EASTLAND GROUP RACEWAY : Preview Meeting 2

Richard Jones

Gisborne Speedway Club : Meeting 2

This Saturday night the Eastland Group Raceway roars back into life with the Gisborne Warrant of Fitness, Registration & Drivers Licence Centre sponsored Hawkes Bay Invasion.
After a very good opening meeting drivers will once again be battling it out not only for club points but for bragging rights over their near neighbors from the Meanee track in Hawkes Bay. Drivers are expected here to help boost local numbers in a number of classes.

The Saloon class has shown it will be one to watch this season after a great showing on opening night. HB drivers had the wood over the locals with Troy Devery (23b) taking out the opening two races and Super saloon driver Graham Strong the feature race. A strong field is expected here again on Saturday with Devery joined by club mates Steven Martin (29b), Mark Hayman (18b) and George Hildred (14b). Local drivers David Moorcroft (8g) and Ralph Scott (86g) both traveled down to HB last weekend and performed very well with Scott having his first outing on a flat track since taking over the x Ken Dibben car. They along with Tim Klay (52g), Grant Brown (28g) and Brent Colbert (51g), the later two having their first outing for the season should provide some very good close racing. Colbert has converted his Production Saloon into a Super Saloon as it no longer complies with the production rules and will run along side Klay who has done the same with his car.

The Stockcar class produced plenty of fireworks of its own on opening night and expect plenty more of the same this weekend. With the local Gladiator team members back on deck after there trip to Auckland on our opening night, Sam Hughes(18g), Bruce Harding(8g), Nick Hutton(75g) and David bacon(66g) will be trying to make up for lost time in the points department but will need to work hard. Lance Sutherland (79g), Toby Pickering (27g), Jason Jones (81g), Kent Harper (10g) and Jason Harding (86g) all went well on opening night while new comer Alan Stairs (51g) and Mike Schwass (15g) will be looking to build on their opening nights efforts. Any visitors will have to work hard to take away the spoils.

A very good field of Sidecars is expected with the current NZ1 bike of Les Plummer / Kervin Demanser looking to dominate a very classy field. They will have the Deane Miller / Rob Miller (9g) pairing  looking to go one better then their opening night double , a flat tyre robbing them of a clean sweep. Ryan Bailey / Albert Cookson (69g) also proved on opening night they will be a pair to watch out for while Napier pair Dave Black / Pete Steigenberger always go well on this track and had a clean sweep on their home track last weekend. The Church brothers Andy and Glynn along with the Clive Ireland/ Brendon Webber pair will be looking to build on their opening night feats.

A full field of over 20 Ministocks is expected with opening night winners Daniel Corrin (24g) and Ben McArther (71g) looking to carry on their good form. Corrin picked up the feature race win in Hawkes Bay last week and will be the driver to beat. Willie McClune, Ethan Cook, Jarrod Allen and Andrew Patterson are experienced drivers in this class with Patterson returning to the dirt after helping dad Nigel to second place in their class at the recent Targa Rally.

Ben Donaldson (4g) picked up his first trophy of the season last weekend in HB winning the Pam Gibson Memorial in his Commodore Streetstock and he will be out to continue his good form after only completing one race on opening night, albeit a victory. He was supported down in the Bay by Brendon Gooch (3nz) who had a top 6 finish overall, Brendon will be looking to pick up his first home win of the season after having to play second fiddle to Donaldson and Frank Hartley who had two wins in his new car. Around a dozen cars are expected in this class and are sure to provide plenty of entertainment.

A big field of Production Saloons will once again provide close hard racing with opening night producing three different winners; expect plenty more door rubbing racing on Saturday as they battle it out for club points.

To complete the race programme a field of around 10 Kiwi Lites from Hawkes bay will do battle on the banked track. These cars styled on the 60s American Graffiti type Pick ups and Coupes turned on some great racing here last season and are really looking forward to having another chance to race on our track.

Gates open at 6pm with racing underway at 7pm.
Richard Jones.