Pressure on Pickens for repeat

The pressure will be on Auckland midget car ace Michael Pickens tomorrow night to repeat his remarkable drive at Arena Manawatu last year.

What shapes as a great night of racing will be headed by Pickens and a classy field of about 20 of the country's top midget drivers in the first round of the Samsung $130,000 national series.

The appearance of Shane Penn and his new Hartley Nissan Hampton tri-rail will also add a lot of interest to the Manawatu Superstock Championships in the night's other major event.

But who will forget the drive of Pickens in last year's 25-lap feature at the Robertson Holden Speedway?

With all the country's top racing, Pickens came from the back of the field and was heading for the lead when he was returned to the back after being involved in a crash.

But from the restart, Pickens had the fans on their feet as he ripped around the outside with ease, hitting the front and clearing away for an amazing win to a standing ovation.

Pickens said afterwards he was surprised at how he'd managed to come from last to first and that it was one of his best drives.

While all eyes will be on Pickens, the country's best midget drivers will be keen to stop him. National No2 Brad Mosen, with a new Hawk Chevrolet engine, and team-mate Carl Worboys, are sure to challenge.

Lance Beale will head the HLR team along with Hayden Williams. An interesting starter will be Porsche GT3 Cup racer Jody Vincent, while former national champion Matt Thompson is on the comeback trail.

Others in the field include former multiple national champion Michael Kendall, who has previously won at Arena Manawatu, as well as top-performing Shaun Insley and former minisprint star Brian Edwards.

Meanwhile, there is interest aplenty in the debut of Penn's new rocket ship, which he has kept under wraps. And with his undoubted driving skill, he is sure to be a frontrunner for the Manawatu superstock title even first time out in the car.

Champion and points leader Peter Rees has been in great form this season and will again be the driver to beat, but with a quality field of more than 20 drivers there are plenty capable of winning.

Wayne Hemi, who despite being a part of the Palmerston North Panthers, twice national champion and winner of every other major national event, has never won the Manawatu title. Although now living on the Gold Coast, Hemi has been back racing on Arena Manawatu Oval for the last three weeks.

Wayne Norris, who won the Placemakers, Kev Smith, Graeme Barr and Andy McCabe have all been quick this season, as has former standardstock driver Bevan Humphrey.

It's hoped Palmerston North-contracted, Stratford-domiciled brothers Scott and Simon Joblin have their cars ready.

Hawke's Bay's Joe Faram has shown his Hampton tri-rail car, said to be worth more than $150,000, is sure to be close to the front in a championship where visiting drivers usually end up being put up the wall.

- © Fairfax NZ News