Battle on track to resume
Richard Jones
THE Eastland Group Raceway roars back into life tomorrow night with the Gisborne Warrant of Fitness, Registration and Driver Licensing Centre Hawke’s Bay Invasion.
After a good opening meeting, drivers will battle for club points and bragging rights over their neighbours from the Meanee track.
The saloon class has shown it will be one to watch this season after a great performance on opening night.
Hawke’s Bay drivers had the wood over the locals, with Troy Devery (23B) taking out the opening two races and super saloon driver Graham Strong, the feature race.
A strong field is expected tomorrow night, with Devery joined by Steven Martin (29B), Mark Hayman (18B) and George Hildred (14B).
Local drivers David Moorcroft (8G) and Ralph Scott (86G) both performed well in Hawke’s Bay, with Scott having his first outing on a flat track since taking over the former Ken Dibben car.
They — along with Tim Klay (52G), Grant Brown (28G) and Brent Colbert (51G), the latter two having their first outing for the season — will provide close racing.
Colbert has converted his production saloon into a super saloon, as it no longer complies with the production rules, and will run alongside Klay, who has done the same with his car.
The stockcar class produced plenty of fireworks on opening night and expect more of the same this weekend.
With the local Gladiator team members back on deck after their trip to Auckland on Gisborne’s opening night, Sam Hughes (18G), Bruce Harding (8G), Nick Hutton (75G) and David Bacon (66G) will be trying to make up for lost time in the points department but will need to work hard.
Lance Sutherland (79G), Toby Pickering (27G), Jason Jones (81G), Kent Harper (10G) and Jason Harding (86G) all went well on opening night while newcomer Alan Stairs (51G) and Mike Schwass (15G) are determined to build on their opening night’s efforts. Visitors will have to work hard to take away the spoils.
A good field of sidecars is expected with the current NZ1 bike of Les Plummer/Kervin Demanser aiming to dominate a classy field.
They will have the Deane Miller/Rob Miller (9G) pairing looking to go one better then their opening night double, a flat tyre robbing them of a clean sweep.
Ryan Bailey/Albert Cookson (69G) also proved on opening night they will be a pair to watch, while Napier pair Dave Black/Pete Steigenberger always go well on this track. They had a clean sweep on their home track last weekend.
More than 20 ministocks are expected, with opening-night winners Daniel Corrin (24G) and Ben McArther (71G) out to carry on their good form.
Corrin picked up the feature race win in Hawke’s Bay last week and will be the driver to beat. Willie McClune, Ethan Cook, Jarrod Allen and Andrew Patterson are experienced drivers in this class, with Patterson returning to the dirt after helping dad Nigel to second place in their class in the recent Targa Rally.
Ben Donaldson (4G) picked up his first trophy of the season last weekend in Hawke’s Bay, winning the Pam Gibson Memorial in his Commodore streetstock.
He was supported in Hawke’s Bay by Brendon Gooch (3NZ) who had a top-six finish overall,
Gooch will look to pick up his first home win of the season after having to play second fiddle to Donaldson and Frank Hartley, who had two wins in his new car.
Around a dozen cars are expected in this class and are sure to provide plenty of entertainment.
A big field of production saloons will again provide close hard racing with opening night producing three different winners.
Expect plenty more door-rubbing racing tomorrow as they battle for points.
To complete the race programme, a field of 10 Kiwilites from Hawke’s Bay will compete on the banked track.
Styled on the 1960s American Graffiti-type pick-ups and coupes, they turned on great racing here last season.
Gates open at 6pm with racing under way at 7pm.