EASTLAND GROUP RACEWAY : OPENING MEETING 2009/2010 SEASON.

Richard Jones

A very good crowd turned out in cold, cloudy conditions for the opening meeting of the Gisborne Speedway Club’s 09/2010 season. No doubt the Eastland Asphalts Ltd $10,000 fireworks spectacular had attracted the large number of families who had made their way out to the big banked track but the high calibre of racing put on by the very good sized fields so early in the season was just as entertaining providing plenty of thrills and spills.

Ministock driver Ben McArthur (71g) had the honour of the first race win of the season taking out the first race of the night from Jarrod Allen (19g) and Daniel Corrin (24g). Corrin then went on to win both remaining races to stamp his mark on this class early in the season. Ethan Cook (76g) and Allen filled the minor placings in race 2 with Allen and McArthur following Corrin home in race three. William McClune (61g) , Logan Taylor Kevin Martin (92b) also drove well in a very competitive class in which new comer Jacob Baynes (82g) also drove well in the final two races. A mechanical failure on the start line in race 1 brought an end to his first competitive race ever before it even began but he came back strongly in the next two races. A good field of 20 cars were on hand for the opening night with visitors from Hawkes Bay and Rotorua joining the locals in three good clean races.

With the local Gladiators Stockcar team away in Auckland a field of 15 Stockcars were on hand do battle and they produced three action packed races. Former TQ Midget driver Lance Sutherland (79g) took out the opening race of the night for this class in his immaculate car in which he debuted during last season. Hawkes Bay driver’s Tony Palmer (74b) and Mike McLachlan (84b) filled the next two places with Jason Harding (86g) and Toby Pickering (27g) next home after a great battle. Palmer driving the x Graeme Keating car which he purchased in the off season showed his class winning the next two races, Sutherland and Harding following him home in the second race while young Jemma Palmer (14b) followed her father home in the final race just ahead of Sutherland. Jemma stepped out of the Ministock class and races the car that Tony had raced for the past few seasons and looks right at home in the senior ranks. Kent Harper (10g), Shane Malcolm (77g), Jamie Harding (71g) and Alan Stairs (51g) all contributed to some very entertaining races. Pickering was the first Stockcar to be rolled when in the feature race of the night McLachlan picked him up on the back straight and took him up the wall. He pushed him all the way around the Awapuni Road corner up on the wall in a shower of sparks and then released Pickering’s car which gently rolled onto its side. Expect Pickering to be looking for revenge at our next meeting which will be the Hawkes Bay invasion meeting when the field will be boosted by the Gladiator team members.

The 15 strong Production Saloon class once again look like they will produce another season of fast, close racing with three different drivers taking the chequered flag on opening night. Wayne Hall (99g) took the opening race from Lloyd Stuart (43g) and Daniel Cook (77g) with Jed Miller (85g) in his new Mitsubishi GTO taking out the second race of the night from Cook and Allen Will (17g). Cook completed a great opening night by winning the feature race from Tony Land (72g) and Mike Hall (88g). With Shaun Kingi (8g), Chrystal Gooch (10g) and Matt LeCompte (13g) also driving well this class is sure to keep the race fans entertained over the coming months.

A field of 10 Streetstocks were on hand for opening night with Ben Donaldson (4g) back behind the wheel of the Commodore after a season off and he had an up and down start to the season. Ben won the opening race but then found his car had blown a head gasket which ruled him out for the rest of the night. Frank Hartley (71g) in his new Toyota Soarer machine was ecstatic with the choice of his new car. After only ever raced HQ Holden’s, he built the new car in the off season and it is proving to be a real winner already. After following Donaldson home in the opening race he blitzed the field in the next two races with two great drives recording the fastest lap of the night in this class along the way. Brendon Gooch (3nz) with two thirds and a second was the best of the rest while visiting driver David Hampton (88b) and Travis Gooch (7g) also got amongst the placings.  Ken Hazelton (14g), Dave Miller (44g), Sam Callaghan (19g) and Anton McKay (99g) all played there part in a good opening nights racing.

Sidecar pair Deane and Rob Miller (9g) looked on track to make a clean sweep of their races but after winning their opening two races they had the misfortune to puncture while leading the feature race of the night after holding a great lead. They look to be the pair to beat this season but with the current 1NZ pair of Les Plummer/ Kervin Demanser in the field along with Ryan Bailey/ Albert Cookson (69g) looking impressive on opening night they will not have it all their own way. Bailey/ Cookson had a very good night with 2 wins and a second while the 1nz pair made the most of the Miller’s misfortune taking out the Feature. Hawkes bay pair Peter Steigenburger/ Dave Black (22b) also picked up a win while Clive Ireland / Brendon Webber (56g), Andy and Glyn Church (75g) and Stu Priest/ Mike Bond (59g) pairs all contributed to some great racing from this class.

9 Saloons faced the starter for the opening night with Napier Super Saloon driver Graham Strong (46b) giving the Saloon cars a lap head start. Club mate Troy Devery (23b) won the opening race for this class from Ralph Scott (86g) in his first competitive outing in this class and Steven Martin (29b). Strong and Tim Klay (52g) both punctured during the race while David Moorcroft (8g) and Paul Habib (7g) had a great dual along with Napier drivers Mark Hayman (18b) and George Hildred (14b). Habib looked like he had done enough to win his first race in the Saloons but after holding out the field for 9 ½ laps he made the mistake of just over driving on the final corner to spin out of contention handing the win to Devery with Strong having made his way through the field for second. Martin once again foiled third place.  Without doubt the drive of the night belonged to Strong in the feature race; he made up his lap and then picked his way through the field in a superb drive. He picked off the last car on the final lap with the big crowd urging him on, his final pass bringing the appreciative crowd to their feet, a great effort by the Bay driver in his immaculate Holden Monaro. Strong later said that sort of effort was only made possible by the superb track the Gisborne Club produced which had plenty of drive and enabled him to put the car just where he wanted.  Martin completed a good night coming in behind Strong while local Moorcroft come in 3rd after another very good drive.

The huge fireworks display took place after the second round of races and was without doubt one of the best we have seen. After a false start the crowd were treated to over ten minutes of spectacular pyrotechnics set to the music of Michael Jackson and ACDC. As one long time supporter told me later, the club had once again outdone itself in providing a safe, spectacular night of entertainment second to none.

At the end of the fireworks I for one thought the crowd would have taken the opportunity to head home out of the cold but they stayed on and were treated to another round of thrills and spills.

A very brave call by the Speedway committee who all deserve a big pat on the back for going ahead with the meeting with the treat of rain hanging around the town all day and to the public who braved the cold to come out, I am sure you all went home thoroughly entertained.

Richard Jones.