Teams Champs semifinalists found
Palmerston North Speedway promoter Bruce Robertson on Sunday morning confirmed the semifinal draw at the Teams Champs would pit the winners of group A against group D, and group B winners against group C’s.
After the first night’s racing on Saturday night in Palmerston North, it was first said that the highest points winner would race the bottom qualifier and two would race three.
‘‘We were looking back at the 13 team team’s champs in 2013 when that’s how we had to run it,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘But when we have four groups it’s A v D and B v C, and that’s how we’ll be running it.’’
The semifinals were to pit 17-time champion Palmerston North Panthers against defending champions the Hawke’s Bay Hawkeyes.
The second semifinal was to have the impressive Gisborne Giants meeting the Great Britain Lions, in a rematch of last season’s semifinal, when the Lions shocked Gisborne in a brilliant semifinal.
In Saturday night’s racing, a huge error of judgement by Manawatu Mustangs captain Wayne Hemi allowed the Hawkeyes a surprise chance to defend their title in Sunday’s semifinals.
In qualifying in front of a packed crowd of 16,000 at Robertson Holden Speedway on Saturday, each of the four groups went down to the deciding race.
But it was the final race of the night where all there drama happened, long after most fans had left the Arena. Hemi won the race from Hawkeyes captain Steve Jude, but 30 minutes after the race, Hemi was disqualified.
The indiscretion occurred when he was taken to the infield on the second lap, but instead of following the rules of circling and coming back onto the track behind the car who was holding him, Hemi shot back out ahead of him.
Their race had been spectacular, with Mustangs newcomer Jayden Ward rolling race leader Thomas Stanaway after Hemi had rolled Jason Long.
With four cars against two, a semifinal spot looked the Mustangs’, but Jude just kept circulating to finish second and take the win when Hemi was disqualified.
It wasn’t the only major decision that affected the semifinals, with the Stratford Scrappers losing out on a semifinal, when in their first race against Great Britain, Paul Johnson was relegated one vital spot.
Lee Fairhurst looked on track to win the race, until taken to the wall by Johnson, who went on to win by less than five metres from Fairhurst. Fairhurst was given the win after Johnson cut the final corner. The Gisborne Giants had two tight wins over the Baypark Busters (120-75) and the same margin against the Rotorua Rebels, with Peter Rees winning both races.
Ethan Rees provided the most spectacular action in the Busters’ race, first smashing Mark Costello into the wall, then battling Kerry Remnant, in his 21st consecutive teams champs, with the drivers taking each other out.
The Panthers were made to work for their win over the Nelson Tigers in a race that could have gone the other way, but for a brilliant drive by Jack Miers, who was chased all the way by Dion Mooney.
Panthers captain Peter Bengston put the team into the semifinal with a strong win over the Wellington Wildcats in the fastest race of the night.
In earlier races, the Hawkeyes easily accounted for the Auckland Allstars (165-30), but the Mustangs were made to work had for their win (135-60) over the Allstars, with the exclusion of Allstars drivers Bernie Fox and Bryce Marx improving the margin of victory.
Great Britain beat the Canterbury Glen Eagles (160-25), but the Scrappers only secured their win over the Glen Eagles in the last few laps, when the Scrappers’ block drivers helped Gary Johnson win.
The Rebels’ Lance Elsworth gave the crowd the best rollover when he barrel-rolled along the grandstand wall before coming to rest back on his wheels.
After a check up from ambulance staff, Elsworth carried on with his damaged car blocking for team-mate and brother David who won the race against four mobile Busters cars, while the Elsworth brothers were the only Rebels cars moving.