Speedway: Uhlenberg nabs second national title

Jarrod MacBeth

Photo: Karl Uhlenberg won the Central Quarries & Crushing New Zealand Minisprint Grand Prix at Stratford Speedway on Saturday night. Photo by Cookies Motorsport Photography.

Stratford Minisprint competitor Karl Uhlenberg dominated the field to win the Central Quarries & Crushing New Zealand Minisprint Grand Prix at Stratford Speedway on Saturday night, his second title win in five weeks after he also won the New Zealand Championship in Palmerston North on January 25th.

After breezing through the qualifying races with a first place form grid four and third place from grid eleven and scoring the highest points of all the twenty two competitors, Uhlenberg started the twenty five lap final from grid one, grabbed the lead at the race start and stayed there until completion, carving his way through the back markers and unable to be challenged for the top spot on the podium.

The racing for the Minisprint class resulted in a great outcome for the local drivers with Cody Ogle taking second place and Regan Ogle third. Cody Ogle was lucky to survive a half spin of his own doing early in the race without losing too much ground and was able to reign in Cameron Hurley who had made a pass for third place during Ogle’s mishap and then went one better on a late race restart to pass his brother Regan. Stratford competitors filled the first five spots in the championship with Hurley fourth behind Ogle and Duane Hickman fifth.

Liam Whelan, who was racing for the first time since an injury last season brought more success for Taranaki competitors when he won the Under 23 Stockcar Champs by a one point margin over Palmerston North driver Josh Mulcahy. Current New Zealand Stockcar Champion Caleb Ireland from Hawkes Bay was third. Thirty eight cars raced in the event with drivers travelling from as far North as Auckland and as far South as Dunedin, with most tracks in between represented.

The Saloon class raced for their Mountain Motors Taranaki Champs and after wining the first two races, Bradley Korff looked to be the man to beat and eventually was but things did look a little dire for him in race three when he got a little greedy and rather than settling for second place in the race behind Craig Korff and guaranteeing the win overall, he attempted an outside pass, clipped the wall and dropped back to fourth. He still managed to win the event by the smallest of margins - one point. Craig Korff was second and Palmerston North driver Jonathan Mason third.

Streetstocks raced for their Holdin Heaven Taranaki Champs also with nine local competitors joined by Corry Terito from Auckland and Jason Dunn who races out of Whanganui. Dylan Smith was the clear winner after finishing second in race one and then winning the next two. Things were a little closer behind him with Jared Pryce and Dunn being tied on points for second and third. A four lap run off was utilized to determine the finishing order with Pryce unable to stop Dunn who took second place, Pryce third.

The next event at Five Star Liquor Stratford Speedway is this coming Saturday, March 8th and will feature Demolition Derby Teams Racing, The Youth Ministock Spectacular and King of the Mountain Stockcar Champs.