Kihikihi Kings: On a march to the throne
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.
This year’s titles have been spread far and wide, with the Canterbury Glen Eagles winning the highly coveted New Zealand Superstock Teams Championship in Palmerston North, the Auckland Allstars recently taking the Teams Invitation in Huntly and the Kihikihi Kings emerging victorious at Waikaraka Park in the Teams Nationals in the weeks prior.
With the likes of the Panthers, Hawkeyes, Scrappers and Busters having been through varying periods of success, each to their own, the new age is bringing about the emergence of some immense talent and some absolutely stacked line-ups.
Undoubtedly, the Kihikihi Kings are one of those teams, fronted by influential manager Euan Means who has tapped into a driver market of varying levels of expertise, positioning the team in a manner that makes them hard to overlook for any forthcoming competition.
Next to Means’ side is experienced campaigner Mitch Vickery, no stranger to the sport, having achieved success in recent years with accolades, including Stockcar 3NZ in 2020 and Superstock 3NZ just a year later.
Asher Rees is another campaigner who needs no introduction, the current 1NZ paving his own legacy in the sport despite coming from a family who could all be labelled greats in their own right. While Rees’s successes have predominantly come in solo racing, his prowess in teams racing this year should be something of concern for competitors nationwide.
“I think the best he’s ever teams raced was this year at Waikaraka Park and then again in Huntly,” says Means.
“In terms of individual racing, and I’ve said this for a while, I don’t think there’s ever been anyone close to Asher Rees.
“For teams racing, it’s good to have the 1NZ in there. I think he’s come of age this year. I think the best I’ve ever seen him was in Auckland. Sometimes having someone like Asher is detrimental to having in your team environment because he’s such an attraction.
“He attracts a lot of attention on the track, which makes it a little bit easier for guys like Mitch, who in his own right is an exceptional team racer and could easily make any team in the country.”
While the Kings’ raw pace and running abilities are often at the forefront of the display, there’s also a significant amount of work going on further back, with veteran Gavin Taniwha leading a defensive line-up capable of challenging any of the country’s top runners.
“Going out, I think the pressure and the targeting are on Asher, but by the same token, in our team at the moment, you’ve got to look at Gavin Taniwha as the best teams racer in the country, and that was identified ages ago,” Means continues. “You’ve got to have a good block man to win races.
“I think Gavin has proven that to a lot of people who have been sitting there watching what he can do with their mouths hanging open, to be honest, because in Auckland Gav’s car was under development. It was a development car when we raced it at Palmy with a BMW motor.
“It was the first race it had ever had. It went well, but we weren’t happy with some of the stuff it was doing, so we quickly changed that out and it wasn’t available for Waikaraka.
“You can pretty much chuck Gav in any car; he goes out there and performs like a champion.”
Coming from humble beginnings, Taniwha attributes his successes to those who have helped him along the way, including none other than Peter Rees.
“I was doing adult Mini Stocks and was sharing a car with my son Chev, and that’s how I got into the sport,” says Taniwha. “Peter Rees must have taken a little notice and gave me a drive of his car when he had a sit-out period.
“Because of Peter Rees, for some reason, he gave me a drive of one of the top Stockcars back in the day, and he’d been knocked out, or something like that, in one of the teams races, so he offered me a drive, and I raced that car for about three meetings.
“He must have seen something he liked in me, and he acquired the old track car that Peter Bengston used to race as a Superstock, and we got that as a roller and put a standard Holden V6 in it and went racing from there.
“We made the Steelers in the first season and won in Huntly. Then we won the New Zealand Stockcar Teams championship down in Wellington.
“That’s how the teams racing side of things started, and then it progressed from there, really.”
Following multiple moves over his decorated career, Taniwha announced his retirement from the sport in 2017, when a regular spot was hard to come by in the stacked Gisborne Giants.
“Form-wise, I’ve always said to myself, if I’m no longer in the starting line-up, then the writings on the wall,” he stated in that announcement.
Despite retiring, Taniwha continued to make cameo appearances around the country, often with son Chev who was also making a splash in the scene. It was an incident involving Chev, Taniwha says, that almost made him give up the sport for good.
