Track: Wanganui
Date: 19 February 2010
Event: Screenprint Services New Zealand Stockcar Champs - Qualifying

Reporting by Roger Morrison and pictures by Mike Pollard

Wanganui
Screenprint Services New Zealand Stockcar Champs - Qualifying
19 February 2010
Reporting by Roger Morrison and pictures by Mike Pollard

After a long, hectic night the top 30 qualifiers have been found for the ScreenPrint Services NZ Stockcar Champs. 157 cars made it out for the finals with a few late withdrawals including 2009/10 NZGP Champion Kane Hargreaves, Rotorua's Ivan King and Blenheim hard man Zac Thompson.

Green Group
72S Bevan Phillips raced away to an early win in this group with the locals suffering their first casualty when 6V Dion Mooney was left infield after only a lap. Mooney did however make his presence felt in the last heat when taking on 1NZ Richard Gaskin who wisely backed off. Current BOP Champ, 109R Jason Brown did not have the same luck though as Mooney pounded him in to the southern bend wall to eliminate his chances of qualifying. 73D Nathan Taylor had looked to be a strong chance to qualify before having a horror 3rd heat to just dip out. Qualifiers: 72S Bevan Phillips, 116H Steve Halse, 1NZW Richard Gaskin, 91W Kyle Lane, 8M Scott Fredrickson.

Black Group
This group was dominated by two of the quicker cars on the night being the 3NZP Peter Rees tank and 39R Douglas Stanaway in the Hewson chassis flyer. 59H Scott Gallop had looked good in the opener before pulling infield with what appeared to be a blown diff. 67P Alec Wilson managed to get tipped over by 27G Toby Pickering and 11E Sam Thompson in the last heat to earn the applause of the big crowd. 19W Noel Bewley was unlucky to miss out while 52B Regan O'Brien paid the price for a poor first heat to dip out when looking good in heats two & three. Qualifiers: 3NZP Peter Rees, 247W Jason Severn, 39R Douglas Stanaway, 79S Shane Hurliman, 34P Robert Mason.

Blue Group
A number of favoured combinations were to fall on hard times in this group with the likes of 92G Brett Lloyd, 52W Paul Fairbrother, 28E Ralph Gillespie and 622 W Carl Vanderwiel all having bad luck to damage their nights. 17W Jonas England was flying in the front of the first heat only to be spun by 557P Darrel Wallace with two laps to go & taking a huge shunt that left his wheel guard dragging on the ground. There were some real flyers through in this group though although 31V Daniel Matthews was a name that would have escaped most pundits picks. Qualifiers: 2NZW Dale Robertson, 31V Daniel Matthews, 81R Damian Orr, 5P Brett Hyslop, 557P Darrel Wallace.

Purple Group
With the likes of 94R Shaun Stewart, 6W Paul Gaskin & 26W John Gray all having terrible starts to the meeting the way opened up for some new names to emerge from the smallest group of the night. Palmerston North youngsters 10P Josh Prentice and 581P Jordan Dare made the most of their Ministock experience on the track to qualify strongly. 77E Tim Alexander gave the southerners something to cheer about while a couple of old stagers in 81H Rod Smythe & 27P Ken Meehan soldiered through. 45S Daniel Reade was on target for the perfect start when the motor gave way with two laps to run. 99H Mark Powell endeared himself to the crowd with a perfectly executed roll by himself. Youngster 82V Shonn Black had cursed luck when looking good to qualify when picking up a puncture early in heat three. Qualifiers: 10P Josh Prentice, 77E Tim Alexander, 581P Jordan Dare, 81H Rod Smythe, 27P Ken Meehan.

Silver Group
46V Allen Levien had a night to forget as he couldn't turn a trick. 95R Dale Stewart looked super impressive in taking the 1st heat to then fade in the 3rd stanza to miss out on the chance to snare the major prize. 98V Gerry Linklater looked the goods in the group although a last lap scare in the 3rd heat would've been a wake up call. 24W Scott McIntosh looked comfortable in the Josh Kahui tank to easily qualify. 31P Gary Davis was another to have night to forget while 29M Ryan Hunt couldn't quite finish the night off either. With only 13 points separating 1st to 11th it was the tightest group on the night. Qualifiers: 98V Gerry Linklater, 517S Mark Woods, 24W Scott McIntosh, 7W Shane Davis, 686S Chris Flett.

Gold Group
The last race in this group proved to be a real see-saw as fortunes changed constantly. 17B Aaron Iremonger was the big loser as he got nailed in the last lap when leading, thus costing him the chance of qualifying. 89V Blair Lockett was also running in the points only to lose track position in the wrong time. 11W Darren Gray had a night to forget when stuck on the wall by 32P George Frear in the 1st heat then spun in the 2nd. 97P Graeme Ward also had the misfortune to get cast on 42P Jamie Baguley and then lose a wheel in the 2nd heat. 98R Mark Costello struck trouble in the last when looking for a comfortable qualifying spot. 15P Rob Miers again showed his class in qualifying while 58V Paul Ellis had a night to remember in qualifying with consistent results even when his car was smoking badly. Qualifiers: 15P Rob Miers, 78B Andrew Powell, 58V Paul Ellis, 18V Tony James, 107C Colin Cameron.

And so to the finals where the finals grid will have track represented as follows:-

Palmerston North - 8.
Wellington - 6.
Wanganui - 4.
Stratford - 4.
Rotorua - 2.
Huntly - 2.
Baypark - 1.
Hawkes Bay - 1.
Blenheim - 1.
Christchurch -1.