Mizaan Lees takes Luke Miers to the wall in Heat 2
Former WHS student Mizaan Lees (58V) takes Luke Miers (15P) to the wall in Heat 2 at Oceanview Speedway.
PHOTO / SB O'Hagan Photography
Saturday night was a big night for Dion Mooney.
Not only did he debut his brand-new Superstock and a new livery for both his cars, but he was the big winner at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway.
Mooney took out the feature event, the Charlie Berntsen Trophy for Stockcars, and the $1000 winner-take-all prizemoney.
A good field turned out to contest The Charlie, with a host of out-of-town cars and drivers on hand to try and take the trophy away from Whanganui.
Up against them however was a determined contingent of Whanganui-contracted drivers, determined to get a local across the finish line.
Luke Miers (15P) was the first visitor to pop his head above the parapet, taking out the first heat ahead of Mooney.
That was as good as it got for Miers, after he was lined up and taken heavily into the wall in Heat 2 by first year local driver Mizaan Lees (58V).
Mooney took advantage of Miers' woes to win the race.
Going into the final heat, Mooney had a comfortable lead on points, so he chose to drop in behind the 33V of Trazarn Ryland-Annabell and Blair Lockett (89V), who was second on points and Mooney's biggest threat.
As the laps counted down, Ryland-Annabell went on the attack, putting in a big hit on Desiree Craike (10W), while Lockett had brake problems, letting Mooney slip through into the race lead.
Nathan Black (67V), Mason James (53V) and Dion Black (61V) were all chasing a podium spot, with Nathan Black in third place going into the final heat, and Dion Black and James tied in fourth.
They had a race within a race, with Nathan Black causing James to spin, pushing both down the order and allowing Dion Black to take third overall.
Lockett did enough to get to the finish line ahead of the pack and take second overall, but it was Mooney taking the trophy by eight points.
Regular attendee Les Hepworth (22H) was the best of the visitors in fourth place.
Elsewhere, a big field of 19 Superstocks faced the starter in a taste of what's to come in January 2020 when Oceanview hosts the New Zealand Superstock Championship.
Mooney wasn't quite so successful with his new car having power steering issues, but it will be a quick car once sorted, and the driver certainly has the pedigree to excel.
There was an international flavour to the class as well, with Netherlands F1 Stockcar driver Marten Bijlsma at the wheel of the 18P Dykstra Racing tank.
Results were shared around with Benji Snedden (471P), Scott Duncan (23V) and Zane Dykstra (38P), who all picked up a win apiece.
Wins in the Youth Ministocks were shared between Marshall Zachan (197P), Flynn Wild (35V) and Cody Hodge (21P), while Shonn Hodge (82V) and Hailey James (92V) dominated the Adult Ministock class with Black taking two wins and James one.
A racing infringement and two place relegation prevented Grant Loveridge, now contracted to Rotorua, from taking a clean sweep in the Production Saloon class.
There was plenty of carnage in the Stockcars and Superstocks, with lots of incidents and race stoppages.
However the destruction didn't stop there, and the night ended with the Gourmet Express Demolition Derby.
An eclectic collection of vehicles faced the starter, but it was Adam Reed who lasted the longest, and was the last driver with a mobile car.
Racing now takes a break for Christmas, but Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway will be back in business on Saturday, January 12 with the double header of the Oceanview 5000 Youth Ministocks and the West Coast Stockcars.
By Tony Stuart
Speedway
Whanganui Chronicle 11/12/18