Ministock: Local secures ministock title

Dylan Towler (centre) after winning the event flanked by Dylan Marshall (left) in second and Regan Penn (right) in third. Photo / Sportsweb Photography

Young Rotorua driver Dylan Towler has taken top honours at the Ministocks in Paradise event - making him the first local driver to achieve the feat since 2006.

The two-day event was held at Rotorua's Paradise Valley Raceway at the weekend and is widely regarded as the national championships for ministock (under-17) racing.

Dylan, 15, was up against about 140 other drivers from across the country during qualifying, and he progressed all the way to the 26-car final on Saturday.

During the three-race final he finished second, ninth and first which put him atop the points standings and won him the overall title.

"The stressful part was trying to qualify. That was the hard, stressful job. After that I was a bit more relaxed," he said.

"The last race [in the final] went mean. Like I was saying to someone else, I drove the wheel nuts off it, and managed to win in the end."

Dylan is a third generation speedway driver with his dad and grandad both having raced streetstocks in the past.

"I've been racing ministocks for three years," Dylan said. "Dad raced for ages, and I had a mate that does it.

"It is just fast and good for meeting new people, and I like the adrenaline."

The Rotorua Boys' High School student said everyone at the event was very supportive after he won the title, with lots of other drivers coming up to him and congratulating him.

Rotorua's James Wong also performed well finishing fourth, while Dylan Marshall (Huntly) finished second and Regan Penn (Hawke's Bay) finished third.

A division for younger ministock drivers aged 12-13 was also held at the event, with over 30 drivers entered, won by Luke McClymont (Tauranga).

Dylan's father Ronnie Towler said he was over the moon with how his son raced.

"It's the best driving I have ever seen from him," he said. "I was very, very proud, it was pretty humbling and a bit overwhelming as well."

Ronnie, who has worked on his son's ministock for about two years, said a big thank you to Kyle and Stace Fraser who helped them out in the pits.

"We were struggling with pace in the car and they helped us out heaps with what changes to make and it was really, really quick after that.

"All the cars are so even it is those little one per centers that other people can help you with that can make a big difference."

Towler also thanked Sonja and Stan Hickey for doing a great job running the event, and their sponsors Rotorua Wheel Alignment, Rotorua Steel Structures, Rotorua Sandblasting and Warehouse Auto Parts.