A class becoming ever popular since its full-time return, the Lucas Oils North Island Saloons brought 28 top drivers to the Arena including defending champion, former champions and plenty of former New Zealand Champions in what was a class field to hit the Arena. Thanks to new regulations we even welcomed three South Island entrants to a star-studded Northern contingent.
Split into two groups with two 'reverse grid' qualifying heats each to find the top 20 overall on points for the North Island title feature.
Group one, heat one started with a hiss and a roar as 2nzg Ethan Cook rocketed off to a 3 second lead, while 74w Corey Small held second for some time until 16s Thomas Korff and 98k Ryan Hancock hunted him down for late race passes. Heat two was all the kina man 492c Campbell McManaway and local gun 242p Ashleigh King out front. Korff and Hancock once again managed to make their way to third and fourth
Group two, heat one it was all 86s Bradley Korff from the start, however defending champion 4k Jarred Fletcher overcame a rough beginning to haul through the field and pick up the win. 81p Jono Mason held firm to pick up third as well. Heat two it was once again all on between Korff and Fletcher right up until the last lap when Fletch made the win or bin move for the lead which resulted in bin, and with a tail of the field restart was unable to make further moves with 1 lap to run on the restart. Ultimately this gave Korff the win and top points overall.
Drama started before the green as defending champion 4k Jarred Fletcher retired to the infield after a 3-minute bell, finding engine issues before he could line up on grid seven. From the front row it was recently crowned Manawatu Champion 86s Bradley Korff electing the outside to set the pace and 16s Thomas Korff on pole.
Bradley Korff assumed control right from the first green, powering away to a solid lead and maintaining it each restart. Thomas Korff came under pressure at times having a few good runs with 2nzg Cook and 98k Hancock, but neither could match the pace and find a way through.
On the 24th lap, just as Bradley Korff was about to claim his maiden North Island Championship, another caution fell. The field regrouped for a green-white-chequered finish which always brings excitement, and excitement it brung! Bradley Korff shot away with Thomas Korff not far behind, but the big move came from the Queen of the Arena, 242p Ashleigh King. One of few to drop to the bottom as the track slickened off, she made three vital passes in the final two laps to claim a well-earned third placing.
So, at the end of a solid 25 lap feature, 86s Bradley Korff was crowned the new North Island Champion, an impressive effort to go along with his 2023/24 NZ Grand Prix title. After a couple of thirds in previous years, 16s Thomas Korff stepped up the podium to finish second. Backing up a second at the Grand Prix in 2023/24, Ashleigh King finished third, staking her claim as the top lady of the class.
It was a night for the slick track specialists in the Superstocks and 94p William Humphries and 971c Jayden Ward started race ojne where they finished their feature in Wellington last week, tussling out in front for the win. That went the way of Humphries, but Ward was right on his tail. 38v Zane Dykstra was home third in race one but it was full steam ahead victories in race two and the feature in his newly acquired Rees Race Car.
The Miers Motorsport team fronted with three cars to start their season. 88p Jack Miers had a shocking run from the get-go, firstly getting fired into turn one in race one then cutting a tyre in race two. 22gb Lewis Hunter had a DNF to start the night but settled in well for race two and three in what looks to be a good summer ahead for the carrot man from England.
It's hard to believe next time we see Superstocks around Robertson Prestige International Speedway it'll be for the ENZED Superstock Teams Champs over Waitangi Weekend!
For the Stockcars, 172p Daniel Burmeister was straight into victory mode from race one, first following 134p Rebecca Barr through the pack then passing his way to the lead at the pointy end of the race where it counted. Race two wasn't as kind to Burmeister, caught up in the first lap, slick track pileup which resulted in a nasty snapped diff and a tractor ride all the way onto the trailer.
It was however kind(ish) to 85g Brittany Carpenter - she managed to control the race from the start, making early moves and having a commanding lead only for her transponder not to work, hence the kindish because this meant she unfortunately didn't get to carry the chequered flag we have commonly seen the 85g carry in Palmy this season. Thankfully her pair for this coming weekend 134p Bex Barr finished first on ELS and did the honours for her.
There weren't too many positions changed in the feature race. 76p Cameron Renwick was unsurprisingly at the front and cruised from green to chequer, and the only real pass was Bex moving into second over 91p Wade McNabb to give her (on technicality) a trio of second places for the night.
The drizzle fell as race one got underway in the Adult Ministocks, which seemed to work to 33p Jono Mouldey's advantage. Starting down the back in 18th he made his way to the front by halfway and won at a canter. Race two was 66p Coltyn Bagrie's comfortably until the last lap when 17v Hayden Wilson arrived on the scene to snatch victory. It was Stratford’s turn for a race win in the feature with 81s Kurt Gardner having a composed drive from mid-pack to finish with a handy 3 second lead by the race end.
We crack on in three weeks’ time with yet another North Island Championship this time for the little things with wings, Minisprints. Also, the future of speedway are on show with 60 cars tussling for the Manawatu Youth Ministock Championship where we have seen some very competitive racing this season.
On the Mic Write-Ups with Stu
Full results - https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/3326255
