Local driver wins New Zealand Stockcar Championship

Jarrod MacBeth

Photo by: Michael Espiner

Taranaki Stockcar driver Josh Walsh got one of the best late Christmas presents a racer could wish for when he won the New Zealand Stockcar Championship at Auckland’s Waikaraka Park Speedway on December 28th and 29th.

Of the opinion that you need to put in the effort to earn the rewards Josh spent hour upon hour of preparation work on his Demon Race Cars Chassied, Ford Falcon powered Stockcar before he headed to Auckland.

Although the championship was daunting with the high number of competitors entered (over one hundred) and Josh putting himself under a lot of pressure to do well, he seemed unfazed on the track and raced like a seasoned champion, qualifying top in his group.

Happy to qualify without any damage, Josh and his team gave the car a check over and fitted four new tyres for the finals racing on night two and went racing with a relaxed ‘whatever happens, happens’ mindset.

It obviously worked as he was second on the points table after the initial two races and heading into the final race with a very good chance, his only issue up to that point being a spin in race two.

Josh was very nervous heading on to the track for the final race as he knew he would be a likely target for the other competitors but with the help of his club mates Bryce Jensen and William Hughes he was able to complete the race without any real issues to win the championship.

Josh says it is a surreal feeling to win the New Zealand Championship.  “Everything just happened so fast after the last race, it really didn’t sink in until the next day!

One minute you are winning the race, then the title, next you are dealing with SNZ, then on a ute doing a parade in the clubrooms for the presentation and then home.  It is just crazy how fast the time goes, but now I can say it feels good and it is very exciting.”

Josh is thankful to his clubmates for their support on the track, his partner Hailey for her support and his crew Tony, Nick and Abby as he couldn’t have done it without them.  He also appreciates the support of his sponsors -  Shawn Fowlie Builder, Sharpe Engineering Solutions, Dallison’s of Waverley, TWB Contracting, GJS Plumbing and Drainage and CSL Race Engines.

Having being told to enjoy the title of New Zealand Champion, that is exactly what Josh plans to do.  He aims to travel as much as he can and by the time the New Zealand Champs are held in Stratford next season, he would have raced at every home national title in his racing career with a NZ number, which Josh thinks is pretty darn cool.  He says, “it is great to be able to bring this title back to my home track”.

Racing back underway on Boxing Day.

Finally, after numerous rainouts the weather was good and a race meeting was able to be held.

After taking a season off racing to focus on his business and only making a very recent return to the track this season, a re-invigorated Logan Sharpe won the Repco Taranaki Superstock Champs at his own sponsored meeting, the Sharpe Engnieering Solutions Race Meeting on Boxing night at the MG Taranaki Stratford Speedway.

Sharpe beat home twenty-two competitors from Stratford, Gisborne, Tauranga and Kihikihi to win the first heat for the class from a pole position start.  He went on to make up several positions in heat two to come home fourth from grid twelve before completing a solid driver and finishing sixth in heat three from grid twenty-two to win the championship by a one-point margin from Hamish Booker who had recorded a seventh, third and second over the three heats.  Bevan Phillips claimed the last step on the podium in third place.

After struggling with minimal numbers locally and every scheduled meeting for the class being rained out, Midgets at last managed to get a run on the track prior to the Signright New Zealand Championship that will be held locally on January 27th and 28th.  The eight drivers on hand raced for the Signright Taranaki Champs and racing was close enough that at the end of three heats local driver Greg Jones and Palmerston North racer Chris Bagrie were tied on points for the top step of the podium.  Bagrie beat Jones in a four-lap run off to win the event whilst another Palmerston North driver, Shane Dewar came home in third just one point behind the leading pair.

Cameron Hurley dominated the racing in the Minisprint class to win the Zodiac Signs Taranaki Champs, reclaiming the title that he last won in the 2019/2020 race season.  His race win, fifth and third places over the three heats were enough to give him a clear victory by five points form Palmerston North driver Glen McCutcheon.  Defending champion Karl Uhlenberg was third.

Changes made to his car since the last meeting saw Thomas Korff running at the front of the field in the Saloon class, winning two races and finishing second in the other to easily win the Heritage Shield from his father Craig Korff and Jarrod MacBeth who was third.

Like the Midgets, Adult Ministocks made their first on track appearance of the season, racing for their City of New Plymouth Classic trophy.  Gary Adamson won all three races to win the event while Loyd Clarke was second and Brayden Shaw third.

Support classes at the meeting were Youth Ministocks and Modifieds.  Youth races were won by Regan Ogle, Corban Swan (2) and Ethan Erkes.  Modified races were won by Carl Hinton, Blair Luscombe and Newton Gordge.

The next race meeting at MG Taranaki Stratford Speedway is the Sentry Hill Motel North Island Stockcar Championship on January 13th and 14th which will see 120 competitors battle on the track over two nights to find a new champion.