Speedway: Cook moves up a spot to take NZ title

Jarrod MacBeth

Photo by: Loaded Glass Photography

Gisborne Saloon driver Ethan Cook has moved one notch up the podium steps when he won the event over the weekend.

Cook, who was the number two ranked driver in New Zealand heading into the Mufflers NZ, New Zealand Saloon Championship at Five Star Liquor Stratford Speedway, started his championship bid well, topping his qualifying group on Friday against some tough competition that included Trent Amrein and Ryan Hancock.

He was the fastest competitor of all the thirty four entrants around the Stratford oval and broke the lap record that was previously held by Bradley Korff.

The finals were held over three twenty lap heats on Saturday evening and Cook made the most of his grid three start in the first heat to take the chequered and win the race before coming home fifth in heat two from grid 13th and then producing a stellar driver in heat three to finish second form a near rear of the field grid sixteen.

He won the championship with a points haul of fifty five out of a possible sixty, three points clear of his nearest rivals - former New Zealand Champion Jarred Fletcher and local driver Bradley Korff who both finished the event with fifty two points apiece and settled the podium order with a four lap run off which Fletcher won to take second spot after Korff suffered a flat tyre at the start.

Cook now has his name etched on the trophy twice as he previously won the event when it was held at Hawkes Bay in the 2018/2019 season while Fletcher is also no stranger to the New Zealand Championship podium, having previously won in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.

It is Bradley Korff’s first trip to the New Zealand podium though. Korff has been in good form this season having won the North Island Championship in Palmerston North earlier in the season along with a host of local championships, setting himself as a front runner in the class.

The Field Torque Taranaki and Little Steps Stratford King of the Mountain Saloon Champs, which was the second tier event for non-qualifiers was won by Hawkes Bay driver Grahame Strong ahead of Palmerston North’s Jonathan Mason and Kihikihi’s Reece Clements who beat local master racer Craig Korff in a run off.

Support class events over the two nights of racing included Stockcar Memorials, Adult Ministock Best Pairs and a Superstock feature race with Codey Wilton winning the Michael Walker Stockcar Memorial ahead of Lukah Phillips and Ryan Nolly on Friday night.

The Allan Hancock Memorial on Saturday was won by Brad Podjursky from Haydin Barker and Nolly who was again third.

The Adult Ministock Best Pairs were won by Kurt Gardner and Luke Harris. Coltyn Bagrie and Jono Mouldey were second and the pairing of Stephen Mann and Jade Symes third.

The Fletcher Easy Steel Superstock Feature was won by Hamish Booker with Brad Podjursky claiming the $500 prize money for the joker finishing position of fifth place.