Young trio deliver for team cause
Palmerston North Panthers great Scott Miers, who managed the team that brilliantly took out the Teams Champs on Sunday night, believes the current crop of youngsters will create the same legacy the team he was part of did.
For 10 years from 2006 to 2015, the Panthers won eight of the 10 championships, with Miers and Peter Bengston in each of those teams. Giants captain Peter Rees (7), joint Panthers manager Shane Penn (6) and Wayne Hemi (5) were other regular members of an almost unbeatable team.
The Panthers won their 18th title at the Robertson Holden Speedway in Palmerston North on the back of fantastic driving by their three youngsters.
Scott Miers’ son Jack won his second title, while national individual champion William Humphries and Jordan Dare took their first titles.
‘‘The three of them were brilliant in every race,’’ Scott Miers said. ‘‘To be a top team’s racer it isn’t just about getting around the track fast, you have to be able to read a race.
‘‘It’s not an easy thing to do, but they’re all naturals at it and all of them got us out of a couple of difficult positions and to the win.’’
Scott Miers said as the young trio were all in their early 20s, the Panthers have the basis of a team that will stay on top for the next decade.
‘‘I’m not taking anything away from Peter [Bengston] or Wayne [Hemi], but when they might only have another couple of seasons’ teams racing left... we’ll be looking until then for another couple of the younger drivers to take their place.’’
Scott Miers said it’s not difficult to spot superstock drivers capable of stepping into a successful Panthers team.
‘‘You can pick them by the way they race just on a Saturday night.’’
When asked about the ability to read a race, Jack Miers put it down to coming to speedway virtually since he could walk.
‘‘I’ve been sitting on the bank watching dad since I was 3,’’ Jack Miers said. ‘‘Dad was one of the very best at reading a race and I’ve watched him go around the track a lot.’’
Jack Miers said nothing could describe the feeling of winning the Teams Champs.
‘‘I’ve never won a major individual title, so I don’t know what that’s like, but for me nothing beats this atmosphere, the crowd and racing as part of a team.’’
William Humphries admitted to being nervous before the meeting, but in the Panthers environment it was easy to handle.
‘‘Everyone is so calm and relaxed,’’ Humphries said. ‘‘Scott [Miers], Shane [Penn] and Peter [Bengston] run the show and you just sit there and try and take it all in.
‘‘Those three have done it all before.’’ Dare was debuting for the Panthers, having raced for the past three seasons in the Manawatu¯ Mustangs, along with Hemi.
‘‘I’m speechless, really,’’ Dare said. ‘‘I want to be back next year as well.’’
A proud Bengston, who joined Scott Miers with 10 Teams titles, said it had always been a plan to let the youngsters do every race and for Hemi and himself to split races.
‘‘Weren’t the three of them great,’’ Bengston said. ‘‘Their ability to read what needed to be done to get the win was crucial in the Panthers victory.
‘‘They have no fear, are smart drivers and there are no egos amongst them. They just want to go out there and work hard for each other.’’