Fireworks ensure evening at Arena goes off with bang

The huge crowd who turned out to Arena Manawatu on Saturday were treated to a spectacular end to the night.

One of the biggest gatherings seen for speedway outside February's teams championship were warmed up for the finale, the Manawatu Standard fireworks display, with a cracking ramp demolition derby followed by a car being dropped from a crane.

Promoter Bruce Robertson was rapt with the large crowd, who were still coming into the ground half an hour after racing had begun.

"It just just keeps on getting bigger every year," he said. "It not only shows that a fireworks display is a big attraction."

Robertson said that recently it had been difficult getting entrants for the derby, but not this time.

"We had 42 starters, including three from New Plymouth, and the added sight of having to go over a jump made the event even more of a spectacle."

While the fireworks display ended the night with a bang and the crowd roaring and applauding, the two events before that had them well and truly warmed up.

Predictably there were plenty of incidents over the jump in the derby, with two cars rolling and one a car leaping over the jump and landing on the boot of another. Many came to a sudden end over the jump, with collapsed suspensions.

The sight of the McIntosh Brothers' crane lifting a car into the dark above the lights was incredible. When the crowd counted down, the car was released and thumped into wrecked cars assembled 35 metres below as the first fireworks blasted into action among the wrecks.

The Ray Tarrant Memorial Trophy for the sidecars was keenly fought, with the best combination in qualifying, Mike Zachan and Paul Humphrey, going on to win the one-race final and retain the title.

Wanganui's Mick Paul and Paul Blinkhorne finished second just ahead of Derek Ramsay and Tony Hislop.

The Show Night trophies for the superstocks and stockcars were closely fought.

Peter Rees piloted his stockcar to a convincing win, with Eddie Arnold staying clear of trouble to finish second with Gary Davis.

In the superstocks, Andy McCabe drove well in all three races to secure the win, but Wayne Norris, Kev Smith and Peter Rees failed to finish in all three.

Brent Harris had the crowd on their feet with a spectacular drive to win the second sprintcar race as he passed Rob Garratt and then Nick Pedley on the last corner.

Surely it won't be long before Garratt breaks Joey Saldana's lap record as he again went close in winning the last race. The return of Pedley for the first time since a year ago when he barrel-rolled his sprintcar down the main straight was rewarded with two placings.

Scott Ireland, Simon Smith and ministocks outstanding driver Christian Hermansen won the adult races.

- © Fairfax NZ News