The much vaunted new Kihikihi Speedbowl jumped into life with day two featuring the NZ Saloon Grand Prix. A pathetic crowd turned up given it was a beautiful day and the evening conditions make for ideal speedway viewing. Indeed judging by the number of crew shirts there were very few fans in attendance, I would put it at less than 500. Mind you, given the state of the embankment that was probably a good thing. In commentary we were joined by none other than Jamie McCarthy.

Unsettled would be one word. The track tore up right from the start to the extend that it wasn't ruts forming but valley's. Both ends of the track were effected and cars is all classes were being sent airbourne in all directions. The Grader was called for mid-meeting and extensive work was undertaken to get the track into a remotely raceable state. To be honest the grader was probably an hour late but to be fair had we called for it an hour earlier it may have been required more than once during the meeting. I would have to question the wisdom in running an NZ Grand Prix on the opening weekend on such a new track surface. The only positive was that it did hold moisture well considering it was day two of a two day meeting. 1/10

The new track does have some potential. It isn't what I was hoping for in terms of a lack of banking but the racing should be better than it was previously. The evening start times will be a big positive in my opinion for both track conditions and the spectator. There also appeared what looks to be a solo track on the infield. Why, I don't know. Unfortunately the track improvements don't translate into better facilities for spectators. From the main viewing area along the back straight you can't see the back straight!!

This is going to result in spectators standing right up by the fence to see the action. Then of course hundreds of people behind them wont be able to see and given the amount of piss being drunk it isn't hard to see riot #2 occuring at this facility. This place is supposed to be holding the NZ Superstock Champs next season, that's if you can see it through all the umbrella's and inconsiderate drunk patrons who stand on the bank with people behind them. This place needs to clean it's act up fast for the good of the sport. They should be playing the Guns n Roses classic "Welcome to the Jungle" when you enter the arena. Thankfully the team at Kihikihi have a year to get their act together.

These guys and girls deserve a medal for going out on the track. The preferred line was the smoother (I use that term loosely) high line right up by the wall. As usual it was the 2nz Shaun Cooke and 72k Brian Edwards show. Edwards took the lead in the opening heat only to see Cooke slide underneath him. Race two saw a quality three way battle with those two and 1nz Mark Edwards. The NZ Champion had a moment coming out of turn two and the speedsters whipped by. Cooke took the lead but this time it was Edwards who made an exciting pass to claim the victory. The no fear driving style of Edwards was well suited to the track conditions. Edwards took out heat three as half the field stayed in the pits. The light was very questionnable and I was on my way out of the arena.
Winners - 2nz Shaun Cooke, 72k Brian Edwards (2)

A field of six Superstocks gave the fans a chance to get a hot dog or use the ablusion block. 28k Grant Mytton was the class of the field in the ex Mark Decke Superstock. Next best was 878r Shane Bracken. The most excitement was before race two when 23k Rick Taylor and Mytton bumped bars before the green. That was about as good as it got. The class should have been combined with the Stockcars for the feature but wasn't.
Winners - 28k Grant Mytton (2) + maybe 1 more

The King Country Streeststocks attracted a field of 15 cars. Given the number of cars supporting Auckland the night before it was a surprise to see just one Auckland car in attendance, 45a Bill Peat. Perhaps the Aucklanders sustained some damage. The action was a little thin to be honest given it was a regional title. Race 1 saw 3nz Brendan Gooch sustain early tyre damage. 2nz Steve de Malmanche established himself as the man to beat in heat one. Others to show impressive form included 71g Frank Hartley and 88s Brett Barron.

Race two saw an early attack on de Malmanche from Hartley. Such was the speed of de Malmanche's recovery he lost all of 20 metres. 21r Blair Castleton battled it out with Barron for the lead until a spin attempt saw the two stop at right angles to each other, unable to move. De Malmanche came through the field to claim two from two. Heat three was a real fizzer. De Malmanche made up early ground. Gooch looked to be in stirring mode but drifted aimlessly around the top of the track as de Malmanche coasted to the King Country Title. The consistent 33k Karl Hart beat 88k Patrick Haden via a pass in the run-off to claim second in an all K podium.
Winners - 2nz Steve de Malmanche (2), 88k Patrick Haden

24 Stockcars from an alphabet soup of tracks came to do battle. Whilst they struggled with the nature of the track they still put on some entertaining racing. Race 1 saw 81k Craig Bolton use the back of his car as an effective block, creating all sorts of drama's. Unfortunately he would fall victim to the mound of dirt seperating the main track from the Solo track. Bolton was hung up and rolled by 6k Phillip van Weerden.