“I happened to be given a drive with the old track car and was teams racing up in Auckland with my son, Chev,” he says. “He broke his neck in a teams race up there, which was really traumatic.
“I basically didn’t want anything to do with Speedway after that, and stayed away from the place for a season and a half and gave away all my trophies and ribbons and everything.”
The brutal nature of the sport was something Taniwha had also cited in his retirement announcement, saying, “The head knocks in teams racing is a concern; there have been times I have come off the track and couldn’t remember what happened or where my trailer was parked. You only get one brain; mine was already rather limited, lol.”
Ultimately, the Kings got Taniwha back into the car, a welcome addition who has done wonders in his time onboard.
“Euan and Mitch Vickery brought me back into the fold, so I’ve got a lot to thank them for. Those two were the instigators,” he says.
Of course, three people don’t make a team, with Vickery, Rees, and Taniwha joined by the more-than-capable Shane Mellsop, a decorated racer who has racked up an impressive record over a career that has spanned many years.
Having all four of these drivers on track at once, Means says, would put the Kings in the running for any championship. That’s something easier said than done, however.
“All teams have their luck and have been unlucky,” said Means, “but we’ve never really had a final where we’ve had our top four on the paddock at once, and that’s been like that for three or four years, with the likes of babies, or illness, or whatever. So if we could field Mitch, Asher, Gav and Shane, for example, all on the paddock at once, we probably would have had a few more titles, to be fair, in the last four years.
“The Palmy Teams is something every team wants to win, and I feel that if we can turn up with Asher, Mitch and Gav all on there at the same time, it’ll be a different story from what it has been in the past.”
Taniwha shares these sentiments, pointing out occasions where a complete line-up could have painted a different picture this year.
“We lost Asher in the Palmy Teams against Christchurch, and we lost a few numbers, but then we were unfortunate with Roigard rolling himself over; it’s just a bit of a luck thing, it just didn’t swing our way, which it could have. If Roigard stayed up and Asher wasn’t taken out. I was the last one running. It’s pretty hard to block for a team when you’ve got no runners left.”
“Of this season, I think Asher at Waikaraka was outstanding. I missed Huntly because I was shifting house that weekend. But then I heard Mitch Vickery came out of a cold because he’s pretty much sat out this season, but he was outstanding as well.”
The Kings finished third in Huntly this year, losing to the Allstars in the semi-finals.
The rotating line-ups have produced an unseen benefit, however, with a range of younger talent presented with opportunities to perform at the top level, given the absence of one or more of the stars.
The likes of Stefan Roigard, Matt Picard, Matt Nielsen, and Dion Henderson have all had hit outs this year, capitalising on the opportunity to impress while surrounding themselves with the wealth of talent present in the King’s stalwarts.
“You’ve got to try and fold them over,” says Means, discussing the succession planning in place in the team. “That’s what we’re trying to do at Huntly by giving Dion Henderson a run because we’ve got the Kings Stockcar team, which is a feeder to the Superstock team, so many of those guys are keen on getting through to Superstock and moving on.
“We have to, obviously,” he continues. “You can go out and search for drivers, and we do get approached every year from a few drivers who say, ‘Hey, look, we’re coming’, but I think they come with the intention that they’re going to get in the team straight away, and it’s not the case. You’ve got to earn your place.
“Everyone’s welcome at Kihikihi, 100 per cent. It’s just that for the Superstock team, you’ve got to put your hand up and prove your goods before you get a spot. For those guys that are racing there now, if they go off the boil, there are enough drivers there to put a little bit of heat on them to make sure they’re meeting the requirements from a teams point of view.”
The value of the youth is also identified by Taniwha, who recognises the importance they have in the future of the Kings, but also how important the experience of the veterans plays a part.
“It’s very important [to have a mix]. In some teams, like the Rotorua Rebels, there was a bit of youth, but you need a couple of older heads in there,” he says.
“I think you do need a bit of a mixture. I think I offer a bit of calmness. I don’t say a lot, and I’m pretty relaxed before a meeting. I’ll quite happily have a snooze or stretch out before we hit the track.”
“He gives it 110 per cent; that’s all you can ask,” he says about Rees. “It’s just down to us new guys to hold the team together. We’ve got the young blood in Picard, Nielson and Roigard to fill those voids and perform.
