Finding a winner nearly impossible
Determining who will come out on top at the Peter Barry Memorial Derby Teams Champs at the Robertson Holden Speedway starting on Friday night is almost impossible.
Outside New Plymouth team Dad’s Army, who are always the favourites, any of the 22-plus teams is capable of taking home the coveted trophy. Often teams who race like Dad’s Army by doing enough to win races – taking opponents out of the race without wrecking their own car – come out on top. Dad’s Army’s success is obvious with five titles in eight years.
One team over the years that doesn’t worry about what condition their car is in for the next race has been Team Kaos, who will be keen to remedy their last race in 2019. Running for third place against the Bush Bashers, one of their drivers drove the wrong way up the track, taking out the leader just before the chequered flag. Despite winning, Kaos were excluded, handing the race to the Bush Bashers.
Kaos has an experienced team with James Churchwood and Darren Hoskins keys to their chances. Darrell and Derek Wanders, and Perry Barber are all strong derby racers.
Bush Bashers drove especially well to finish third overall in 2019 and with the Sowry family to the front again they will be aiming to finish further up the podium this year. Bryce and Aaron Sowry lead the team and with James Phillips, the Bush Bashers have a driver happy to race for the flag or attack opposition cars. Nathan Reid has a similar style while Kelvin Mcmullen makes up the team.
The regular teams who have raced since the start of the Peter Barry Memorial Derby Teams Champs with Dirty Rottens Inc, Team Geronimo, Terminators, Odd Fellows, Shake n Bake, Firecats and Eke Mud Rats are all back. The wild and wonderful names continue to emerge with Brute Force and Ignorance, Hillbilly Racing, Crash Team Nitro, Quackers, Gladiators, Southern Slayers, Scrappers and Dirty Rottens Racing the clubs second team as well as Sidecar racer Tony Hislop the most recent entry with a team that includes former national minisprint champion and current midget driver Shane Dewar.
Hislop said they have been collecting the cars over the last year hoping to make up a team.
‘‘It’s taken a year to get enough derby cars together,’’ Hislop said. ‘‘We’ve had a big push over the last month in an effort to get the cars ready and now we’re looking forward to next weekend.’’
All the regular teams have had their share of success with Dirty Rotten Inc one team overdue for a title win with the Johnston family among the the biggest supporters of the event and major stirrers during races. Led by Bevan Johnston, and including Ben Johnston and Jesse Johnston, the team is this year supported by powerful derby racers Clint Lyford and Brodie Potaka, the same team as 2019. If they are able to get through their two qualifying races with good wins and suffer little damage, 2021 could finally be the year of the Dirty Rottens.
Team Geronimo includes two sets of family members with Leigh and Natasha Ellwood, and Nick and Kelly Kroot, with David White making up the team. The Terminators are led by Mike Sultan with Josh Barton, Alan Smith, Shane Mcewen and Regan Jordan making up a strong team.
All the teams competing over many years have loads of experience with most teams including family members showing how much derby racing is about the entire family being involved. The Gladiators have three members from the same family with Jenna, Brent and Mark Henderson, joined by Stuart Ancell and Deon Trow. The Scrappers are led by top stockcar driver Hamish Mcleod with Josh Gilbery, David Julien and Brooke Singer in the team.
Hillbilly Racing is another team yet to make a name for themselves with Darryl, Tanya and Beagle Sanson, along with Daniel Ludlow and Jesse West in the team. However, Brute Force and Ignorance can’t be discounted with Logan Atkinson, Grant Hanna, Rodger Lawson, John O’callahan and Frazier Mcdonald. Crash Team Nitro another relatively new team are one of the few team to start with six drivers, while other teams have five drivers and a spare car. They are headed by Shaun Takamori, Daniel and Jacob Shepherd, Graham Martyns, Jared Price and Connor Smith.
Amongst the experienced teams there are plenty of winning options especially if Dad’s Army get knocked out early. Eke Mud Rats have strong derby drivers in Michael Carrington, Mark King, Callum Voullaire, Ethan Wyatt and Stephen Spring while Odd Fellows are led by the classy Mike Gaskin with Quaid Gibson, Kallum Pukowski, Ric Waihi and Craig Clifford-moore.
Shake n Bake are another who will rate their chances with Taylor Nicol, Mike Denham, Troy Sharp, Haden Poston and Nick Scratch. Newcomers, Southern Slayers, have Sam Dixon, Blake and Rob Gray, Cory Dixon and Jesse Stevens Hamilton in their team. The Quackers have Aaron Blackley, Graeme Munn, Rene Coley, David Haycock and Darren Mckay.