All Black Star Of Riverside Opener
Riverside Speedway in the deep south is far cry from the likes of a packed Eden park, but it would be where former All Black hard man Liam Squire would make his competitive Stockcar racing debut.
Andrew Andrew
- RACE REPORTS
All Black Star Of Riverside Opener
Riverside Speedway
Images supplied by: Christopher Scrimgour
Riverside Speedway in the deep south is far cry from the likes of a packed Eden park, but it would be where former All Black hard man Liam Squire would make his competitive Stockcar racing debut.
Squire made a surprise appearance at Aotea Electric Riverside Speedway's season opener in Invercargill, the first official Speedway New Zealand meeting for 2022/23.
With Stockcars having such a big resurgence at Riverside , Central Motor Speedway and Beachlands Speedway, bumper fields of cars are expected at meetings throughout the season.
Squire who is contracted to Beachlands Speedway in Dunedin would start from the rear of a decent size field of cars in race one, he pretty much did what was expected, he kept out of trouble, got a feel for both the car and the track, and demonstrated he had the pace to run with some of the guns in the field.
Central Motor Speedway's Jacob Boulton got a good jump at the start of the race and would remain unchallenged to take his first win of the season, behind Boulton was Benji Smail of Beachlands with Riverside's Luke Fallow looking impressive in third.
Race two was a display of hard fast Stockcar action, a bit of tap and spin but more a showcase of how fast these cars can actually go, Squire looked to be comfortable about mid pack, managing to fend off the odd attack, and dish a little out himself. Out front though it was the return of Shanan Knight of Riverside who is back racing after a stint overseas, Knight managed to build a handy gap over the field to come home first, Boulton again was fast managing to get past a number of cars to place second while Riverside Life Member Peter Knight placed third.
The third and final Stockcar race had plenty of action, Boulton got some early attention from Riverside's Phil Johnston who put him up the wall coming out of turn two. Peter Knight would also get tangled up in this incident putting him out of the remainder of the race. Shanan Knight again got to the lead and looked to be doing it easy, but Boulton decided to slow down and wait for Knight, paying the leader some attention as he tried to get by. While Knight and Boulton battled Squire found a gap just as Smail was put into the wall on turn four causing a restart. When the lights went green Squire bolted, leaving Knight and Boulton to sort out their differences for a number of laps to come. Twice Knight tried to put the big hit on Boulton but twice both cars would end up running to the infield. Squire would then bring the big crowd to their feet taking his first race win on debut in an impressive display of driving, second would be Fallow who again was impressive followed by Knight in third.
A good field of Production Saloons from Riverside and Beachlands made for good action across all three races.
Invercargill's Aaron Reed started up front in race one and battled hard to keep a number of faster cars behind him, he did however come under pressure when an incident involving Blake Murdoch and Tony Jones of Riverside and Nyall Brookland Of Beachlands bought out the caution compacting the field behind him. Reed got a jump at the restart but was pressured by clubmate Jarrod Dawson for a number of laps. Reed would do enough to hold the lead and take the race win ahead of Dawson with Murdoch coming home third despite suffering damage.
Race two was on a very greasy track, having just been watered it was a slow entry into turn one, Beachland's Aaron Brookland backed himself to go high into turn one, narrowly avoiding a major clash with the wall, but he found something up high no one else had ....grip. Brookland was fast and was rewarded for his bravery, pulling away from the angry pack of cars well behind him. Riverside duo Alistair Green and Murdoch fought hard for the minor placings but it was Brookland who would take the race two victory, Murdoch making a late move on Green to place second and Green achieved his best ever finish of third. Race three and again Brookland was impressive, this time not getting the handy buffer he built in race one but piecing together a solid drive which would see him control the race up front. Green was brimming with confidence from his third placing in race two but with a couple of laps to go he suffered a mechanical drama slowing him up, giving away what would have been another solid result.
Brookland would hit the checkered flag first once more chased home by Blake Hamilton of Riverside and Murdoch who was consistent in all three races, third.
Six Shooters featured a number of new drivers from both Riverside and Central Motor Speedway in Cromwell, and this meeting would be the only dress rehearsal they would get before they compete for the Southland Championship on November 15th.
Former Sprintcar racer Luke Shearing of Cromwell worked his way to the front of the pack early and built a steady lead despite twice having to fight off the field when Riverside duo Nigel Marshall and newcomer Hayden Graves would both spin in separate incidents.Riverside's Gavin Read would pressure Shearing but just didn't have enough to make a move for the lead. Shearing would go on to take the win, Read second with Duane Cracknell of Invercargill solid in third place.
Race two saw Graves start from the front and shake off the frustrations of a race one spin. Further back in the pack Shearing again started to come through the field, again battling hard with Read, Cracknell. Cracknell would spin mid race while holding second place, followed by Read who also spun causing Shearing to stop, all cars managing to restart.
