Rain derailed the first night of the double-header meeting on Friday and threatened to do the same on Saturday.
Club president Clyde McGrory considered calling it off after a heavy shower late on Saturday morning deluged the track yet again.
But he persevered and put the call out to club members with four-wheel-drive vehicles to help dry out the track.
A big number responded. They drove around the track for ages and with the help of the club’s grader and roller were able to bring the surface back to race standard.
“A huge thank you to everyone who helped with the track,” McGrory said.
“Our team of volunteers and competitors put in massive hours to ensure the track was ready for racing.”
So effective were they in restoring the surface that the water truck was needed after only a couple of races and the banked track was at its best for the night.
A few spots of rain fell during the latter part of the programme but otherwise the brave call to go ahead with the meeting paid off.
Superstock racing was again sublime. The class is embedding itself into the fabric of a club that — in the words of someone on social media afterwards — “races on the best track in New Zealand”.
The McCafferty Metal Cartage Superstock Champion of Champions title was won by Ethan Rees (3NZ), ahead of Brett Loveridge (16B), who drove exceptionally well in high-class competition, with Josh Prentice (2NZ) in third.
The MTF Finance Superstock Points Dash was won by Sam Hughes (77G), ahead of James Clarke (29G) and Regan Penn (235G).
How poignant it was that the track’s “veteran” stockcar, Lily The Pink (0G), driven by Marty McFadyen, held on to win the final classic stockcars race of the night.
As winner of the Tyre General-sponsored Graham Peddle Memorial, McFadyen got to circuit the track with the chequered flag as the crowd cheered.
The final saloon car race of the night turned into a breath-taking two-horse battle between Hamish Moore in 85G and Daniel Cook in 76G.
Moore got away cleanly but Cook hunted him down steadily, and in the final lap grabbed the inside line going into turn 3, held it into turn 4 and then “cooked” Moore on the run to the finish line to win the saloon feature race.
The superstocks were again awesome. A smaller field than in the Superstock Challenge two weeks ago meant racers had even more driving room and generated even more speed as they thundered around the track.
“The racing was a fitting crescendo to the efforts put in to beat back the weather,” club secretary Aaron Lum said.
“It was great to see everyone racing right to the finish line. The fireworks topped it off. Some are saying it was the best fireworks display in a long time.”
Kayle Priestley (11G) won the production saloon feature race and Trevor McArthur (128G) won the stockcar feature.
Cody Gooch (6G) and Phillip MacNamara (9B) won the streetstock best pairs, Darren Melling (77G) and Jarred Ingoe (18G) were second, and Samantha Durston (177G) and Daniel O’Neill (14G) third.
Jordy Smith won the demolition derby, with Stu Priest runner-up.
In the Wicked Tints 1200cc champs junior division, Jimmy Crawford (972R) was first, Riley McKeown (64R) second, and Reeve Transom (98R) third.
In the senior division, Cohen Wright (88R) was first, Zak Ingram (116A) second and Corbyn Wilson (44G) third.
