Speedway: Two Taranaki titles decided at speedway

Jarrod MacBeth

Photo: William Hughes (#99) and Blair Uhlenberg were tied on points for the John Adamson Superstock Memorial.  Uhlenberg beat Hughes in a run off to take first place. Photo by Cookies Photography

Two Taranaki Championships were raced for at the Graham Harris Property Development Contractors sponsored event at Five Star Liquor Stratford Speedway on Saturday night with fifteen Super Saloons on hand to contest their championship while the Youth Ministocks boasted a field of over thirty competitors to find their new Taranaki Champion.

The Super Saloons raced two heats to set their grids for the twenty lap winner take all final and after less than ideal qualifying races that saw him finish in position six in heat one and position seven in heat two after spinning to the infield, current New Zealand ranked number two driver Chris Cowling from Tauranga proved why he is one of the masters of the class when he won the final after starting from grid six.  Mitch Vickery looked to have the championship all sewn up after setting the pace at the front of the field for a number of laps and fending off challenges for the front spot by event sponsor Joe Ingram.  Cowling placed his car on the outside line though and meticulously worked his way around the field and to the front before setting off into the dust as the race leader and eventual winner leaving Vickery and Ingram to fight it out for second and third with Vickery eventually getting the better of Ingram for second place.

The large number of Youth Ministocks saw them run the three/four format with the class running four races and each driver competing in three.  After close racing all night, Wellington driver Jesse McPhee managed to snare the trophy for the Taranaki Champs by a one point margin from local racer Hutch Cleaver while Palmerston North contracted driver Boston Joblin was third.

Superstocks raced for their Adamson Memorials and with prize money on offer for both the points winner (John Adamson Memorial) and the best stirrer (Gary Adamson Memorial) there was plenty of on track action.  After three races Blair Uhlenberg and William Hughes were tied on points, a four lap run off being utilised to determine the winner with Uhlenberg storming away to win from Hughes.  Brad Uhlenberg earned the stirrers prize for his on track antics that saw him targeting three or four cars in the field all night long.

Streetstocks contested the Olsen Memorial with Jared Pryce being the eventual winner after beating Whanganui contracted driver Jason Dunn in a run off when the pair were tied on points.  New driver to the class this season, Chris Devereux was third.  Ron Washer provided the entertainment in this division.  After finishing mid pack in the first race and placing second in race two, Washer destroyed any chances he had of making the podium when he hit the wall by himself in turn one and spectacularly barrel rolled.

Newton Gordge dominated the racing in the Modified class and won the Rusty Kay Memorial by a two point margin from Carl Hinton while Wellington driver Jacon Free was third but it was Aaron Barkla who impressed with the way he has come to grips with his car.  After two good races he smashed the throttle to the floor in the last race and led for a large portion, unlucky not to win the race and make the podium.

The Next event at Stratford Speedway is on Saturday March 29th and will feature the West Coast Streetstock Teams Champs and the Warren Lowry Stockcar Memorial.