Champ Jackson has title double in his sights again
The Stratford Speedway fires back into life tonight after a two-week break when local modified drivers compete for the Taranaki championship and the Ginge Hayward Memorial Trophy.
There are no out-of-town competitors entered but Taranaki is among the strongest regions nationally in the class so a competitive field of at least 12 cars will face the starter for the first of the three championship heats.
Defending champion John Jackson has been in good form, show- ing with his third place in the New Zealand title four weeks ago and, more recently, second in the Manawatu championship, that he is driving as well as ever.
Jackson will be keen to repeat his effort from last season when he won the championship and the Ginge Hayward Memorial on the same night.
The starting grid order for the memorial race is reversed from the finishing order of the Taranaki championship.
Drivers need to be at the top of their game to win the one-race memorial from the rear of the field and Jackson is one of only two drivers to take the double in the same year, with Taranaki’s Murray Gordge the other.
Jackson will be challenged by Neil Marshall, Blair Luscombe, Richard Pierce, Jason Kalin and the Ward brothers, Craig and Paul.
Pierce and Kalin are in solid form, with Pierce finishing third in the Manawatu championship, after losing a run-off to Jackson, while Kalin would have been tied on points in the same run-off had it not been for a last lap altercation in the third heat.
Paul Ward, who destroyed his car at the New Zealand title meeting, has rebuilt the car that has been his most successful.
Ward fitted the running gear from his trashed car to his old chassis but with this season’s chassis now repaired he is expected to revert to his original.
Paul Blinkhorne has an outside chance. The former streetstock competitor has been coming to grips with his car over the last two meetings.
Also on tonight’s programme is the midget class for the Heritage Shield.
Duane Hickman and Lydia Dickinson will start favourites and face stiff competition from Jimmy Greenough, Greg Jones, Daryl Hughes and Daniel Jense, who are all more than capable of winning.
There will be a static display and track run for vintage midgets and three-quarter midgets.
The race programme will be supported by superstocks, streetstocks, adult ministocks and saloons.
Stockcars will not be racing because several local competitors are competing in the North Island championship in Auckland.