Shearing got to restart ahead of Read which meant he could attack Graves up front but Graves kept his cool, ticking off each lap cleanly to bank his first ever Six Shooter win. Shearing came home fast in second while Read thrilled the crowd finishing third before putting his car up the wire fence in turn one. Reads crew would work to repair the car and get him out for race three.
Race three was fast, a number of great battles on track ensured it would be one of the best races of the day. Again Shearing was just too good and would take the race win and favorites tag going into the Southland Championship, Marshall would deliver his best result of the day with second and Cracknell third.
The first race of the season in the Youth Saloon grade is always a nervous time, new drivers rolling out on track with minimal seat time, and a big crowd of fans on hand to take it all in. This meeting had four new drivers entered and credit to them and the entire Youth Saloon grade they did not cause a single yellow flag all day, keeping the racing clean.
Riverside's Joshua McIntyre carried off where he finished last season, right at the front of the pack. In just his second season of racing McIntyre is proving he will be one of the constant front runners in the Youth Saloons this season. McIntyre won the first race which was sponsored by Harvey Tanks by a margin from another big improver, Riverside's Zoe Menpes and Dane Harvey also from Riverside fast in third.
The second race sponsored by Stresscrete Southland saw Harvey get off to a flyer, Harvey would build a lead lap on lap only for him to have a gear selection issue late in the race meaning his first ever race win would need to be earned on anther day. Harvey would slip back to third place allowing McIntyre and Dunedin driver Noah Kitto the chance to get by.
McIntyre would bank his second race win, Harvey managed to sneak past Kitto to claim second and Kitto placed third.
Race three sponsored by BMac Sheetmetal saw a number of the new drivers start to battle with some of the more experienced drivers making for a great race. Beachlands driver Max Kemp got to the lead early but was pressured by both McIntyre and Harvey but Kemp kept his cool and actually extended his race lead to claim a popular win. McIntyre would cap off a solid days racing in second as would Harvey who placed third for his third podium of the event.
Saloons had a small but very competitive field of cars, race one saw former Modified Sprint driver Darcy Hewitt of Riverside get off to a flying start, gapping the field early until mid race where his car become a bit of a handful to drive. Hewitt would see clubmates Graham Williamson and Dan Black as well as Central Motor Speedway's Ivan Murdoch slip past him to battle out front. Williamson would lead home both Black and Murdoch to take the win, Black second with Murdoch back behind the wheel after a season off in third.
Race two was Blacks time to shine, racing to turn one early to lead. Williamson would sit right on Blacks rear bumper lap after lap, being patient waiting for Black to slip up before launching a move for the lead. This would eventually unfold when Blacks line deviated slightly coming out of turn two, this was the invitation Williamson had been waiting on and he pounced down the inside to lead the next couple of laps to claim his second win of the day. Black would settle for second with Murdoch third.
Race three was the race of the day, Murdoch would lead and sit mi track, Black sat in second just on the inside of Murdoch while Williamson sat directly behind in third. The trio would sit like this lap in, lap out for the majority of the race, wheel to wheel clean fast action which had the big crowd pumped. Williamson however would be first to blink, looping his car between turns one and two separating the three car deadlock.
Black would then fire down the inside of Murdoch to take the lead which he would hold for the rest of the race to claim victory, Murdoch was second with Williamson coming home fast in third. A small field of Streetstocks put on some entertaining racing across all three races. Steve Dryden of Riverside showed he has no intention of slowing down in his old age, gapping the competition early to cruise home to an easy victory behind him it was his Riverside club mates Chris Kergozou in second and Dillon MacHattie in third.
Race two was an interesting race, again Dryden dominated up front, but a battle between MacHattie and new driver Jono Bower of Invercargill saw MacHattie spat to the wall, but bounce off only to fire out mid track and take out Kergozou. This incident would take both Bower and Kergozou out of the race. Dryden went on to take the win ahead of son Troy Dryden with MacHattie third. Race three was more of the same from Dryden, keeping his nose clean, getting to the front of the pack, then watching in his rear vision mirror as the rest of his competitors got smaller in the distance. Dryden would take another race win to cap off the perfect day, Troy Dryden second with Kergozou this time claiming third place.
The final grade to run was Modified Sprints with cars entered from both Riverside and Beachlands.
It took no time at all for Jayden Fraser of Riverside to show his dominance, firing past Dunedin driver Ewan Stewart early to put a solid half lap lead on the field by the time he took the race win. Stewart would battle hard with fellow Dunedin driver Glenn Johnston for the minors, but claim second with Johnston third.
Fraser certainly wasn't taking any prisoners in race two again clearing off early and remaining unchallenged the entire race, two race wins from as many starts a great way to start the season after a horror season last year. Behind Fraser was Johnston who had a handy lead over Riverside driver Vernon Helms who got up to third.
Race three was pretty much a carbon copy of the second race, Fraser dominance, totally unchallenged and a promising sign of what could be a very successful season for the young man. Again Johnston was second with Helms third.
Aotea Electric Riverside Speedway will return on October 15th with the Southland Six Shooter Championship.
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