“Obviously, I get a kick in the arse if I don’t perform.”
The experience of Rees, Taniwha and Vickery is a fundamental asset in this regard, with Picard recognising their influence as a significant benefit to have on hand when he made his debut at Waikaraka Park last month.
“To have Asher, he’s been there and done it back-to-back,” says Picard. “He’s one of the best to be doing it. In those team meetings, Euan’s the manager, but Asher acts like one. He’s got the knowledge, as does Mitch Vickery. You can’t learn from any better people.
“I probably wouldn’t want to do it learning off anyone else. I’m in unreal hands. They’re such good talkers, and they can teach it well. You try to learn from some people, and they don’t really teach you that well, but they’re really good at it.
“Gav’s done that many teams races for that many different teams; he could tell you about different environments and how good it is in the Kings’ environment. He could just about fall asleep before a teams race; he’s done that many.”
Since their return from an extended hiatus, the Kings have two major awards to show for, the first being the Huntly Invitation last year, followed most recently by their victory at Waikaraka Park, which proved the first was no fluke.
However, Taniwha admits luck was on their side at that event when Ethan Rees was looking likely for Gisborne in the final.
“I think at Waikaraka, we were very lucky,” he says. “I don’t think we should overlook the fact that I didn’t see Ethan coming at 100 mph behind me when he snotted me, and that stuffed his battery up, which basically put his car on limp mode, as far as I know. We were really lucky. If that didn’t happen, they would have won easily, and we’d be talking a different story.
“There was a bit more luck, too, because in Auckland Asher could have quite easily landed on his backside with the car not going, but it worked out,” he continues, referencing the superb rollover Rees executed on Gary Lonergan in their second race, which almost also tipped the 1NZ.
Despite their successes, one major trophy escapes the team, with the New Zealand Teams Championship a noticeable blip on the record.
The preparation towards a tilt at that next season has already begun, with the team and drivers using the long off-season as a chance to gear up for the charge.
“We’ve probably been a little bit slack the last couple of years with organisation compared to what we used to be, off the track. Now we’re just looking to regroup, get some new sponsors and get organised,” Means states.
“The hard work starts now, the preparation for next season. A few of the boys are getting new cars, and we’ve highlighted some areas that need to be improved. One of those areas is the gear. If you come up against teams like Gisborne, regardless of how good they are individually, you’ve still got to race as a team. When you look at how good some of their gear is, though, you’re on the back foot; you don’t have that top-of-the-line stuff to roll out with.
“That’s our plan moving forward to ensure these boys have gear up to standard.
“We’ll do a season review in June and have a recap on who’s keen to keep going and carrying it on, which I think most of them are ready to go again.”
Taniwha admits he’s one of those sticking around, preparing for another campaign on the dirt.
“I sort of have to because Euan owns my car,” he laughs. “A lot of it is dependent on himself. If he decides that’s it, then unless someone else gets me a car, I don’t have the budget or funds to own a car myself.
“I appreciate what Euan and Jo Means have done for me. I couldn’t see why I couldn’t continue because I’d just moved house. I’m out in the country now, so it’s certainly a more user-friendly place to have a Stockcar, but I was smack in the middle of Palmy before, with seven different neighbours.
“So now I’ve got that sorted out, I’ve got the space and have a new shed going up. Healthwise, I’m in as good knick as I’ve ever been. I just need to sort my eyesight out a little; it’s starting to catch up with me”
Means also admits he’s hanging around, determined to deliver the club some more silverware.
“It’s a good club; they’re really supportive, so at this stage, there’s not much chance of me doing anything else.”
While not directly commenting on Rees’s future, he does recognise the rumour mill is always turning when it comes to such a calibre of a competitor, somewhat mimicking football’s transfer window deadline day.
“Every year people say Asher’s leaving, just for the sake of it, but this is probably the longest he’s been at a club.”
Picard recognises that joining a successful team has been beneficial towards his development, something which will continue to appeal to the stars of the future and anyone looking to join the club.
“I’m sticking it out with Kihikihi next year. Euan’s given me more opportunities to keep me there and give me more teams racing,” he says. “All I want to do is keep teams racing. I love it.
