedin venue.
Success away from home included a third-place finish in the Riverside Christmas Championship points, adding further weight to an impressive and consistent season.
Finalists:
Lachie Robertson
Lachie Robertson was one of the leading performers in the South Island Youth Saloon ranks throughout 2025/26, producing an impressive campaign filled with championship success, race victories and consistent results.
The crowning moment of the 97I driver’s season came at his home Riverside Speedway, where he delivered under pressure to claim the Southland Youth Saloon Championship.
Robertson was also runner-up in Riverside’s Youth Saloon Christmas Trophy and continued to impress away from home, winning two races when the grade competed in support of the South Island Stockcar Championship at Beachlands Speedway.
Jasmine Todd
Jasmine Todd produced an impressive and consistent campaign in the Youth Saloon ranks throughout 2025/26, regularly putting the 21D machine among the leading contenders at Beachlands and across the lower South Island.
One of the highlights of Todd’s season came at the Youth Saloon Otago Championship on January 17, where she secured a runner-up finish at her home Beachlands Speedway.
Todd also tasted championship success at Riverside Speedway, combining strong results across the three races to share victory in the Youth Saloon Best Pairs. Her individual performances included second and third-place finishes as she helped secure the overall title.
Regional Youth Open Wheel Competitor of the Year
Winner:
Bailey Bensemann
Bailey Bensemann capped his Quarter Midget career with a highly consistent 2025/26 campaign, headlined by runner-up honours in the Mike Greer Homes Quarter Midget Series.
Across 44 starts in the season, Bensemann recorded 10 wins, 12 seconds and eight thirds, finishing on the podium in 73.2 per cent of completed races and outside the top five only twice.
He also finished third in Nelson’s Club Championship and qualified top for the West Coast Championship at Greenstone Park, but was unable to start the feature. Outside Speedway New Zealand competition, he placed third in the South Island CTRA Championship.
Bensemann closed the season with five wins from his final seven starts, including an Easter clean sweep at Nelson, before stepping up to the TQ Midget grade next season.
Finalists:
Jackson Clark
Jackson Clark completed his final Quarter Midget season in impressive fashion, headlined by victory in the Canterbury Championship.
Across 16 meetings at six tracks, the 54C driver recorded eight heat wins and four feature victories, with an average feature finish of 2.3. Aside from two DNFs, Clark never finished outside the top five in a feature race despite regularly competing in large fields.
He also won the South Island CTRA Championship.
Clark was last season’s Regional Youth Open Wheel Competitor of the Year.
Isabella Hendry
Remember the name Isabella Hendry, whose remarkable development throughout 2025/26 culminated in runner-up honours in the Mike Greer Homes Nelson Quarter Midget Series.
Hendry began the campaign battling for results in the middle of large fields, but transformed into a regular frontrunner as the season progressed. After claiming her maiden victory, she went on to win seven races and record seven runner-up finishes across 46 starts.
The numbers underline her extraordinary growth. Hendry averaged seventh across the opening half of the season, before improving to an average finish of 2.7 in the second half, recording six wins and 13 podiums from her final 21 completed races.
Few competitors improved more dramatically during 2025/26, with Hendry ending the season firmly established as one of Nelson’s leading Quarter Midget talents.
SPEEDWAY NEW ZEALAND OVERALL COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
Winner: Chris Cowling
After securing his fourth Super Saloon Competitor of the Year award, Chris Cowling was also crowned Speedway New Zealand’s Overall Competitor of the Year for 2025/26.
Cowling came within half a second of completing another Super Saloon Grand Slam, winning his third New Zealand Championship, the North Island Championship and the New Zealand Grand Prix, while finishing runner-up in the South Island Championship.
His dominance extended well beyond the four major titles. Cowling also won the Hawke’s Bay, South Pacific, Canterbury and Auckland championships, along with Woodford Glen’s Black Baldy 30.
Across 56 starts, the Baypark driver recorded 24 victories and 41 podium finishes, while ending outside the top five on only five occasions.
The award is Cowling’s second Overall Competitor of the Year honour, having previously claimed the title in 2023, and further underlines his standing as one of the leading competitors in New Zealand speedway.