Review of Robert Harris Café Streetstocks Best Pairs
January
09 2010
Don’t mess with “The Enforcer”.
Mike Schwass finally lived
up to his much-hyped nickname on Saturday at Eastland Group Raceway,
rolling the car of Shane Walker on the opening lap of the first
Stockcar race of the night. Stockcars threatened to steal the show
as the field - divided into three teams for the night - brought
back the biff. Sam Hughes showed that he’s got the speed to match
anyone by taking out the first two races. However he struck trouble
in the third as Toby Pickering took the win and led his “White”
team to overall victory.
7 pairs lined up for the Robert Harris Cafe Streetstocks Best
Pairs, the combinations drawn at random just prior to the meeting.
Brenden
Gooch and Ben Donaldson helped produce one of the best Streetstock
races of the season in the opening race, the lead swapping between
the two a number of times before Gooch finally took the chequered
flag.
Frank Hartley - behind the wheel of his Toyota - returned to his winning ways in the second, and it was his and partner Mike King’s(Rotorua) overall consistency that saw the pair go on to take out the Best Pairs event.
Some of the quickest in the North Island lined up for the Bunning
Warehouse Ministocks Challenge.
Wellington driver Graeme Peter
- having spent the past week holidaying in Gisborne - took out two
of the three races to comfortably claim the Challenge championship,
from trackmate Blake Ellett.
Daniel Corrin and Ben McArthur were
the best of the Gisborne-registered drivers.
In other racing, Deane Miller and Jason Walters steered clear of trouble this meeting to claim an impressive hat-trick of Sidecar wins.
All eyes were on Paul Habib and Lonnie Larby as the Solo bike class continued its mid-season revival, the two battling side-by-side all night.
Chris Miller jumped behind the wheel of son Jed's car and raced away with the second Production Saloon race.
And Saloon Car driver David Moorcroft improved his season points tally by scoring two wins.
After a busy racing start to 2010, Speedway takes a break this weekend, the next meeting on January 23 set to feature both the rescheduled Sidecar Champ of Champs, and the Saloon Champ of Champs.
Preview of Meeting 7, 9th Jan 2010
(Bevan Chapman)
Robert Harris Café Streetstocks Best Pairs
After a
third-placed finish at last seasons New Zealand Championship, Gisborne
Streetstock driver Brenden Gooch has got his sights firmly set on
moving another two steps up the podium at this years National title
being held in Wellington in a couple of weeks.
His preparation
for that event continues this Saturday night when he lines up alongside
around 20 other cars in the Robert Harris Café Streetstocks Best
Pairs at Eastland Group Raceway. Last seasons Best Pair Travis
Gooch and David Hampton (Hawkes Bay) will both be back, although
it’s likely not as a pair, the drivers not knowing who they will
be partnered by until a draw is made prior to the night’s opening
race.
Ben Donaldson has been one of the quickest around the Gisborne
track this season and is another who will be using the Best Pairs
as a build-up to the National champs, Frank Hartley and Cody Gooch
also likely to feature among the front runners this Saturday.
Hawkes
Bay Streetstock-racing family the Melling’s will be making a trip
through for the event with their 3 cars, as will Rotorua driver
Mike King who is always quick on the banked track.
Our up-and-coming stars of the speedway dirt will also have a chance to shine with the running of the Ministock Challenge. A number of local drivers could feature at the top of the points table come the end of the night’s racing, although Daniel Corrin, William McClune, Ben McArthur and Jarrod Allen will have to start as favourites. As with recent meetings visitors will again bolster the Ministock line-up, cars expected at this stage from Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Rotorua and possibly even Auckland.
Saturday's race programme will also feature Production Saloons, Saloons, Stockcars, Solos and Sidecars, whose Champ of Champs was to be held this weekend but has now been rescheduled for later in the month.
Bevan Chapman,
07/01/10
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