“When I was in Stratford, I was in the Scrappers, I was named in the wider squad at the start of the season two years ago, but that’s nothing compared to this.
“From doing the team talks before and after the race to discuss how we went, with all the atmosphere that’s around is pretty big, and trying to learn off that is really important.
“Those team talks are just so brutal, and you didn’t think they’d be like that. You’ve got to take in everything. If you get told something like, ‘You’ve got to do four laps, and I want to see where you’re at, if you’re going to be running or blocking’.
“All that knowledge can come in, but it won’t pay off on the track if it comes in one ear and goes out the other. Being in an environment like that is such a good environment.
“Moving forward with the Kings and me, the more teams races I get, the better I’ll get. The goal is going to Palmy. That’s a dream I want to do, and that’s my main goal to get there, but the more teams races I get, the better,” he continues.
“I’m watching millions and millions of videos during the week on how I can get better and asking how I can get better.
“Also, with my car, we went up to Auckland with it, and there were a couple of things we didn’t bring because we didn’t know we had to bring them, like spares and those little bits and pieces. Now we know.”
It should be seen that a significant number of stakeholders have contributed towards the revival of the Kings, with mechanics and sponsors alike having positioned the team in a manner that makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Means identifies the relationship with the Kihikihi Stockcar team as pivotal for the Superstocks, with their crews able to ensure that off-track activities remain harmonious with that on-track.
“With the connection with the Stockcar team, obviously, when the Stockcar team’s racing, the majority of our crew will go and help them, and vice-versa,” the manager states.
“That’s been a really good part of joining the Stockcar to the Superstock team because we get the likes of Dion Henderson, his dad and a few of their friends. There are always a couple of trucks with welding gear.
“We’re very fortunate with what we can do between a race. Apart from blowing a motor up, there’s no way we wouldn’t get a car out, let’s put it that way. We’re probably one of the better-equipped teams between races, and that is super, super important nowadays, especially because the race programs hardly ever go to plan.
“Sometimes you don’t have much time to get back out and get your gear sorted. I would say half of the strength around the Kings is the ability to be able to repair in between races.”
There are also the sponsors, crucial contributors who, quite frankly, without, the team wouldn’t exist. Investors from near and far have provided valuable input to the Kings, none more so than AP Group, who have been naming rights sponsors since the team’s re-birth.
“The AP Group have been there from the start, but this was their last year, so we were on the hunt for a naming rights sponsor,” says Means.
“I can tell you now that we’ve got Rawson Plumbing from Te Awamutu, so it’s good to have a local company that’s connected to the Kings that have been with us since year two. Now they’re standing up to become the naming rights sponsor.
“The connection with The Cobb has also always been very important. The most expensive trip we do is the one to Palmy, with accommodation, food, and everything else, so The Cobb is essential to the team as one of the big sponsors. They’ve been with us since about Year 2 and are continuing on.
“Obviously, there’s a real connection with Speedway Garage as well, but there’s a lot of little sponsors in there that help immensely. Every single one is really important.”
With the 2022/23 season not long done but the 2023/24 season just around the corner, it’s hard to overlook the Kihikihi Kings as a genuine contender for some much-deserved success.
A well-balanced synergy between blockers and runners alike paints a picture of promise for the years ahead for the Kihikihi Kings, with a varying degree of racers based on experience and roles set to head to war as soon as the days get longer and warmer and the rain (hopefully) goes away.
Standing in their way, however, remain title-contending teams from across the country, each deserving of their own silverware and feature article in this magazine.
While winter has only just begun, summer can’t come soon enough for the Kihikihi faithful.
Allstars the Star of the Show at Huntly
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.
This event should have been done and dusted six months earlier, but heavy rain forced the original mid-November timeslot to move to early March, only for the rescheduled NZ Superstocks to take that spot. This meant that May 6 was the only possible date for Huntly, which was far from ideal at the end of the season.
While the likes of Rotorua, Stratford and Palmerston North have had their fill of teams racing, a cobbled-together Waikato Wanderers and the debut of the Gisborne development teams joined the Kihikihi Kings, Auckland Allstars and Baypark Busters to make for a six-team event, two down on what is usually seen but still a respectable number this late in the year.
