CRUNCH TIME
Locals reign supreme in superstocks
It’s been a long time since Wayne Hemi has won a major title, but he showed all his experience to take out the Manawatu¯ superstock title on Saturday night.
A big field of 30 starters enforced qualifying heats that left a classy field of 26 for the threeheat final at Robertson Holden Speedway.
An impressive first heat from Hemi, where he started at the back of the field, then drove his way to an outstanding third place, set up his challenge for the title.
While others were looking for the grip out wide, Hemi stuck to the pole line, finding grip when others couldn’t.
Palmerston North Panther William Humphries won the first heat off pole, then finished third in the second heat, one spot ahead of Hemi, giving him a three-point lead going into the last heat.
An impressive drive from Huntly youngster Aidan Eustace to win the second heat put him a point behind Humphries, but with the two beginning at the rear of the field and Hemi at the front, it was advantage Hemi.
Hemi again drove smart to sit behind team-mate Jordan Dare and when Peter Bengston took Dare to the wall unsure if it was Dare or Hemi, with both cars in similar livery, Hemi went past to take the win.
Despite all their efforts, Humphries could only finish sixth, with Eustace eighth giving Hemi the title (73 points) by two placings from Humphries (71 points), with Eustace (68 points) third and Dare (64 points) fourth.
Regular Gisborne visitor Nick Vallance had his best return to finish fifth level, with Rebecca Barr followed by Ian Ashton (Rotorua) and Waikato Wanderers captain Jared Wade.
It’s been a long time between drinks for sidecar organiser Tony Hislop and his swinger Matt Stewart, but his renewed consistency this season paid off with his win in the feature, despite riding with an engine on its last legs.
Kieran Payne and swinger Brayden Rose could only manage second in the feature, while the Alex Scott-cruz Ashcroft and Josh Lambert-ange Pogson had secondplace finishes.
Dylan Hancock showed how fickle sport can be in the solo bike races. With two wins by over the length of the straight, Hancock was on his way to a similar win in the feature until mechanical gremlins struck on the last corner.
With his engine stopped, Hancock was mortified to see first Graham Wedlake, then Michael Patey, get past him before he could cross the line.
There are plenty of Palmerston North stockcar drivers ready to teams race, as the race between the Palmerston North development stockcar team and the Wellington development team showed.
Palmerston North won easily with Kyle Lampp, Stu Sowry, Neil Coley and Daniel Burmeister all showing growing skill.
The stockcar races were tame for once, with three new stockcar stars, Matt Webb, Dylan Rose and Scott Penn, winning races.
Newcomer Lewis Redshore won his first youth ministock feature.