Things that go bump in the night at Oceanview
Abig crowd turned out at Fast Lane Spares Oceanview Family Speedway on Saturday night to watch the rescheduled TradeZone fireworks display.
But no one was expecting the fireworks that took place on the track as a club night produced multiple thrills and spills.
Fields were down in numbers in all classes except youth ministocks, due to several competing events nationwide.
The superstock and stockcar classes were combined, with the superstocks starting a lap behind, and it didn’t take long for the action to start.
Wellington driver Kurt Behrent was neatly slotted up the wall by Josh Matthews, and three laps later Dennis Black inflicted the same fate on Palmerston North’s Kyle Burford.
Jason Pointon took the opening race from Mike Mooney and Dillon Walker, while Mark Johnston headed Shaun Smith home in the superstocks.
Nathan Black took out the second race, which was marred by a fire in superstock driver Dan Holland’s car, which burst into flames after a fuel connection broke.
Holland exited the car quickly as flames shot up around his seat, and the fire was quickly extinguished.
Jordan Steedman won the final race, just holding out the fast-finishing Smith in his superstock, while to the delight of the crowd, Dennis Black went on a one-man wrecking mission after being spun early.
A good field of streetstocks provided entertaining racing, with plenty of spins and wallings, and a rollover for Blair Ladd in the third heat.
Shaun Hall took out the opening heat from Jason Dunn, who won the next two races with Aaron Wilton winning the last race.
Sidecars made their first start of the season, and the Palmerston North duo of Rob Miller and Jaxon Hannan continued their fine early-season form with three wins from three starts.
Miller and Hannan won the recent NZ Sidecar Grand Prix at Gisborne and were unstoppable on Saturday night. There were some good battles for the minor places between Aaron Rose/Nigel Sturgeon and Tony Hislop/Aiden Foothead.
The adult ministocks provided two clean heats, won by Caleb Keane and Riki-Lee Kauri, before heat three turned into a demolition derby.
Kauri provided a spectacular rollover on the front straight right from the start, before copping a shot from Peter Hoare when her car rolled in front of his and he had nowhere to go.
On the next lap, Keane bounced off another car and rode the backstraight wall before rolling in spectacular fashion. Neither driver was injured.
A full field of youth ministocks was on hand a fortnight before the Oceanview 500 event, which has attracted more than 120 entries from throughout the country.
Wellington drivers Daniel Pye and Kaleb Bean took out the first two races, while local Devon Wilson won a chaotic final heat that kept Speedway NZ officials on their toes.
With a major event in Huntly, the production saloons mustered only four cars so they experimented with different formats.
Shayne Hughes (2) and Richard Hudson recorded wins.
The night ended with a spectacular fireworks display that had been scheduled for Guy Fawkes Day, and the big crowd went home well entertained.
Meanwhile, in Rotorua, Wanganui Warriors superstock team captain Zane Dykstra recorded the best result of his career, coming second to Asher Rees in the Valvoline Charity Invitational event at Rotorua.
Organised by Steve Williams, the Rotorua event finally took place after two Covid delays and a rainout last season, attracting 70 of the country’s top drivers and raising $60,000 each for the Starship Foundation and Ronald McDonald House.
Dykstra has been knocking on the door of championship success and this result will give him added confidence for the New Zealand Superstock Championships in Napier in early January.
Racing returns to Oceanview on December 29 and 30, with the running of the Oceanview 5000 for youth ministocks.
Streetstocks will run as a support class on Saturday night, December 30, competing for their West Coast Championship.
The Wanganui Stockcar and Speedway Club crew wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year as the speedway championship season ramps up.