Going into the week leading into the event, there was considerable doubt that it would run with a dire-sounding weather forecast. Thankfully, come race day, the skies, while laden and overcast, stayed dry save for some drizzle early on.
The sketchy weather did put off a few punters as the crowd, which, while still moderately large, was down somewhat on the full house this event usually attracts. This was a bit of a surprise given the postponement of Kihikihi’s closing meeting, also planned for this evening which should have seen a few extra fans through the gate.
Opening the first round of racing was the Gisborne Development against the local Waikato Wanderers, which, with several imports, were almost local in name only. They did have experience on their side, however, which gave the home crowd some hope.
Gisborne Development, while virgins in teams combat, have proven their worth in individual prowess, and this showed as Waikato were lambs to the slaughter for these young lions who scored an easy 1-2-3, making several big hits along the way to book the first spot in the semi-finals.
Next to race was the defending- champion Kihikihi Kings, up against the Baypark Busters, the former seeing Mitch Vickery back in action after his injury at Rotorua in November. Todd Hemingway led for Baypark on flag fall, but the Kings soon were in front. However, with debutant Dion Henderson out of action very quickly, Kihikihi looked vulnerable as Baypark kept them honest.
Had Asher Rees, who was brilliantly shepherding race leader Vickery on his way to victory, been blocked, Kihikihi would have been in real trouble.
The final bout in the opening round was the Auckland Allstars and Gisborne Giants. Gisborne quickly established the early advantage as the Aucklanders got caught out by a slippery outside groove, delaying the rapid Cody Mckee when he was poised to take the fight to the Giants. A late rally by the Aucklanders saw early leader Ethan Rees lose a massive two-lap advantage over Mckee, who took the front after a stoppage with just half a lap to go to claim an impressive come-from-behind win.
At this point, it seemed hard to believe that after such a strong drive, Gisborne would be racing for the wooden spoon against Waikato, with Baypark only just ahead on points. However, there was a little sting in the tail as Allstar Craig Chatfield was excluded from fourth, promoting Giant Tim Ross into fifth, providing enough points to vault the Giants narrowly back into the semis.
The Kings and Allstars faced off in their first semi, an exciting prospect given their close battle at Waikaraka Park two weeks earlier. The Kings again put Vickery into the lead, but when Henderson was punted hard into the Turn 1 concrete by Randall Tarrant, ending a difficult night, they were again looking vulnerable.
Despite the early setback, Asher Rees ran shotgun again for Vickery, and they were looking good. In block mode all race, Tarrant took Stefan Roigard to the wall, rendering him almost immobile after half distance, suddenly putting the Kings in real trouble.
Tarrant then proceeded to put Rees to the infield just as the reds came out for some debris on the track; the instigator also taken out of the equation with a broken wheel guard. His sacrifice paid dividends as Chatfield blocked Vickery off the restart with two laps to run, going onto the wet grass and preventing a quick re-join.
With Rees having to restart from a muddy area just beyond the pole line, it allowed Tyler Walker to hit the front and claim victory in his debut as a super-sub, and just like that, Auckland were through to the final of a major event for the first time in yonks.
The second semi-final was a local derby between the Giants and the Gisborne development squad, and the Giant’s superior experience showed, Ethan Rees scoring an easy win to put the Giants to the final, up against the Allstars for the second time of the night.
Gisborne Development, however, showed signs that they could progress with more experience as Sam Hughes and Brodie James double-teamed Peter Rees to put him out of the running. They were unfortunately caught out by the wet infield, which kept James from taking the fight to Ethan Rees while in a close second in the early laps.
The battle for 5th and 6th between Baypark and Waikato saw the first real aggression from Waikato, with Logan Nicholson-Mabey leading for a lap and Allen Dunn tipping over Dylan Towler, but Ross Ashby’s blocking quickly put Baypark back in front to score an easy win for Hemingway. It was a small crumb of consolation after missing the semis by a steward’s call they had no control over.
It was also one-way traffic in the race for third between Kihikihi and Gisborne Development, the Kings keen to atone for their loss to Auckland when success was close at hand.
After Gisborne led the opening lap, the Kings lived up to their name to maintain their 100% record of finishing on the podium in every edition of this event.
It is rare to see two sides that clashed earlier in the night back for another encounter in the final, but this was the case when the Giants and Allstars met again in the decider.
