Speedway: Old hands make roaring start

HUMMING: Bay driver Steve Flynn (1NZ) sets the pace in the qualifying round. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay's three most experienced drivers made an impressive start to the New Zealand Super Saloon Championship at Meeanee last night.

Defending champion and two-time winner of the title, Steve Flynn, won his first 11-car heat off grid two. Former 3NZ Grahame Strong won his 12-car first heat off pole in the 35-car Valvoline-sponsored championship.

Flynn's brother and former 2NZ Grant Flynn produced an outstanding fourth place from grid eight in his 12-car first heat. Steve Flynn set a new lap record of 15.70s which bettered the previous record of 15.88s set by Aucklander Ben Harding a fortnight ago.

Harding finished fourth in his first heat, in the same group as Steve Flynn, off grid eight. Steve Flynn finished sixth off grid eight in his second heat and with one heat remaining last night led his group by one point.

Canterbury's Roger Nees was the first driver to roll in the championship, suffering the turnover on lap one of his second heat. Huntly's Steve Williams, ex-caddy for former world No1 Tiger Woods, rolled in his second heat.

Williams' roll forced a restart of the heat, which Grant Flynn won off grid two. Cromwell's Peter Dickson produced some stunning passes in this heat to finish third from grid eight.

Strong finished third off grid seven in his second heat to secure a one-point lead with one heat remaining.

Drivers who didn't qualify last night will have the opportunity tonight when the winners of two repechage races will also make the top 20.

Those in the top 20 tonight will have three heats, and points accumulated in these three races will determine the overall winner.

It wasn't a happy start to the weekend for Hawke's Bay TQ driver Christine Bargh. She rolled during her warm-up laps and was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital with some broken ribs and concussion.

She was one of 27 starters in the David Jones Motors New Zealand TQ Grand Prix, which like the New Zealand Super Saloon Championship, will continue tonight.

Aucklanders Lawrence Baker and Ryan Barry finished first and second respectively and Hawke's Bay's former national champion Duane Todd was third. Todd, his retired father and fellow two-time national champion Steve Todd, and cousinCraig Todd, another two-time national champion, have made the podium on 20 occasions in this event.

Craig was a convincing winner of his first heat off pole on a superb track.