Motorsport: McDonald easily defends sprint title

Auckland's Jamie McDonald won the Bay of Plenty Sprint Car Championship at Baypark Family Speedway on Saturday night. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Auckland's Jamie McDonald (3NZ) successfully defended his Bay of Plenty Sprint Car title at Baypark Family Speedway on Saturday night.

In the end it was a comfortable win by over half a lap from Hamilton's Dean Brindle (2NZ) with Tauranga's Rodney Wood, the current national champion, back in fifth. American racer Ricky Logan had one of his best visits to Baypark, finishing third.

For McDonald, such a handsome victory over the current 1 and 2NZ drivers, a week out from the 2014-15 season New Zealand championships, would normally be a huge fillip.

But not this year. Next Saturday the championships are being held at Palmerston North's Robert Holden International Speedway - a relatively narrow track that holds bad memories for McDonald.

"I've broken my back there and wrecked a lot of gear and I don't think I have finished higher than third in a championship meeting," he said.

"It's a stand-alone meeting but we are going there to give it a red hot crack - we're going to try and enjoy the title (meeting) for once and see what happens."

In the meantime, he was happy to enjoy Saturday night's feature win - his second of the season at Baypark.

"It's nice to take (the title) home again - the boys had the car running like a bullet."

Saturday's meeting was a celebration of speedway's wider tyred classes, although the midget drivers largely decided not to join in with just two - 18a Leyton Kendall and 38a Will Genefaas - fronting.

A field of 16 saloons, including recently crowned national champion Tauranga's Steve Cowling and 3NZ, last season's national champion, brother Chris, was headed in the feature by Matamata's Paul Cressy (45m). Saturday's feature win was Cressy's first at Baypark.

He was chased all the way by the Cowling brothers and Gisborne's Dan Corrin (24m)

"I have been pipped so many times, it's great to finally get one," said Cressy.

Super saloon heats were dominated by two-time and former national champion Brent Emerson (7m) but in the feature no one could touch Tauranga's Karl Hanlon (76m).

Making their third visit of the season, the six-shooters provided some extra action with Laz Maszeros crashing spectacularly on the exit of turn two in the second heat. The final was won by regular minisprint driver Benjamin Vaughan.