Motor Sport
Riverside Speedway had the honor of hosting the 2017/18 New Zealand Production Saloon Championships in Invercargill over the weekend. The event sponsored by Bakers Beyond, Invercargill Tractor Servicing And Repairs and Otatara 4 Square was the first official New Zealand Championship ever to be run for the Production Saloon grade.
Forty cars were entered but with a number of withdraws in the build up to the event thirty three cars took to the track for Friday’s qualifying with the top nine cars in both groups making it through directly to the finals, a further two cars would enter via a repecharge race held on Saturday.
Friday night only managed one qualifying race before the sky opened up, dowsing the circuit before officials decided it was too wet, the rain never let up and club members were at the track as early as 6am on the Saturday morning to attempt to drive the water from the track, in which they were successful, turning out a good driveable track that would have to stand up to twenty nine races in one day.
The finals would be decided over three races, the first two to build up points to determine where the drivers would start in the twenty lap winner takes all final, after the two heats it was Cromwell’s Whetu Taewa who would start from pole position with Blenheim’s Anthony Gane starting alongside him on the outside of the track.
The best of the Southlander’s was Asha Clements who would start from fifth, she was joined by Daniel Rolton, and Tam Clements who all made the cut, Acaia Mitchell also made the top twenty but was unable to make the final after a nasty incident in race two saw her out of the event, while Tony Jones was excluded after suffering damage in race two.
The final was exciting, it had it all for the big speedway crowd in attendance, Gane led early before mechanical issues led him to the infield, this gave Taewa a clear run but he started to come under pressure from Matt Sherlock of Christchurch and Eddy Frans of Nelson, the later also having to retire early with problems.
As the race drew on Taewa held his nerve until he got tied up behind lapped traffic, this allowed Sherlock and the only North Island competitor Shaun Heron of Rotorua to pounce. This three way battle continued for a number of laps before Tawea also suffered mechanical issues ending his race with the finish in sight.
Heron managed to make the most of the situation and took off to a handy lead, a lead that would not be relinquished, making him the Inaugural New Zealand Production Saloon Champion.
The battle for second and third was only decided on the last lap, on the home straight when Asha Clements passed Sherlock to secure second place, the crowd erupted as the locals celebrated like she had taken victory.
Daniel Rolton finished a credible seventh while Tam Clements retired on the warm up lap with engine failure.
The club were praised by the travelling officials and drivers for the efforts that had been put in to the event and providing a great track to host the first ever Production Saloon Championship on.
Photo: Corbyn Shuttleworth
By Daryl Shuttleworth
Coming up at Riverside Speedway
https://whatsoninvers.nz/events/hydraulink-war-of-the-wings-sprintcar-series/