Crash, bang and wallop as top guns go at it in super shootout
It is the second attempt at the shootout. The Trev’s Concrete Stockcar Shootout is tonight at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway where stockcars, not sixshooters, are the weapon of choice.
Originally, the meeting was scheduled for December 8, but it was postponed due to torrential rain.
Trevor and Jennifer Greig from Trev’s Concrete Contracting have sponsored the shootout for several seasons and the format makes it popular every year.
This season more than 30 cars have entered, so even getting into the shootout field will be an achievement.
The expected field includes large contingents of cars from Stratford and Palmerston North.
After the first two stockcar races tonight, the fastest 10 cars on lap times will take part in the shootout.
They will be seeded from No 10 to No 1, and then compete in a series of twocar races consisting of two laps, starting with the ninth and 10th seeds.
It sounds simple — the loser drops out, and the winner advances to the next race. But each race carries its own tactics, most of which take place on the start line.
Mizaan Lees (58V) won last season, but any driver who can get on a roll and string victories together could walk away with the prize.
After a couple of coming-togethers at the North Island Stockcars at Kihikihi last weekend, it will be interesting to see if Dion Mooney (6V) and Taylor Lampp (992P) get the chance to lock horns.
Mooney rolled Lampp in an early heat last weekend but Lampp got his revenge later in the evening, firing the Whanganui driver into the wall.
Mooney’s car burst into flames, which were quickly extinguished by the in-field crew.
His son, **Kaelin Mooney (26V), was the only Whanganui driver to make the finals of the North Island Championship. **
He led on points going into the final heat, but a puncture in the last race saw him finish back in the field. **Kaelin Mooney came seventh overall, a creditable effort in his first Speedway New Zealand championship in the class. **
The West Coast Adult Ministocks also run tonight, 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 some stiff competition from surprise entrant Kaelin Mooney.
Mooney will be driving the car he raced successfully in Youth Ministocks, now carrying the 89V number, and being driven with success in the youth class by Cody Lockett.
Visiting drivers expected to compete for the title include Nathan Nolly (39S), Craig Mason (77S), Bradley Korff (86S) and Jack Lammas-martin (157P), who have all have tasted success at Oceanview this season.
Tonight will be the last chance for superstock drivers to race at Oceanview ahead of the Elite Mechanical New Zealand Superstock Championship, which is just four weeks away.
And with few other competing events this weekend, 35 drivers have so far confirmed their intention to race at Oceanview.
Among the drivers entered are 2017-18’s 1NZ William Humphries, the Joblin Motorsport team of Scott, Adam and Simon Joblin and the Red Waka team of Wayne and Jayme Hemi plus Jordan Dare.
Drivers from Baypark, Rotorua, Kihikihi, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Stratford and Palmerston North have entered.
Among the local drivers, there will be plenty of attention on Darryl Taylor’s return in his 5V car after a number of seasons on the sidelines, and the first start at Whanganui for newly-contracted driver Maddie Wise in the 136V machine.
A background in karting has given Wise experience beyond his years, and he was a part of the Wanganui Warriors superstock team earlier in 2019.
The superstocks have provided some sensational racing so far this season at
Oceanview, and tonight should be no exception, especially with plenty of moisture in the track from recent rain.
Meanwhile, next month’s NZ Superstock Championship has attracted a field of 133 cars, and it is set to be the biggest championship since superstocks became a stand-alone class in 2000.
Qualifying will be on Friday, January 3, from 7pm, and will provide highly competitive racing.
There will be five qualifying groups, with each containing 26 and 27 cars.
Each group will have three heats, and the top five drivers on points from those heats will go directly into the final 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 repechage race at the start of tonight’s racing — where the next-best 26 drivers will go into a cutthroat battle to advance.
With the qualifying format, there are likely to be some top competitors miss out on the championship 26.
Tonight’s meeting marks the end of the first phase of the 2019-20 speedway season in Whanganui.
Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club members will now be working overtime to get the Oceanview facility ready for its biggest meeting for many years.
Grandstand seating has been installed at the top of the embankment at the airport end, which will provide a panoramic view of the racing action.
Demand for these premium reserved seats has been strong, with barely 50 seats still available for January 4’s finals, and around 100 still available for qualifying on January 3.
General admission available for the event.
But before all that action hits the city, the top gun in the Trev’s Concrete stockcar shootout will be decided tonight.
Racing starts at 7 o’clock, with the pit gates open from 4pm and the public gates from 5.30pm.
Tony Stuart / Speedway
Whanganui Chronicle 21/12/19