Gisborne Speedway set for superstock doubleheader weekend

The superstocks field at the MTF Awapuni Speedway are ready to produce plenty of hard-charging and wheel-to-wheel action like this over two nights with the Gisborne charge led by the Rees family. Photo / Liam Clayton

A who’s who of superstock racing will be in action on Friday and Saturday night as Gisborne Speedway Club hosts a weekend doubleheader at MTF Awapuni Speedway.

A field of 23 cars has entered the final rounds of the Superstock Thunder series sponsored by Kuru Contracting and A&R Logging and round 1 of the City Smart Repairs Superstock Points Dash.

The Thunder event is running both nights while the Points Dash is on Saturday night.

The line-up includes the Rees family trio of father Peter (10G) and sons Asher (1NZG) and Ethan (127G).

“We can expect to see some of the best superstock racing in the country because we’ve got basically the best of the best here,” club president Sam Hughes said.

“The Rees family will no doubt lead the charge and will be hard to stop.”

The full lineup, as of Thursday, was 57V Dylan Marshall, 5G Josh Prentice, 26V Kaelin Mooney, 235G Regan Penn, 81G Jason Jones, 421G Anthony Brown, 89G Tyler James, 19M Kerry Remnant, 10G Peter Rees, 38G Ross Ashby, 3NZV Zane Dykstra, 15V Ryan Marshall, 87G Brodie James, 11G Justin Roberts, 127G Ethan Rees, 85S Brad Uhlenberg, 77G Sam Hughes, 7G Sean Gooch, 1NZG Asher Rees, 29G James Clarke, 94V Matt Buckley, 9G Jamie Hamilton and 78V Mark Johnston.

The support programme features the Stone Transport & Hiab Streetstock Champion of Champions on Saturday night.

The line-up there is 6G Cody Gooch, 10G James Carroll, 14G Daniel O’Neill, 18G Jared Ingoe, 21A Alan Gordon, 31G Bob Fraider, 58R Mike King, 72B Darren Melling, 78G Joel Whitley, 87B David Adams, 96G Matt Ireland, 177G Sammy Durston, 277G Hayley Durston and 977G Duncan Pierce.

“We’ve got a classy field for this, too,’ Hughes said. “Darren Melling and Mike King, from out of town, and the likes of our own Cody Gooch, Bob Fraider and Jarad Ingoe will be right amongst it.”

Other support classes over the two nights include the East Coast Minisprints on both nights and round 2 of the Minisprints Oval Superstars Tour on Saturday night.

Stockcars, youth ministocks and TQs will also be part of the 20-race programme on Friday night and again on Saturday in a 27-race programme also featuring production saloons and limited saloons.

“We’ve got two nights of racing ahead of us and the weather looks great,” Hughes said. “We’re expecting a big crowd.”

Gates open at 5pm both nights and the first race is at 6pm.

Gisborne Gladiators part of Palmerston North ‘Invasion’

This weekend sees the Gisborne Gladiators stockcar team in action in Palmerston North in the Stockcar Teams Invasion.

“We are excited to announce the W.G.Geuze Contracting Gladiators are set for their first hit-out of the season,” Hughes said.

The team are 69G Jayden Jarvis, 75G Chris Wright, 96G Brad McGee, 98G Bryce Simpson, 164G Will Kaa, and 212G Blair Reeves-Smith. Jamie Simpson is manager.

“We’re proud of them,” Hughes said. “They should go really well. It’s a nicely balanced team of speed and hitting power.”