Parkes confident McCabe will add bite to Panthers

Palmerston North Panthers mentor Gary Parkes is confident newcomer Andy McCabe is the man to help keep the Panthers' unbeaten run going against the Nelson Tigers at Arena Manawatu on Saturday night.

With regular Panthers Scott Miers and Peter Bengston injured and Shane Penn not entirely happy with the seat in his new car, Parkes has been forced into two changes to his starting line-up.

McCabe – one of the most consistent drivers in recent seasons at the Robertson Holden Speedway – will be joined by Wayne Norris, while the reserve will be former Pumas' stockcar driver Bevan Humphrey.

Parkes has been particularly impressed with McCabe after watching him all season, saying he was the obvious choice to join the Panthers, who have been unbeaten at the New Zealand Teams champs in Palmerston North as well as at the Auckland Teams' Nationals.

"Andy isn't one of those drivers you notice unless you look at him – he's quite inconspicuous," Parkes said. "But if you watch him he's one of the few drivers who actually use their front bumper to create a gap for himself and he never pulls over to let others past him."

He said McCabe and Norris did not hesitate in making themselves available when asked.

"Teams racing is difficult and you really have to want to do it and both of them are really keen to impress."

The other driver Parkes would have liked in the team was hard-charging Englishman Kev Smith, but he would not teams race.

With injuries to Miers and Bengston, Parkes said the race with the powerful Nelson Tigers gave him the chance to look at others in case any of the top five were out for the teams champs.

"We'd like to keep the five drivers who have been so successful over the last four years together, but I won't be picking anyone for the teams champs who isn't 100 per cent fit.

"You may be able to race a national champs with an injury, but you can't afford to pick anyone for a teams race who isn't completely free of injuries."

Parkes agreed that with Peter Rees and Wayne Hemi being joined by McCabe and Norris, there was totally different look to the team.

"We've lost the country's best block driver in Peter (Bengston), as well as Scott (Miers), who always attracts opponents to him creating space for the others. Along with the pace of Shane (Penn) we might have to do things a little differently," he said.

"It's a complete turnaround with Nelson and us. We've got a lot of speed and they've got the block drivers like the Tank of Blair Cunningham as well as Brendan Higgins and Dale Ewers."

Although Parkes would not let any secrets out, do not expect to see many tactical changes other than Rees's blocking. The key to the Panthers' success has been the ability of any driver to fill any role in a race, something Parkes expects to happen on Saturday.

"With new drivers it will make a difference – Andy is a real thinker, while Wayne is getting better all the time."

- © Fairfax NZ News