Gerry Linklater (98V) helps Gavin Taniwha to an unconventional finish to the Grand Slam. Photo / SB O'Hagan Photography
Gerry Linklater (98V) helps Gavin Taniwha to an unconventional finish to the Grand Slam. Photo / SB O'Hagan Photography
An explosive night of action was predicted at the TradeZone Fireworks Spectacular.
And that's what was delivered to a large crowd at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway on Saturday night.
A clear, cool night and big fields of competitors in most classes produced a thoroughly entertaining night, topped off with a spectacular fireworks display.
Some of the country's top superstock racers were on hand, but it was local driver Zane Dykstra who shone early in the night.
The new 38V car was impressive straight off the trailer, leading 1NZ Asher Rees until puncturing a right rear tyre near the end of the race, allowing Rees through. Matt Neilson came home second, with Stratford rookie Cody Ogle finishing an impressive third.
In Heat 2, Dykstra made his way through the field, aided by a first corner pile-up, getting to the lead and holding off Ethan Rees and Hayden Hart to take a well-deserved win.
The feature race for the Diamond Cut Wheels Superstocks was a Neilson benefit, winning by five seconds from Ethan Rees and local Max Holloway.
In a preview of what was to come, Gavin Taniwha put Hart up the front straight wall, almost rolling the 166A car.
Zane Pullen, from Hawke's Bay, won the opening heat for the Elite Mechanical Stockcars ahead of local drivers Gerry Linklater and Dion Mooney.
Heat 2 was won by visitor Dion Henderson, after a first-corner incident saw the new car of Mizaan Lees squeezed up the wall, then onto and over the bonnet of Dennis Black's car. It was sweet revenge for Henderson, who suffered a similar fate at the previous meeting courtesy of Dion Mooney. Blair Reeves-Smith and Kaelin Mooney chased hard but couldn't catch Henderson.
58V Mizaan Lees rises to the top of the pack as too many cars compete for too little space. Photo / Mack Photography
Kaelin Mooney won the stock car feature ahead of his father Dion, with Brittany Carpenter driving an excellent race for third.
As with the opening meeting, superstocks outnumbered stock cars in the PAUA Print Grand Slam, and with a half-lap head start, Gerry Linklater bolted into the lead.
With the Mooneys doing their best to slow the progress of the superstocks, Linklater was finally passed by Dykstra and Ethan Rees with a lap to go, but they inexplicably came together in turn two, both spinning and handing the lead back to Linklater, who set sail for the finish line.
Hart managed to get past within metres of the finish line, while Tanisha tried to follow through a gap which Linklater closed, sending Taniwha's car up the wall, past the line on its side, then completing a neat rollover.
It was a spectacular end to the night's racing.
The Carters Sidecars made their first appearance of the season, and the racing was incident-filled, with several riders and swingers suffering injuries after crashes. Rob Miller and Daniel Bradley were the stand-out performers.
Nathan Jeffries' dominance of the Dewtec Minisprint field was ended by Stratford's Mark Zehnder, who took out the first and third races.
Tom Francis Building Production Saloon wins were shared between Grant Loveridge, Brent Hackett and Shayne Hughes, and a season-long battle between these three seems likely.
The opening Supercheap Autos Youth Ministock heat was abandoned after two stoppages, but once the drivers had cooled down, they turned on some excellent racing.
Rhys White had an excellent night with a win and a second placing, with visitors Caleb Coxhead and Jeremy Browne also prominent, Browne winning the second heat.
In the Sharp As Group Adult Ministocks, Stratford drivers Liam Whelan and Gary Adamson took a win apiece, but local Liam Linklater drove an outstanding race in the feature to beat Roger Dettling and Stabulls Racing teammate Ffion White.
The Kairanga Lions Club has provided fireworks displays at Oceanview for many years, and Saturday's effort was one of their very best, with volley after volley of spectacular pyrotechnics delighting the large family-oriented crowd attending Whanganui's only public Guy Fawkes fireworks displays.
The Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club crew deserve credit for a wonderful night of family entertainment, while complying with Covid-19 restrictions imposed by Sport NZ and Speedway New Zealand.
However, there's no time for club officials to rest on their laurels, with more racing next Saturday, November 13, from 6pm.
