Track: Palmerston North
Date: 05 February 2011
Event: Finals Night of the ENZED / Dewtec Superstock Teams Champs 2011

Reporting by Alan Skayman & pictures by Mike Pollard
You can obtain copies of pictures by Mike Pollard at race meetings and by CLICKING HERE

Palmerston North - 05 February 2011
Final Night of the ENZED / Dewtec Superstock Teams Champs 2011
Reporting by Alan Skayman and pictures by Mike Pollard

Points after the first nights racing were:

Nelson Tigers 300
Palmerston Panthers 265
Wanganui Warriors 255
Stratford Scrappers 250
Hawkes Bay Hawkeyes 220
Waikato Wanderers 210
British Lions 200
Rotorua Rebels 195
Canterbury Glen Eagles 115
Manawatu Mustangs 95
Kihikihi Kings 20

The top four point scoring Teams were in Tier 1 with the next four points scoring Teams in Tier 2. So to get 3rd place the Lions had to beat the Waikato Wanderers by more points that the winners of Hawkes Bay vs the Rotorua Rebels and then beat the highest scoring loser from Tier 1. So it was all on for night 2 of the 2011 Teams Champs.

A capacity crowd was in attendance for the second nights racing and the Lions were up against Waikato. This race was unbelievable and in my eyes was probably the best race of the weekend. Eight cars on track and you would not believe how difficult it was to see all the action. The lads came out fired up after the previous nights disappointment and boy did it show!! Mick and Tom had swapped back to their own cars again and Mark Taylor was stood down in this one. The Waikato team consisted of 93h Karl Ross, 94h Kerry Remnant, 95h Warwick Ansty, 96h Glen Drabble, 97h Dave Roigard. From the off Craig walled the 97h car as Frankie and Tom went into block mode. Remnant lead from Finnikin before Warwick Ansty put Mick up the wall and almost onto its side on the back straight. The red lights were on and the 97h and 00GB cars were both removed from the raceway. On the restart it was straight back into it with no quarter given by either side. Craig was now in the lead. Tom held Remnant who spun trying to get past the 02 car. Frankie rode out a .huge hit from the 95h car, which made my teeth rattle let alone Frankies. Craig still lead but Frankie now had a front wheel puncture but was still managing to stop and slow the opposition. The 96h car had gone into the lead and Craig then had to put a huge hit on the 96h car who rode up the wall but still managed to keep moving in the right direction, but Craig was through and back in the lead. Hits were still going in everywhere and it was impossible to get down who was getting who. Going into the last lap the 94h car was waiting for Craig, but Craig had his measure and sailed past to take the win. The final result being Finnikin, Ansty, Wainman, Harris and Remnant giving Team GB 145 points. Unfortunately Rotorua won their race by 160 points and therefore the best they could now achieve was 5th. To do this they would have to beat Wanganui who had just lost in one of the semi finals to the Panthers.

Due to damage the Wangaui team were down to 3 cars so they had 14v Darryl Taylor, 16v Ian Barron and 18v Scott Duncan. Craig had seized the engine in his car and so he was now out in the 00GB of Mick Harris. So 4 Lions against 3 Warriors should be easy for the Lions but there are no easy Teams races. Taylor was away off the line followed by Ian Barron. By the end of the 1st lap the Lions were down to 3 cars as Darryl Taylor had rolled Craig in turns 3 & 4. So now it was even. Frankie was doing a great job holding up the 16 & 14v cars. Mark was sailing round at this stage dodging hits from the Wanganui cars. Tom was being held by the 16v of Barron AND Mark dodged an attempt by Duncan. 16v was all over the back of the Wainman car as they crawled round the track. Mark came round and was blocked by the 16v car, and then climbed up the side of the Wanganui car and half spun. Frankie held the 14v car to allow Mark to get away again. At 10 laps Mark had a 5 lap advantage over the nearest Wanganui car. Tom and Ian Barron tangled on the back straight and Frankie was turned around by Scott Duncan. 2 cars now tried an assault on the flying Taylor car trapping him hard against the wall for a ride down the back straight. Mark somehow wriggled free and was again away and flying but being chased hard by Darryl Taylor. As the Wanganui man was lining up Mark, Tom just did enough clipping the 14v car and spinning him, allowing Mark to go on and take the win, giving the Brits a well deserved 5th place. Again Team GB got a standing ovation from the majority of the crowd and had they had a bit more fortune in the race against Straftord who knows what might have happened.

The overall winners were the Palmerston North Panthers who destroyed the Stratford Scrappers in a very one sided final with Nelson 3rd. Again it was a wonderful weekends racing and the dates are already decided for next year being the first Saturday and Sunday in February. From a spectators point of view I would like to thank the guys who put everything on the line to represent their country, the effort they put in is unbelievable, also Guy Parker who manages to make it work each year, normally by pulling a few rabbits out of the hat, the logistics of putting it all together are incredible and all of the sponsors in the UK and NZ, who without them it would not be possible. Team GB have got a massive following over here and lets hope they are back again for 2012 to show the World exactly how good they really are.