Track: Wanganui
Date: 26 March 2010
Event: Memorial Meeting

Reporting by Roger Morrison and pictures by Mike Pollard

Wanganui
Memorial Meeting
26 March 2010
Reporting by Roger Morrison and pictures by Mike Pollard

Four Memorial trophies were decided on a quiet night's racing at Oceanview Speedway on Friday night. In a throw back to days past, the switch to the Friday was to avoid the clash with both Palmerston North and Stratford. The hoped for influx of visitors did not eventuate in the Superstock & Stockcar fields although there was good support in the other classes.

Noel Kensington Memorial

The event was originally scheduled to be contested over the one 15-lap race for Superstocks but with only 4 locals fronting it was reduced to a 12-lap sprint. 99V Richard Watkins got the early break on the small field headed by young Sam Doyle sitting in the 35V seat normally occupied by Mick Paul. Paul was sitting out the meeting after damaging a rib the previous week. Doyle looked to be edging closer but the experienced Watkins held his nerve to take the chequered flag ahead of Doyle, 23V Scott Duncan and 15V Antony Cooper (in the Morris Doyle car).

George Podjursky Memorial

The four Superstocks were joined by 11 Stockcars with 34P Rob Mason the only visitor. The members of the Wanganui Vulcans paraded before the event in their team bodies to the acclaim of the locals after their proud effort in Wellington the previous week.

Heat One
The Superstocks were soon in bullying mode as they commanded the front of the field. 35V Sam Doyle really was impressing behind the wheel of an unfamiliar car before being spun late in the piece handing the lead to 15V Antony Cooper. With Cooper away up front, Doyle then spun 23V Scott Duncan in the last lap to claim back 2nd from 99V Richard Watkins.

Heat Two
Things went decidedly pear-shaped for the Superstocks in the 2nd race. Watkins was in the wall at the end of lap one and lost a considerable amount of time. Cooper was infield by lap 3 and at the same time Duncan was spun to put him well off the pace. Doyle however looked the goods as he cruised away to a decisive victory from 96V Hilton Parker and 18V Tony James.

Heat Three
Doyle went in the last heat with a 4 point buffer over 18V Tony James and seemingly only had to keep flooring it to take the trophy. But the best laid plans came to grief in the first lap when an altercation with a number of cars left the 35V car motionless just beyond the start/finish line. This left the door open for the Stockcar boys to take control and battle it out amongst themselves. While 89V Blair Lockett was claiming a tidy victory, the likes of 86V Gerry Linklater, 96V Hilton Parker and James were doing their best to accumulate as much points as they could. And when the dust settled it was 1 point margin between each of the top 3 as Linklater took the winners sash, which was quite remarkable as he had finished no higher than 4th in any heat!!