Speedway: Demolition expected at Oceanview in Whanganui
The last pre-Christmas speedway meeting of the season takes place tonight at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway - and demolition is guaranteed.
A full speedway programme will be capped off by the Gourmet Express Demolition Derby.
Even though there has been no racing at Oceanview for four weeks, Whanganui drivers have been busy.
Kaelin Mooney showed his promise at the New Zealand Stockcar Grand Prix in Gisborne two weeks ago, with a third placing overall in a field of almost 100 cars.
Mooney then led the Wanganui Toyota Vulcans Stockcar Team to a win over the Meeanee Maulers at a teams event in Palmerston North last week, where the Vulcans placed third overall.
The Wanganui Warriors Superstock Team also raced at Palmerston North last weekend.
A loss to Palmerston North Select was followed by an excellent win against the Gisborne Giants, after Zane Dykstra and Shaun Smith teamed up to roll Gisborne star Ethan Rees out of the race.
Smith took the race ahead of Dykstra, although he was later relegated for an alleged pole line infringement, while Elias Dykstra and Shane Kells carried out the blocking roles to perfection.
For both teams, it was an excellent hit-out ahead of upcoming teams racing championships in the New Year.
Two championships will be decided tonight at Oceanview.
The West Coast Adult Ministocks has attracted a capacity field of 26 cars.
Local drivers Jemma Barnes and Jayden Barnaby look to be the pick of the Whanganui contingent, but they will face a host of Stratford and Palmerston North cars, with Nathan Nolly, Jack Lammas-Martin and recent Youth Ministock graduates Liam Whelan and Liam Linklater likely to threaten.
An impressive 14 combinations will face the starter for the West Coast Sidecars.
Current 1NZ Dylan Moohan and Sean Mason top the entry list, but they will face a challenge from three former New Zealand champions in Craig Boaler/Ann Plummer, 2018-19 champions David Gannon/David Pearce and Whanganui's sole entrant John Hannan, with Nigel Sturgeon swinging.
If Hannan can unleash the undoubted potential of his radical BMW-powered machine, he could keep the title in local hands.
Superstocks, stockcars, production saloons, youth ministocks and minisprints will also feature on the race programme.
The evening will end with a demolition derby, with an extra twist.
More than 20 cars have entered and, each lap, they will have to drive over a ramp on one of the Oceanview straights, which is sure to add to the normal derby carnage.
The gates at Oceanview open at 4.30pm, and the 23-event programme gets under way at 6pm.
Tony Stuart, Speedway
Whanganui Chronicle 19/12/20