Speedway plans short, sharp

The bonus in creating the game is that you also get to make the rules.

That's how it is for promotions manager Karen Carey and the Nelson Speedway Association this weekend. They're staging the Anchor Construction Stock Shock tomorrow and Saturday and there's been an element of fluidity to the format of the meeting.

Traditionally, the Stock Shock has been an invitation-only meeting with a maximum field of 52, split into four groups which rotate through races against each other on the Friday before settling into a 26-car showdown on Saturday.

It's different this weekend, although Carey thinks the format might stay the same despite a combination of circumstances cutting the field.

Weather postponements, injuries and the holdover from the economic downturn mean there will probably be a field of 36 at the Tahuna Beach Holiday Park Speedway tomorrow.

There was a possibility Carey could opt for three nine-car groups on the track at one time, but that would have pruned the programme from six stock car races to four.

It's more likely the Stock Shock will now feature six 18-car races with each of the groups facing off against the other three.

"We looked at the options and felt it was better to put up to 18 cars out there six times, than go for the bigger field with fewer races and then chuck in fillers," Carey said.

"The Anchor Construction Stock Shock is the big promotion for the class locally and we wanted to keep the focus on the stock cars."

Assembling a field has been a mission in itself although the meeting has never filled its grid, ranging between 26 and 48 cars in the past.

A stock car driver's wedding stripped the field of the cream of the Wellington class, while the Peter Barry memorial teams meeting last weekend left broken cars and drivers in its wake.

There will still be a group of talented drivers from the capital, led by Dean Bullock and Kane Hargreaves, while George Frear returns from Palmerston North. Jason Tasker represents the West Coast, there are half-a-dozen entries from Christchurch, while Tim Alexander, Sam Thompson, Ricco Gray and Gavin Marshall are travelling from Blenheim.

Tasman Thunder captain Andrew Quy and club champion Andrew Murphy lead the Nelson contingent with the likes of Matt Inwood, Adam Hall, Cliff Henderson, Caleb Russ and Ben Keys also entered.

Wellington's Nathan Heyburn in his sleek Holden-TMac Trirail chassis has been registered with Nelson all season and will finally make his first appearance with an N on the car's flanks.

From the six qualifying races tomorrow, a field of 20 will be found for Saturday's three finals heats with all the extras going into non-qualifiers' racing.

It'll be a short, sharp Shock tomorrow, too.

"We're trying to keep it tight with 18 races so we don't drag on too long," Carey said.

"Guys will want to work on their cars on Saturday so we'll get them off to bed at a decent hour."

Tomorrow's programme includes the Anchor Construction Stock Shock qualifying, night one of the Lift and Shift Mainland Ministocks, with a field of 26 likely, a triples promotion for production saloons and street stock open races.

Saturday's schedule includes the Stock Shock finals, races for non-qualifiers, three more ministock heats, a Nelson versus Blenheim street stock teams race, the Brett Lusty Memorial Trophy for sidecars and TQ midget open races.

The Nelson club will also pay tribute to recently crowned nationals superstock champion, Brendan Higgins.

Start times and gates prices remain the same as for any other meeting with racing set to start at 7pm on both nights.

- © Fairfax NZ News