Race two featured a solid hit by 67a Nick Krisnic coming out of turn two. But the real battle was up front. 157h Jamie Marshall-Carter ran down race leader 17a Murray Kitt, giving Kitt a nice shove out the way on the last lap. Kitt had the opportunity to repay the favour but settled for second. Heat three featured a hit that will stay in the memory bank for some time. Half way through turns one and two 61h Cody Webster launched at the #34 entry, putting him up the wall and out of the race in a spectacular piece of driving. Webster then got in the way of Kitt while Marshall-Carter pinned Krisnic, allowing fellow Huntly car 218h Aaron Alderton to take a good team win.
Winners - 17a Murray Kitt, 157h Jamie Marshall-Carter, 218h Aaron Alderton

The field was split into two groups for qualifying in the fastest to the front 25 lap winner takes all NZ Saloon Grand Prix. Race 1 was rather unremarkable which was not indicative of the action to come. Nobody really went anywhere. It took 48a Phil Towgood in heat two to set the championship in motion. Towgood was all class in coming from a midfield grid past a plethora of Baypark cars to take the win. Group one heat two saw 75m Michelle Wymer top the group with a win to go with her fifth placing in heat one. 1nz Brent McClymont was driving the borrowed 91m car after suffering problems at Baypark. McClymont was not a factor in the heat races.

Towgood was all class in heat two. With other drivers trying imaginative lines through the minefield, Towgood kept in on the pole line and guided himself to victory from 21h Steve Williams. As top qualifier Towgood chose the outside. And might I say at this point in time how refreshing it was to see a promotion run a format correctly with a format appropriate for the class and the number of cars in attendance. So we were all set for the big final.
Winners - 46a Nigel Ross, 75m Michelle Wymer, 48a Phil Towgood (2)

Folks, this will go down as one of the greatest races this class has ever put on. Towgood got the jump on Wymer from the drop of the green. Going into turn one on the second lap Towgood appeared to lose speed momentarily. Wymer went into the back of him, followed by Ross and 68m Steve Cowling. The rear of the Ross machine was perched on the bonnet of the Cowling car. Folks, that's up the dukkah. Towgood was unable to continue but made sure the crowd knew his feelings by pointing at Wymer on his way off the track. Wymer restarted from the rear.

When things go underway 69m Jeff Barron grabbed the lead. Behind him Ross and 61a Roy Walker staged a multi lap duel that had to be seen to be believed. For about seven laps on a terrible surface they went side by side, Ross around the pole and Walker up high. As they were battling both were catching Barron. Lapped traffic came into consideration and the lead changed more times than I've given bad ratings to speedway meetings. Walker was infront, then Barron, then Ross would take the lead, it was mesmerising stuff.

Walker gained the upper hand and was able to put a car between himself and the chasers. 21h Steve Williams got into the back of Ross. The Aucklander spun onto the infield and out of contention. Meanwhile McClymont was hanging around sixth and Wymer had made her way through the pack despite the impossibly challenging passing conditions. Wymer gradually reeled off a few more passes. Also coming into contention was 43h Aaron Tonks who was thereabouts for the entire distance. He was able to assume second while Barron and Williams battled it out for third.

A late surge from Wymer saw her challenge Williams for third with two to go. Wymer made the move around the outside, using lapped traffic to her advantage. Sadly her amazing run came to an end as she suffered a flat right front, one of many tyre/steering problems experienced on the day. Williams hung on for third as 61a Roy Walker finally broke his duck and won a major Saloon championship.
NZ Saloon Grand Prix Winner - 61a Roy Walker

Surprisingly the officials didn't have too much to do as drivers adjusted their driving to the conditions. A couple of early second lap incidents saw total restarts when the entire field hadn't gone past the start/finish line. Both were good calls. Reds/Yellows were activated appropriately throughout. The Wymer relegation looked fair enough and the officials appeared to play a big role in the grader coming out. All in all you would have to say a top afternoon for the SNZ team. 10/10

I found myself being bizarrely entertained. I mean the Streetstocks didn't hit and the Superstocks were a waste of time. There were only two competitive Minisprints and the entire meeting was on a track more suited to a four wheel drive track. We had a big delay for track grading. There were umbrella's in the way as stupid fans with umbrella's sat halfway down the bank. There were drunk patrons getting in the way. All in all a recipe for a sub-standard meeting. Yet I found myself walking away with a smile having been entertained by some good racing, a few mishaps and a tinge of controversy. Maybe it was the novelty of a new venue but the almost 5 hours of driving to get there and back was worth it.