Hot favourite Chris Cowling of Mount Maunganui won the inaugural Mag & Tyre Warehouse Hastings-sponsored City of Napier Super Saloon Classic at Meeanee on Saturday night.

The 1NZ for the past two seasons, Cowling, pipped his brother, former 1NZ Steve Cowling, in a thrilling 20-lap feature to capture the first prize of $1000.

"It's exciting to get the win after a hard night's racing like that," Cowling told the crowd after the 15-car event.

"You don't know if you are going to get snookered after those double file re-starts but they give everyone a chance and it was good fun," Cowling explained.

He was referring to the fact there was a double file re-start after a caution on lap 12.

"I opted for the inside grid after winning the Top Six Dash and it paid off," Cowling added.

Wellingtonian Mark Pitcher did well to finish third in the feature from grid nine. Thomas Stanaway did the best of the Hawke's Bay starters with a fourth placing from grid 10.

"This was an awesome meeting and hopefully this event continues to grow into something huge," Stanaway told the crowd.

The Penn Masonry Ltd Ministocks at Meeanee Boy/Girl Challenge attracted 46 boys and 23 girls from throughout the North Island.

Palmerston North's Ashton Dorn was the top performer on the night. Dorn finished ahead of Gisborne's Koby Gooch and Palmy's Harrison Cheetham.

The top 13 boys and top 13 girls qualified for the 12-lap feature.

Dorn secured the chequered flag, Cheetham was second and Rotorua's George Crawford third.

For the second consecutive year Palmerston North's Ella Hislop took out the Girls Challenge. She finished two points ahead of Hawke's Bay's Macy Penn and Wellingtonian Nikyah Pou finished a further point back in third place.

Wellingtonian Courtney Clayton had a spectacular roll in the Girls third heat while Gisborne's Jorja Rogers rolled in the feature. Hawke's Bay's Jaelim Dudding ended up on his roof in his second heat.

Dudding's clubmate Lachlan Timmins worked hard for his victory in the Ministock Consolation Race. Clubmate Tom Blair was second and Huntly's Blair Hume third.

Ten V6 Wingless Sprintcar drivers relished the perfect track conditions. Mount Maunganui's Roydon White took out their first 12-lap heat from Aucklanders Paul Smith and Jason Brown.

Aucklander Laurie Petersen won the second heat. Rotorua's Boyd Westbury and Mount Maunganui's Josh McClymont were second and third respectively.

Westbury was triumphant in the 15-lap feature which saw White finish second and Rotorua's Luke Westbury third.

Entertaining support class action was provided by 16 Streetstocks.

Hawke's Bay's Darren Melling won two of the heats and clubmate Brent Redington the other. Melling did well to win the third heat after clubmate Dontage Irfan had several attempts at halting his progress.

Hawke's Bay's Paul Dixon rolled in the second Streetstocks heat and still managed to cross the finish line in sixth place.

- Shane Hurndell

Article added: Monday 02 December 2024