Western Springs-based racers can thank the previous weekend's Cyclone Lusi for the chance to clean sweep the podium at the Baypark Speedway's Sprint Car Gold Cup on Saturday night.
Former New Zealand champion Jamie McDonald led a quality 18-car grid from start to finish in the 25-lapper chased by Hamilton's Dean Brindle, with Auckland racer Daniel Eggleton completing the top three.
They would not have been able to contest the Gold Cup had it run as scheduled on March 15, due to a date clash with the Western Springs season finale.
The second Baypark feature win for McDonald this summer continued a strong late-season run - he had clinched the Western Springs season points championship the previous Sunday night. "The winter is so long. It's nice to end the summer with a good run," said McDonald.
The track was fast, with Sprint Car lap times dipping into the 13-second bracket for the first time this season. It was Brindle's 13.65s effort in his chase of McDonald in the final pole-shuffle duel that becomes the benchmark for the summer.