Track: Kihikihi
Date: 25 February 2007
Event: North Island Superstocks
Pictures & reporting by Mike Pollard

Kihikihi - 25 February 2007
North Island Superstocks
Pictures and reporting by Mike Pollard

A glorious hot day saw yesterday's qualifiers assemble for the North Island Superstock Champs.
The field was without twice world 240 champ #94p Roydon Collingwood who had blown a head gasket, leaving us with 25 x cars.
A slightly different format today, with 2 x reverse grid heats, followed by a fastest at the front, winner take all final.

Heat 1
#18r Kevin Brooks was first to show on the super smooth raceway, ahead of #337r Darcy Hunter, with #515r Stan Hickey being driven into the wall on the opening lap. #337r Hunter nipped up the inside of #18r Brooks to take the lead, as the reds came out for #351a Paul Vazey who had taken a huge knock, unfortunately requiring the services of the ambulance. During the short delay, #515r Hickey and #99r Mark Decke retired to the centre green, joining the already retired #38r Ross Ashby. On the restart #337r Hunter confirmed his position at the front of the now dry track, as the dust rose to such a degree as to prevent any further viewing of the action.

1.#337r Darcy Hunter 2.#35s Neville Nolly 3.#85h Jared Wade 4.#55p Bruce Ward 5.#7r Dayne Wright 6.#31p Andy McCabe

Heat 2
#1nz Simon Joblin was first to lead, before being passed by #23h Lance Ashton. a huge pile-up on turns 1 and 2 needed the reds to sort them out, with quick reactions from #85h Jared Wade on the green, rocketing him into the lead ahead of #8h Dave Roigard and #23h Ashton. A superb drive from #337r Darcy Hunter saw him in the frame when #23h Ashton retired, and then got the better of #8h Roigard late on to take second spot.

1.#85h 2.#337r 3.#8h Dave Roigard 4.#1nz Simon Joblin 5.#515r Stan Hickey 6.#99r Mark Decke

Final
#337r Darcy Hunter and #85h Jared Wade were on the front, with #55p Bruce Ward and #35s Neville Nolly behind, with #1nz Simon Joblin and #18r Kevin Brooks on row 3. #33h Callum McCloud pulled off on the slow roller, citing a "loss of drive and a very bad rattle". The green came out, and #337r Hunter and #55p Ward fought for the lead ahead of #85h Wade and #35s Nolly. The track had developed a few holes by now, but it didn't seem to slow the field, as they moved at pace around the oval. #337r Hunter lost the lead to #55p Ward due to a slight altercation with #23h Ashton, but managed to claw back the gap to #55p Ward over the next few laps. The two cars had a great dice at the front of the field, before #337r Hunter slipped up the inside of #55p Ward, and back into the lead. 3 x laps to go, as the reds came out for #177k Ryan Johnson who was involved in a multi-car pile up on turn 4. On the green #337r Hunter increased his lead at the front, and sped away to add yet another trophy to what must be a bulging cabinet.

1.#337r 2.#55p 3.#85h 4.#82s Paul Johnson 5.#31p 6.#75a Dave Tennant


The non-qualifiers raced over 3 x consolation heats for the King of the North trophy, which produced the following results.

Heat 1
1.#41h Lionel Penn 2.#818s Chris Hill 3.#17s Kyle Stove 4.#48k Todd Julian 5.#nof

Heat 2
1.#41h 2.#818s 3.#17s 4.#24h Warren Burkhart 5.#152a Scott McEwan 6.#nof

Heat 3
1.#17s 2.#48k 3.#nof

Cars racing
Ministocks 40
Superstocks 32
Stockcars 16
Saloons 9