"But overall it was a top team effort. Everybody played their part as a team player ... everyone contributed."
On Saturday night the Hawkeyes beat the Wellington Wildcats in their semifinal and the Gisborne Giants in the final of the 14-team event which again attracted the Great Britain Lions team. McLachlan agreed the title was the perfect farewell for veteran O'Brien, 40, who will retire from racing at the end of the season.
"As I said after last year's second placing we are in good shape for the coming years at this level. We've got so many good young drivers coming through and they are all Hawke's Bay born and bred."
McLachlan pointed out shortly after Saturday night's prizegiving the Hawkeyes attention had already turned to the March 6 and 7 Auckland Teams Champs. The Hawkeyes have never won this event and will miss the services of Tarrant who has received an invite to the Battle of the Stocks in Christchurch and Stanaway may also receive one.
O'Brien, who first raced for the Hawkeyes in Palmy in 2014 and was a member of the 2017 title-winning team, was rapt with his final fling in Palmy.
"It meant more this time ... it was massive. I did all four races."
"People have said I can't retire now but that's definitely it ... there's no better way to finish."
O'Brien pointed out a torque arm on his car broke in the win against the Kings and his brand new fuel pump gave up as he crossed the finish line in the final.
Ryan replaced Stanaway for the final and secured the victory against a three-man Giants outfit who managed to secure the services of Peter Rees who was originally excluded from the final after a rule breach. However this decision was later overturned otherwise they would have had two drivers.
"They had three drivers so Jason, Randal and I held them up and this allowed Quinn to go and chase the flag," O'Brien recalled.
With Tarrant winning the New Zealand championship in Whanganui last month, solo bike rider Bradley Wilson-Dean win a fourth consecutive national title in Invercargill last month and now another Palmy Teams superstock title this season is turning out to be one of the biggest in Hawke's Bay speedway history.