Dad’s Army the team to beat in demo derby
If the Palmerston North Panthers have long been the benchmark superstock teams’ racing is measured by, New Plymouth’s Dad’s Army are the team everyone wants to beat at the Peter Barry Memorial Derby Teams Champs at the Robertson Holden Speedway.
With the country in lockdown with Covid-19 last year, the teams derby, known as the national title of demolition derby racing, was cancelled, which is sure to add plenty of spice to this season’s meeting.
Last year a new winner climbed the top step to the coveted title named after a man synonymous with demolition derby and derby teams racing with the Grid Bombers doing a Dad’s Army, keeping their cars intact through Good Friday’s qualifying and into Saturday’s finals, then followed a brilliant drive to win the final.
The Peter Barry Memorial has become ingrained in the Easter meeting since Barry, 44, died during a race at the Robertson Holden Speedway in 2009.
The popular Barry was racing for the Kihikihi Kings when he suffered his injury and with his love of demolition derby and stockcar racing, the Hawke’s Bay farmer is remembered at both Palmerston North with the derby teams champs on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, as well a major stockcar teams’ championships at Meeanee Speedway, Napier.
The derby teams champs just keeps on getting bigger with Robertson Holden Speedway track manager Bryan Puklowski admitting that the 22 teams already entered will increase this week.
Friday night will be hectic with the 22-plus teams battling out for points to make it through to Saturday’s finals night.
Just making the last eight for Saturday night is a victory with those positions decided on points secured over two races. Teams that don’t make the quarter-finals will get ready for the much anticipated ‘All In’ to end the Easter racing.
Over the years a lot of teams manage to win their first race only to have sustained so much damage they are out of the running for the second night. While other teams get through to the second night only for the huge amount of damage the demolition derby cars suffer in a race wrecking their title hopes.
A few teams though are smart and do enough damage to their opponents’ cars but at the same time keep their own cars running with as little damage as possible. The teams best able to limit their damage have regularly featured at the pointy end when the Peter Barry Memorial Derby Teams Champs title is handed out on Easter Saturday.
Dad’s Army showed the very best form between 2012 and 2014 when they racked up a unique hat-trick of wins, and their team, like many others, retains a very similar line up as the 2012 team.
Since 2012, family members Steve, Cheyanne, Adam and Daniel Reed have all been in the team. It will be a decade since the Reed family entertained the strong following that demolition derby racing, but especially teams derby racing, attracts.
Daniel and Steve Reed are both back, along with Matt Hill and newcomers this season Nick Smith and Roger Dettling, but they will again be one of the
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