The hopes and dreams of winning the 40th ENZED Superstock Teams Champs have been dashed for 10 teams, with a tough qualifying night seeing Palmerston North, Wellington, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne progress to the semi-finals.
The Robertson Holden International Speedway was packed to the rafters on Friday February 7th. Once the pre-event autograph signings, grand parade and warmups were dispensed with, 14 teams races awaited the fans with accumulated points over two races determining the qualifiers.
Manawatu Mustangs v Waikato Wanderers
Finishing Order: 599p Ron Tye, 218h Aaron Alderton, 717h Tyson Wootton, 34p Rebecca Barr, 947p Chris Collingwood
Result: Mustangs 130, Wanderers 65
Gisborne Giants v Kihikihi Kings
Finishing Order: 26k Mitch Vickery, 127g Ethan Rees, 126k Asher Rees, 9g Jamie Hamilton, 471k Benji Sneddon
Result: Kings 135, Giants 60
Palmerston North Panthers v Great Britain Lions
Finishing Order: 88p Jack Miers, 515gb Frankie Wainman Jr, 58p Peter Bengston, 94p William Humphries, 581p Jordan Dare
Result: Panthers 155, Lions 40
Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes v Wanganui Warriors
Finishing Order: 1b Randal Tarrant, 41b Jason Long, 87b Thomas Stanaway, 6v Dion Mooney, 81v Max Holloway
Result: Hawkeyes 165, Warriors 30
Stratford Scrappers v Wellington Wildcats
Finishing Order: 7w Shane Davis, 28s Blair Uhlenberg, 46w Ethan Levien, 84s Haydin Barker, 82s Hamish Booker
Result: Wildcats 125, Scrappers 70
Baypark Busters v Canterbury Glen Eagles
Finishing Order: 991c Harley Robb, 87m David Elsworth, 971c Jayden Ward, 98m Mark Costello
Result: Glen Eagles 125, Busters 60
Auckland Allstars v Manawatu Mustangs
Finishing Order: 95a Gary Lonergan, 66a Hayden Hart, 28p Ricky Dykstra, 247a Hayden Chapman, 34p Rebecca Barr
Result: Allstars 160, Mustangs 35
Rotorua Rebels v Gisborne Giants
Finishing Order: 10g Peter Rees, 9g Jamie Hamilton, 127g Ethan Rees, 14r AJ Axtens, 10r Alan McRobbie
Result: Giants 165, Rebels 30
Waikato Wanderers v Palmerston North Panthers
Finishing Order: 94p William Humphries, 88p Jack Miers, 581p Jordan Dare, 58p Peter Bengston
Result: Panthers 185, Wanderers 0
Kihikihi Kings v Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes
Finishing Order: 41b Jason Long, 471k Benji Sneddon, 85k Jared Wade, 87b Thomas Stanaway, 1b Randal Tarrant
Result: Hawkeyes 130, Kings 65
Great Britain Lions v Stratford Scrappers
Finishing Order: 28s Blair Uhlenberg, 166gb Bobby Griffin, 33s Logan Sharpe, 515gb Frankie Wainman Jr, 84s Haydin Barker
Result: Scrappers 135, Lions 60
Wanganui Warriors v Baypark Busters
Finishing Order: 98m Mark Costello, 81v Max Holloway, 19m Kerry Remnant, 53v Shaun Smith, 38m Ross Ashby
Result: Busters 135, Warriors 60
Wellington Wildcats v Auckland Allstars
Finishing Order: 5w Keegan Levien, 15w Josh Prentice, 52w Paul Fairbrother, 33a Robbie Mabey, 46w Ethan Levien
Result: Wildcats 175, Allstars 20
Canterbury Glen Eagles v Rotorua Rebels
Finishing Order: 14r AJ Axtens, 64r Jeremy Sinclair, 19c Malcolm Ngatai, 971c Jayden Ward, 10r Alan McRobbie
Result: Rebels 150, Glen Eagles 45
Total Points
1 Palmerston North Panthers 340
2 Wellington Wildcats 300
3 Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes 295
4 Gisborne Giants 225
5 Stratford Scrappers 205
6 Kihikihi Kings 200
7 Baypark Busters 195
8 Auckland Allstars 180
9 Rotorua Rebels 180
10 Canterbury Glen Eagles 170
11 Manawatu Mustangs 165
12 Great Britain Lions 100
13 Wanganui Warriors 90
14 Waikato Wanderers 65
A tally of the points revealed that Palmerston North top scored with a huge 340 points and will race fourth placed Gisborne in the Tier 1 semi-finals. The impressive Hawkes Bay and Wellington sides will also face off for a shot at the title.
Tier 2 will see Stratford face Auckland and Kihikihi up against Baypark for a chance at finishing third overall.
Add in the Burger King Pro Dirt Super Saloons, and you have a recipe for action tonight - see you there!
