Humphries stays clear of mayhem
Despite a strong wind a massive crowd turned out in eager anticipation of the night-ending fireworks display.
Fortunately the wind subsided just enough for the masses of children in attendance to enjoy another Kairanga Lions Club spectacular.
There was plenty of action on the track also with rolls in the stockcars and a fantastic Ray Tarrant Memorial sidecar championship that unfortunately culminated in two serious accidents.
Veteran duo John Hannan and swinger Bryce Rose survived an incident-packed final to take a deserved title from Aaron Rose and Bailee Ross with Glen Murray and Ann Plummer third.
There was a serious accident at the start of the final though, when former national champion Mike Zachan and swinger Ben Franklin were catapulted through the air before they came to rest on the track with their bike landing on them.
Franklin was able to get up and walk away Zachan wasn’t so fortunate, laying prone on the track for 10 minutes while the St John Ambulance staff looked after him and the track ambulance took him from the track. Zachan was taken to Palmerston North Hospital.
It’s believed Zachan suffered a serious leg injury and was expected to have an operation on Sunday, possibly for a broken ball on the top of his femur near his pelvis.
It was a short and nasty trip to Palmerston North from Blenheim’s Lester Scofield and swinger Corey Crowther as the barrel rolled within 30m of the start of their first qualifying race.
They flew through the air with the bike crashing down on Scofield who also went to hospital with a suspected broken shoulder.
The title winner was always in doubt with seven different winner from the three heats and only the Hannan-franklin and the Russell Stuart-andrew Parker duos winning two of their three races.
Unfortunately for the popular Stuart they appeared to break an axle in their third race putting them out for the final.
There may have been only 12 superstocks but they put on a great Show Night Trophy over three heats with William Humphries taking the title.
There were strong performances from Shane Mellsop, Peter Bengston and Chev Taniwha, who were all in with a chance of winning going into the final heat.
Some attacking driving from Gavin Taniwha, Graeme Ward, Bryn Liddell and Wellington youngster Keegan Levien put paid to Mellsop, Bengston and Chev Taniwha’s title hopes.
Despite driving up and over the bonnet of Zane Dykstra’s tank, Humphries stayed clear of the mayhem to win by two points from Chev Taniwha with Mellsop two points further back.
National champion Josh Prentice won two stockcar races with NZ2 Dion Mooney winning the opening race. Justin Cunnighame with two minor placings showed he’s going to be a frontrunner this season with Scott Penn, Hamish Mcleod and Matt Webb all fast.
National runnerup Dean Cooper was impressive, winning two minisprint races with Karl Mcgill winning the opening race.
Brothers Cody and Seth Hodge were impressive, finishing one-two in the first youth ministock race before Seth turned the tables on his brother in the feature. Kyle Rowe won the second race with Harrison Booth also quick.