Track: Palmerston North
Date: 24 January 2010
Event: 248 Superstock Global Champs
Reporting and pictures by Mike Pollard

Palmerston North
248 Superstock Global Champs
24 January 2010
Reporting and pictures by Mike Pollard

American Outlaw; Ricky Logan was out with an injured knee, leaving it to the 5 x Brits to take on the Kiwis for the Global Champs.

During overseas practice; #390gb Stu Smith looked ill at ease in the Rochdale Van Centre car, and the start was delayed to give Stuart some more "hot laps" after adjustments to the back end. After circulating for 4 or 5 more laps, Smith decided the car wasn't for him, as #8p Scotty Miers kindly vacated his car and offered it to young Stu. The whole thing then took on a very English feel as the crowd patiently endured a huge delay whilst the seat was changed in the Miers machine, as we waited for a superstar driver to take the grid. finally, Stu was in the cab and stalling his way down the back straight. After a few coughs, Stu was lined up on the 2nd row, but immediately had his hand out the window. The crowd and the promotion had now had enough, as the pole sitter moved forward, to allow the tractor to unceremoniously ram the Smith car onto the infield. Smith drove round on the grass for a minute, but the green waived, and the field went without him. Stuart would play no further part in the meeting.

Ht1
After 4 x laps, #4gDan Johnson retired, and he too, would take no further part in the Global Champs. He wasn't the first Brit to retire though, as #84gb Tom Harris lasted just 2 x laps. It was looking really bad for the Brits, except that #55r Frankie Wainman Jnr and #559gb Craig Finnikin both had their heads down and finished a respectable 5th and 6th behind the super quick #52p Scott Joblin.

Ht2
#84gb Harris managed 3 x laps in this one, but #559gb Finnikin was on pole, and despite being challenged by the likes of #55r Wainman and #7p Penn, held his nerve and drove a superb race to take the win. #55r Wainman was running in 2nd, and it looked like a British 1-2 until the last lap when #55r Wainman pulled off with what turned out to be a blown engine!

Ht3
Going into the last, #559gb Finnikin was on top of the heap, with a 1pt lead over #1nzc Malcolm Ngatai, but #559gb Finnikin was starting on the back row, whilst #1nzc Ngatai was off the front.
Things started to look interesting from the off; #7p Penn, #52p Joblin and #77p Norris were all pushing toward the front, as #1nzc Ngatai immediately started to go backwards. At the rear, #43p Darryl Hammond was sticking the bumper into #559gb Finnikin, who kept recovering and ploughing on regardless. Up at the front we began to witness a changing of the guard at Palmerston, as #7p Penn who has ruled this oval for the past 5 x years or so was unable to live with the pace of #52p Joblin. #7p Penn then crashed out in spectacular style as he slammed unaided into the wall, in an effort to keep up with the new king #52p Joblin, who finished a mile ahead of #591p Wayne Hemi.

When the points were tallied, #52p Scott Joblin was the new Global Champ, 8 x pts ahead of a delighted #559gb Craig Finnikin, who's 13th (and last to finish) in Ht3 was enough to secure 2nd place, 2 x pts ahead of #31p Andy McCabe.