Speedway: Oceanview to host shootout on Sunday
The word "shootout" conjures up images of gunslingers sorting out their differences in a dusty and deserted street.
But when the Trev's Concrete Stockcar Shootout takes place on Sunday afternoon at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway, it'll be Stockcars, not six-shooters, as the weapon of choice.
Trevor and Jennifer Greig from Trev's Concrete Contracting have sponsored the Shootout for a number of seasons, and the format makes it a popular event every year.
After the first Stockcar race on Sunday, the top ten cars will take part in the Shootout.
They will be seeded from No 10 up to No 1, then compete in a series of two-car races of two laps – starting with the 9th and 10th seeds.
It sounds simple; the loser drops out, and the winner advances to the next race.
But each race carries with it different tactics, most of which take place on the start line.
The cars start side-by-side, so the car on the outside will try to squeeze the inside car to the infield and gain an advantage.
Conversely, the car on the pole line will try and turn the outside car in the direction of the wall.
Mizaan Lees (58V) took away the spoils of victory last season, but any driver who can get on a roll and string some wins together could walk away with the prize.
The West Coast Adult Ministocks will also take place on Sunday, with good numbers of cars from Stratford and Palmerston North expected to take on the locals.
Jemma Barnes (92V) and Dion Black (61V) have been the pick of the local drivers this season.
They will face plenty of competition from Nathan Nolly (39S), Craig Mason (77S), Bradley Korff (86S) and Jack Lammas-Martin (157P) – all of whom have tasted success at Oceanview this season.
With the NZ Superstock Grand Prix in Palmerston North tomorrow night having attracted 90 entries, it is expected a large number of Superstocks will be on hand for their last chance to race at Oceanview ahead of the Elite Mechanical New Zealand Superstock Championship, which is just four weeks away.
The Superstocks have provided some sensational racing so far this season at Whanganui.
Each meeting has seen another driver emerge from the pack to dominate, with last week's star being Jack Miers (88P).
Miers and his father Scott (8P) are both expected to race at Oceanview on Sunday.
As this story went to press today, the tally of entrants for the Elite Mechanical New Zealand Superstocks stood at 121, with a few more expected to be added.
Qualifying groups will be drawn at the Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club's committee meeting on Tuesday night.
The qualifying will take place on Friday, January 3, from 7pm.
It is expected that there will be five qualifying groups, with each containing between 24 and 26 cars.
Each group will have three heats, and the top five drivers on points from those heat races will go directly into the field of 26 cars to compete for the Championship on the Saturday, January 4.
The final place in the field will go to the winner of a repecharge race at the start of Saturday night's racing, where the next best 26 drivers will go into a cutthroat battle to advance.
Sunday's meeting marks the end of the first phase of the 2019-20 speedway season in Whanganui.
Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club members will be working overtime to get the Oceanview facility ready for its biggest meeting for many years.
But before that can happen, the Top Gun in the Trev's Concrete Stockcar Shootout will be decided.
Racing starts at 5pm, with the pit gates open from 2pm, and the public gates from 3.30pm.
Tony Stuart / Speedway
Whanganui Chronicle 7/12/19