Another speedway season has come and gone at Aotea Electric Riverside Speedway, which hosted its final meet of the season in front of an eager crowd of patient fans.

A rescheduled season finish at Southern Bolts & Fasteners Oreti Park Speedway saw the Southland club as the last of the lower South Island Tracks to run a meeting this season; a balmy autumns day is greeting competitors and fans alike.

How many people can say that at age 80, they have had a go in solos and raced an ex-Peter Woods Saloon car, all while continuing to run their own business in addition to working as a tutor at the local polytechnic?

For the last few years, it’s been a Changing of the Guard, for me, so to speak, from the tarmac to the clay.

The McDonald’s Kihikihi Speedway’s April 29 fixture was initially planned to be their closing night until a dire run of washouts saw the season extended to the following week. Rain that night also saw the meet washed out, save for the demolition derby, meaning the April 29 meeting did indeed round out the season.

Here’s a question for your next Quiz Night; who is the only Whanganui driver to have stood on the top step of the podium at Bathurst?

With controversy appearing to surround the title rotation system, we took some questions to Speedway New Zealand President Ricky Boulton to see what he had to say.

The “Rotation System” is in desperate need of a good oil and grease with a few cogs needing to be replaced to make the system functional. The amount of ineligible tracks across several grades speaks volumes that the criteria are in need of a tweak or two.

There’s no doubt that Speedway in New Zealand continues to thrive in today’s environment, having survived recessions, pandemics, logistical issues, and weather-related disasters since it’s inception.

In many ways, the racing appearances of legendary American racer AJ Foyt in New Zealand signalled the undeniable possibilities that were sitting waiting for midget car racing in New Zealand. Still, it’s a piece of history rapidly slipping into the sport’s folklore.

Despite this season having just wrapped up, eyes are already looking forward to the next season of Superstock teams racing, which shapes up to be one of the most competitive campaigns in years gone by.

For the last three seasons the Auckland Allstars have been on the verge of real success, with a number of solid efforts having landed just short. After knocking on the door so often, they finally scored a long-elusive victory by winning the Pollock Cranes Superstock Invitation at Huntly International Speedway’s final night on May 6.