Super Saloon Invasion Just The Tonic
[Photography by Vanessa Adcock](https://www.facebook.com/vanessaadcockphotography)
Andrew Andrew
- RACE REPORTS
Super Saloon Invasion Just The Tonic
Riverside Speedway
Shuttleworth Motorsport Media
Images supplied by: Christopher Scrimgour
(Disclaimer - results as seen by myself while commentating, results may have changed slightly due to relegations etc. - This article or extracts from it are not to be used by any other form of media without prior permission.)
Speedway fans in the South have remained a little starved for four wheel action over the last few weeks with a number of National events taking place in both Dunedin and Cromwell meaning Aotea Electric Riverside Speedway have had a massive mid season gap with no racing.
The club however decided to race a Wednesday night meeting and capture the Super Saloons who were in the southern part of the island racing at neighboring tracks, this quick fire mid week meeting was just what the fans needed to get their speedway fix.
Twelve Super Saloons entered, and while a bigger field would have been ideal, the cars who turned up put on a brilliant show and kept the fans well entertained.
For the Super Saloons there was three titles on the line, Southland Championship, Best Pairs Championship and the Euan Shearing Contracting Super Saloon Invasion.
Points from the first two heat races would decide the Southland Champion, the winner of the twenty lap feature would win the Super Saloon Invasion, while best pairs was a random draw which drivers found out at the conclusion of the meeting who they were paired with and both drivers points would be added.
Race one saw just the one caution when Blenheim's Shane McIntyre came to a sudden stop in turn three.
[yith_wc_productslider id=11338] Grahame Strong of Napier in his Lightening McQueen car which was a hit with the kids, was dominant, taking out the race with ease, second was Gary Edwards of Tauranga with Josh Verity also of Tauranga third who both battled hard.
The second race would decide the Southland Championship and this time around it was McIntyre who took a popular win from mid pack, unfortunately for McIntyre the mechanical dramas from race one meant he was really out of the title race.
Second in race two was Bodie Abrahamson of Auckland with Wayne Belk all the way from Australia finally getting a good run in third.
Combined points of both races would see Strong crowned Southland Champion with Edwards second and Verity third.
The twenty lap feature final was for the Euan Shearing Contracting Super Saloon Invasion and the new Southland Champ Strong looked as if he would take this title also, racing off to a handy lead before a piece of his rear guard came off on track bringing out the caution. Not long after this restart disaster struck and Strong had broken an axle putting him out of contention.
When this caution occurred McIntyre who started down the grid had raced up to the lead, just getting past Verity before Strong's mishap.
Cromwell's Kerry Dixon would bring out the next caution when he was sent infield to have his flapping bonnet panel looked at by an official. The official removed the bonnet and Dixon rejoined the grid only to be sent back infield deemed to have received outside assistance.
At the restart McIntyre would pull away with ease and last the distance to win the Super Saloon Invasion Trophy, Verity came home in second a good result after a testing NZ title last weekend, and Invercargill driver Grant Molloy giving the local supporters something to cheer about, impressive in third place.
Molloy would also win the Best Pairs Championship being paired up with Belk of Australia, second was the pairing of Strong and Alister Lister of Dunedin, while third place went the way of Verity and Edwards.
Other grades racing on the night were Production Saloons which was dominated by Riverside's Blake Hamilton, who had the perfect night out. Hamilton won all three races with ease leading home Cromwell's Daniel Rolton and clubmate Dave McKenzie in race one, taking his second win in race two ahead of McKenzie and Aaron Reed of Riverside, while the third race win it was Reed second with Rolton third.
A surprise entry in the Stockcars saw current 2NZ Saloon driver George Phillips entered and he certainly did not embarrass himself with a solid forth placing in heat one.
Heat one was dominated by Zane Tuhura of Beachlands who was in full Otago Outlaws livery, returning South to race at Riverside after the Stockcar teams were rained out in Huntly.
Tuhura wasn't bothered all race getting home for the win ahead of Beachlands clubmates Shannon Simon and his father Paul in third.
Heat two and a massive hit from Riverside's Luke Molloy on his clubmate Phil Johnston bought out a lengthy stoppage. Molloy drilled Johnston hard in turn three, the end result both cars ending up parked up infield.
This heat was won by Murray Greig of Christchurch who drove a solid race battling hard to take the win away from Invercargill's Peter Knight who would take second with Tuhura up to third place.
The final Stockcar race saw a great battle up front between Nico Tuhura of Dunedin and Shanan Knight of Riverside. The pair battle hard lap on lap until eventually Knight slipped through to the lead. The only stoppage came late in the race when Kahu Moxham of Riverside's car bellowed out plumes of steam, sending Moxham to the infield.
Knight would go on to take the race win, Tuhura second and Greig third.
Streetstocks had a small field but put on some entertaining racing, Jesse Hamilton was the menace on track trying to upstage any other cars within a small radius of him, but to be fair he never really got his target.
AJ Lapsly of Riverside made short work of the competition taking a race one win ahead of Dillon MacHattie in second and Brent Bradly in third.
Race two and three were both won by club Vice President Chris Kergozou, second in race two went the way of MacHattie with Lapsly third, while Hamilton would take second place in the third race with just the two cars finishing.
Saloons were some of the best races of the event, in the first heat it was all about father and son Graham and Scott Williamson of Riverside, the pair put on a thrilling display of driving, wheel to wheel for a number of laps before Scott finally gained and advantage that he would hold to take the race win, Graham Williamson was second while behind the Williamson duo was Mark Dobson of Riverside back from a fiery accident prior to Christmas third.
Heat two saw one of the oldest Saloons racing cause an upset, Darren McLeod of Riverside was super fast in his A9X Holden Torana, a car that Don Black use to campaign back in the eighties. McLeod got the Torana to the front of the field and defended with all he had, McLeod fought off several challenges from Dobson and Riverside's Darcy Hewitt but McLeod would do enough to win the race, Hewitt second and Dobson again third.
The third and final heat saw Graham Williamson get off to a flying start and pull out a gap of almost a straight length early, however mid race Dobson started to reel in Williamson and was really looking on song to chase him down.
Unfortunately for Dobson laps remaining were against him and Williamson would get the job done, Dobson was stoked to come home with second while Scott Williamson drove well to come from the rear of the grid to claim third place.
[yith_wc_productslider id=11338]
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A MOVE?
Your number one platform for dirt track racing. Purchase tickets, merchandise and watch your favourite videos right here, on Driven By Dirt.