The New Zealand superstock championship final resembled a demolition derby on Sunday in Nelson and the highly fancied “G” cars were among the casualties.
The podium-deciding finals races were shifted from Saturday night because of rain after qualifying on Friday night.
Six Gisborne cars made the 25-car finals at Nelson’s Top of the South Speedway – Peter Rees, his sons Asher (the defending champion) and Ethan, Tim Ross, Josh Prentice and Jamie Hamilton.
However, no “G” car made the top three as Mount Maunganui’s Todd Hemingway (99M) won the title in a run-off with Wellington’s Ethan Levien (46W) after the pair finished the three races equal on 68 points.
Nelson driver Shane Harwood (18N) was third on 63.
“Qualifying on Friday night was a good night for the ‘G’ cars. They had a really good run,” Gisborne Speedway Club president Sam Hughes said.
“Then it turned into a demolition derby on Sunday. The Gisborne cars were definitely marked by the rest of the field, particularly by the Palmerton North cars that had made the final.
“Basically, anyone without a ‘P’ or a ‘G’ on their cars made the podium.
“It was one of the best New Zealand finals in the past six or seven years because of the intensity of the racing and the big hitting.”
Hughes said the top six cars got taken out. That included the Rees boys and a couple of top-rated Palmerston North drivers.
“It was a disappointing result for the Gisborne guys, but it was spectacular to watch.”
Jamie Hamilton (96G) finished the best of the Gisborne cars. He was fourth-equal with a Wellington car after placing ninth, seventh and eighth in the finals series.
Peter Rees (10G), fresh from winning the New Zealand Superstocks Grand Prix was ninth-equal on 16th, 4th and 11th.
Tim Ross (144G) was 11th (seventh, 15th, 14th).
Asher Rees, vying for four New Zealand crowns on the trot, was 12th-equal (second, 10th, DNF).
Josh Prentice (5G) was 16th-equal (15th, ninth, DNF).
Ethan Rees (127G) was 16th-equal (12th, 18th, 21st).
The Gisborne club is holding its first meeting of the 2025 season at the MTF Awapuni Speedway on Saturday night.
“It’ll be a club night with superstocks and classic stockcars the highlights,” Hughes said.
“All we need is a fine night.
Meanwhile, the club is holding a fundraiser on Friday night for youth ministock driver Koby Gooch, who is in the six-strong New Zealand team to take on their Australian counterparts over four meetings in Perth in March.
The fundraiser is an auction and raffles night and items up for grabs include a $1000 blast and paint voucher, a Repco tool chest, a children’s pedal tractor from Brandt, Wicked Tints voucher, firewood, meat packs, a Weber barbecue, Holden gift pack, rounds of golf at Awapuni Links course, and a variety of donated vouchers.
Doors open at 5.30pm and tickets can be bought from Sam’s Upholstery, or contact Shanan on 0274282023.
