Sidecar speedway title earns some sideswipes at Ray Tarrant Memorial race

In a prelude to the much anticipated New Zealand title at the end of February, Jamie Moohan and Patrick Larsen took out the coveted Ray Tarrant Memorial Sidecar title at Palmerston North on Saturday night.

A classy field of 18 teams fought for the five final places and a one race final unlike the New Zealand championships that will have over 40 combinations scrapping for 16 final spots.

The title will probably decided on points over five races with every team racing each other.

Palmerston North’s 3NZ Moohan and Larsen got the jump out of the gate on favourite Mike Zachan and Ben Franklin who try as the might couldn’t get past Moohan.

Hawke’s Bay’s Justin Lincoln and Tim Beaver were well back in third place with Auckland’s national champions Dylan Moohan and Sean Mason fourth.

Earlier Zachan and Franklin had won two of their three races, but they finished second to Moohan and Mason, showing just how closely fought the New Zealand title will be.

Amongst the top teams winning the start will be crucial as it was during the AFC Motorcycles title on Saturday.

Stockcars Best Pairs title came down to a third heat battle where everyone seemed intent on taking out each other.

In the end, Stratford’s Tyler Walker and Whanganui’s Blair Reeves-Smith stayed clear of the trouble to win the title from Kyle Lampp and Jack Purcell.

Liam Metcalfe and Kyle Taylor came from well back after two heats to finish third.

With a win and a third placing, Walker was the best individual performer with team-mate Reeves-Smith 10th.

Kyle Rowe won the third heat, but unfortunately for him, was out of contention for the pairs title with team-mate James Galpin down in 30th place only finishing one race.

Kyle Taylor won the second heat but had earlier failed to finish the opening race.

The Halcrow sisters are really making a name for themselves in the Saloon car field with Danielle picking up two top four places, but her sister Ashleigh King is now clearly one of the country’s top drivers.

King picked up two wins and a second placing in the feature which was won by Hawke’s Bay’s Jeremy Browne.

Elliot Heron didn’t win a race but showed him the form that won him the national title last year with his consistent form leading him to the overall points win, with two top three finishes.

Heron’s ability to come from well back in the field proved the difference. Duane Hickman took out the feature with earlier races going to Glen McCutcheon and 2NZ Daniel Nickel.

Kihikihi’s Mitchel Fabish gave the Midget field a lesson, following a second place in the opening race with two huge wins in the following two races.

The opening race was won by Stratford’s Mark Williams with Brent Huijs, Carlos Stone and Shane Dewar picking up placings.

After finishing fourth in the first Youth Ministock race to Ashton Dorn, Kase Williams then won the next two including the feature.

Williams still finished level on points for the night with Harrison Cheetham who finished second in all here races. Dorn was third overall ahead of Jayden Clark.

If fans want to see action, next Saturday provides the best night’s racing outside the Teams’ Champs with 10 teams battling for the Stockcar Teams Invasion title but over just one night.

Each Team will race twice before a runoff for third and fourth, then the top two points scorers will race in a final.

The majority of the North Island’s track will be represented with Auckland, Waikato, Gisborne, Stratford, Napier, Whanganui and Wellington entering along with two Palmerston North Teams.