Callum Sturzaker was West Coast champion in 2019-20 and runner-up to Hughes last season.
Sturzaker was in particularly devastating form for the Wanganui Vulcans last week and will do everything he can to keep Hughes honest.
Past champion Callum Sturzaker (15V) will be determined to keep the West Coast title. Photo / SB O'Hagan Photography
John Huijs was something of a surprise winner of the West Coast production saloons last season after a major pile-up in heat two took a number of drivers out of contention, but he is not racing this weekend.
Last season's runner-up Nathan Smith and third placegetter Ray Jaggard have been in good form this season, but the form guide would suggest current 2NZ Brent Hackett and Grant Loveridge will be tough to beat.
Adult ministocks, minisprints and sidecars make up the support field, while the ever-popular classic stockcars will be back at Oceanview for a skid.
Meanwhile, five Wanganui drivers will be part of a big field of superstocks competing in the World 240s at Rotorua this weekend.
Scott McIntosh, Kaelin Mooney, Dylan Marshall, Max Holloway and Maddie Wise faced qualifying heats last night. The finals are tonight.
The Aotearoa Ladies Stockcar Crown will also be decided over this meeting, and Wanganui driver Hailey James is a definite contender.
Local drivers have been recording some excellent results away from Whanganui.
At last week's Palmerston North Teams Invitational, the Wanganui Vulcans had qualifying wins over the Meeanee Maulers and the Palmerston North Pumas to finish up as top qualifier.
In the final, they annihilated the Kihikihi Kings; Mark Johnston and Sturzaker stopping Kings flyers Mitch Vickery and 1NZ Ben Ellis respectively.
All the Vulcans finished the race, with Blair Reeves-Smith taking the win and Dennis Black doing an outstanding job as the team's blockman, ensuring no Kihikihi driver finished the race.
Jemma Barnes has been in fine form throughout the season, and this came to the fore when she won the Taranaki Adult Ministock title at Stratford last weekend.
The racing starts at 6pm on Sunday; the public gates open from 4pm.
Sunday's racing will be run under orange traffic light settings, meaning the pits are open, and there is normal access to food vendors; however, a vaccine pass is a condition of entry.
With cases of Omicron beginning to emerge in the community and the Prime Minister's advice that the country will switch to a red traffic light setting if an outbreak occurs, local fans, drivers and officials will be hoping the season can proceed.
After the December cancellation, the Oceanview programme has been redrafted and there are some exciting meetings coming up in the near future, just as long as the lights don't go red.