Peter Rees got to the front for Gisborne and led in grand style, with the Giants appearing to be in control just before half-race distance, only for the Allstars to make some well-timed blocks on the leader with seven of twelve laps completed. A key block on Peter Rees from Walker was made, which propelled McKee into the lead. Excellent attacking from Auckland put pay to any Gisborne counterattack, the Allstars emerging as well-deserved and popular winners.
It has been a long time between drinks for the Allstars, who struggled for much of the 2000s and up to the early 2010s to stay alive, let alone be competitive. The emergence of Mckee in 2020, together with the skills of seasoned campaigners Gary Lonergan, the retiring Jamie Ferguson, and, more recently, the addition of Randal Tarrant, has energised the Allstars over these past three campaigns.
Those fans that never lost faith in Auckland through the lean times have had their perseverance pay off in a big way.
Also on the programme was the Cooke Roofing Waikato T.Q. title. Victory in the 15-strong field in the winner-take- all final going to 2NZ Kayden Barker, ahead of Regan Tyler and 1NZ Aaron Humble. The stockcars also put on some good action, along with F2 Midgets and Production Saloons in a supporting role.
It brings an end to a season that promised so much for Huntly with three major NZ titles in addition to their own big attractions but ultimately was severely disrupted and ruminated by a terrible run of wet weather.
The fine racing seen at the Teams Invitation would have eased some of the pain, and after such a trying year, going into the off-season on a more cheerful note hints of better times ahead come springtime.
Kings coronated at Superstock Teams Nationals
The Kihikihi Kings added their name to the illustrious list of Superstock Teams Nationals winners on an overcast Sunday afternoon in Auckland in late April.
The great Kiwi summer of precipitation put paid to Saturday night festivities, and it was a pleasant surprise to see a reasonable crowd file through the gates in what is typically an abysmal market for Sunday afternoon speedway. A turnout of six teams for the highlight of the Waikaraka Park calendar was decent, given that regular attendees Waikato and Rotorua could not make the start line this year.
The line-up had a quality look to it. The Gisborne Giants were minus Josh Prentice but looked the team to beat on paper. Defending champions, the Palmerston North Panthers were not at their strongest but still looked capable of a repeat. Auckland All-Stars had a well-balanced team, and the Baypark Busters would look to former winners Kerry Remnant and Ross Ashby to guide the team to another title. Wanganui Warriors rounded out the field, a team capable of landing an upset.
It would be the Kings who prevailed after two come-from-behind victories. A win against Wanganui first up proved easy enough, a one-two finish securing good points to set them up for the final. However, their next matchup against the home team could not have been more of a contrast, with Auckland looking to target Asher Rees, putting the Kings on the back foot. Gary Lonergan once again proved to be a nemesis for the New Zealand champion in a blocking role.
Rees relented, executing a successful rollover on Lonergan at one stage during the crash, pointing his front bumper to the sky as the 1NZ threatened to lift off. Even that was not enough to send Lonergan to the infield, the local stalwart landing on his wheels and able to continue following the mandatory roll cage check.
All the while, Cody McKee led for the All Stars and took the white flag. With Auckland about to take the win, McKee slowed down the back straight. He found pace again into the final turn, just in time to be drilled by Kings blockman Shane Mellsop. With McKee pointing in the wrong direction, Rees swung by to steal the win and send the Kings into the final.
That come-from-behind effort would be supplanted by an almost impossible turnaround in the final. The Giants were so far in front that the engraver could have been excused for being halfway through adding the word Gisborne on the trophy. Ethan Rees was a full lap in front of the field, with Peter Rees running second, the Giants commanding the first two running spots.
The Kings blocking had been energetic but a touch ineffective. To their credit, they never gave up and managed to turn the tables as a result. Gavin Taniwha got himself in front of Ethan Rees again, only to get absolutely drilled, resulting in Ethan Rees losing power in the incident.
Peter decided the best course of action was to push Ethan around the track, which would have been a good idea had the race been over 12 laps, but the final was over 15 laps, and the strategy quickly came undone as son Asher Rees flew around the track for the lead.
As Asher passed for the lead, Peter Rees abandoned his pushing of Ethan Rees and set chase.
