Motorsport: Night to remember for McDonald

Jamie McDonald in action at Western Springs Speedway. Photo / Jeremy Ward/shot360

Auckland speedway veteran Jamie McDonald had a night to remember at Vodafone Speedway - Western Springs on Saturday as he was crowned Auckland Champion, then named as captain of the New Zealand sprintcar team.

McDonald qualified to start on the front row of the feature following a win and a third placing in the heat races. He then proved his class to take victory ahead of Tokoroa's James Dahm and Daniel Thomas from Hamilton.

"That's the second feature we've won in a row after picking up the win at Bay Park, [Mount Maunganui] last week so it's been a great start to the season for us," he said.

A former New Zealand champion, the 34-year-old has been racing at Western Springs for over two decades yet recent results suggest he is as fast as he's ever been. He will captain a three-pronged New Zealand team next Saturday night, alongside Thomas and six-time national midget champion Michael Pickens, when they host a team of professional drivers from the US.

"Being named to captain the New Zealand team is a real honour; we've got one happy team after a night that like," said McDonald.

In the midget class, Brock Maskovich earned a hard-fought victory after slipping back to fourth place early in the race, before fighting his way back to win ahead of Hayden Williams and Shayne Alach.

Scott Baker was crowned Auckland TQ midget champion, beating Napier's Duane Todd and fellow Aucklander Hayden Guptill, while Stephen Wilson won the F2 midget main event; Julian Webster was second with Nathan Howard third.

Vodafone Speedway welcomed mini sprints to the famous Auckland circuit for the first time in 11 years with an exciting field from all over the North Island in attendance. Stratford's Shaun Dickie won their feature event with Dean Cooper and Jamie Larsen completing the podium.

Speedway returns to Western Springs on December 3 for the first round of the Porter Hire International Sprintcar Series.