Unfortunately for the Giants, the remaining combatants were primarily out of the race, allowing Asher to win the race for the Kings once again.
For all his achievements in the sport, Asher’s career record at the Superstock Teams Nationals is poor, this representing the first time he lifted the trophy. Despite finishing second, the Giants kept an impressive podium streak intact, now stretching to 7 straight Teams Nationals.
The battle for third was no less entertaining.
The All-Stars and Panthers had met in the opening encounter on a wet track. Both teams agreed to race despite questionable track conditions and put on quite the race. Auckland lost Hayden Hart up the back straight wall after he and Cody Mckee went for the same Panthers driver at the same time. Gary Lonergan would join Hart on the infield after being on the receiving end of an epic barrel roll. David Lowe failed to make the distance for the Panthers, driven hard into the pit bend wall. An inspired performance from Rebecca Barr led the Panthers to victory.
The return matchup would be a different story. Auckland blocker Jamie Fergusson rolled Jordan Dare entering Cemetery Bend, seeing Fergusson sent to the infield for attacking off the grass. A disgruntled Fergusson would cop a second infringement for compromising safety by the way he drove into the infield. An inglorious exit from the Teams Nationals for the Auckland stalwart, who stated he plans to retire from racing at the end of this season.
In his extended teams racing career, the number of times Fergusson has run for the flag could be counted on one hand. There was little guesswork required from the opposition as to what role he would assume in teams racing. He’s always committed to the cause, and if you’re crewing for Fergusson at a team’s racing event, you’re likely to have a busy evening ahead. His intelligent approach to blocking would be an asset to any team. A future tactical role off the track would be a great fit.
Even without their lynchpin blocker, Auckland looked good and duly took third-place spoils when Hayden Hart took the checkered flag.
Though not making the final round, both Baypark and Wanganui could take positives from the event. Dylan Marshall is a driver you can build a team around, and if the Warriors can find some more balance in their line-up, they will make strides forward. Zane Dykstra also stood out, and if they could find a top-level block man to complement what they already have, the Warriors could be a force.
Baypark endured a tough opening matchup against the Giants. They were all at sea in the opening stages, and it did not improve from there. The second time around they were much better against the Panthers despite Seth McConchie being stranded on the start grid for the entire race.
All five Warriors appeared for the consolation race when they could have been forgiven for making an early start on the long trip home. The Warriors were rewarded when they recorded a one-two finish in the traditional all-in $2,000-to-win race at the night’s end.
In other action on the night, Luke Brown took out the Auckland Modified title from Newton Gordge and national champion Brad Lane. However, fans will probably remember the race for the epic demise of Jamie Fox.
Lapped traffic became a factor through the latter stages, and as a group of lead lap cars approached a group of lappers, the situation had trouble written all over it. Fox would clip a lapped car, dumping his ride hard in the turn three safety fence.
June 2023: Welcome
I’d love to thank our subscribers and followers for their readership and kind messages of support and praise over the month. It really is a motivator to hear how well the content from our fist issue has been received.
Before we get into it this month, I’d like to issue an apology for a couple of delays. Our last issue was on time to print and our distributors but was unfortunately delayed in making it to the end user, by the vagaries of NZ Post.
This month, we are slightly behind schedule, largely due to an untimely dose of Covid which hit me hard over the days before the deadline.
I’d would like to commend Allan Batt for his contribution this month; ‘When God Raced in Paradise”, an in-depth piece of writing reviewing the great AJ Foyt’s visits to New Zealand. As you’re aware, we’re still new to this gig and this was a welcome addition through educating us with some history.
There’s a lot of love for the Superstocks in this issue following teams competitions at Waikaraka Park and Huntly since we last went to print. It’s only fitting our feature focuses on one of those teams, the Kihikihi Kings. It’s been awesome to chat with Euan Means, Matthew Picard and the great Gav Taniwha for this article, and I thank them for their time. I hope I’ve done your team justice.
We’ve also included an opinion piece from Jody Scott discussing the NZ title rotation system, which we took to Speedway NZ to get a response. Their reply is on the pages following his piece.
I’d also like to take the time to emphasise the points made by Speedway New Zealand President Ricky Boulton in the middle of the magazine.
