By Daniel Neville

Another night of action at TWS Paradise Valley Speedway on February 27^th saw the running of the Earthmover Tyre Services Ltd North Island Production Saloons Championship alongside the Choice Events & Promotions Bay of Plenty Streetstock Championship with support classes as well.

As per usual the Ministocks got first go at the track. Their races were run a lot smoother and quicker than the Ministocks in Paradise even from a fortnight ago fewer cars and much better behavior on the track. Winners across their five races were 334r Devon Hunter, 9r Kierren Flower, 454r Jessie Henderson, 97r Conner Jones and 93r Flynn Fraser.

The Production Saloons were split into 2 groups for their last ever North Island title for two heats in order to qualify for the one race final with the top nine points scorers going through, while the rest went into a repecharge and the first two home making the grid for the title race. In Red group, wins went to 48h Dave Pilkington and 17h Dylan Shearman and the blue group saw flags for 7v Grant Loveridge and 48g Seth Mckay. The repecharge went to 69r Shelley Jenkins after a very good drive with 727b Damian Stokes following her home and both getting their ticket to the title race.

Blue Group Points
Red Group Points

Defending champion Loveridge sat on pole for the 20 lap final and took the lead early, pulling away from Shearman. From then on Loveridge picked his way through lap traffic and survived multiple stoppages to take the win and record his 3^rd North Island title in 4 years. The battle for second and third was good to watch and it went on until the end where 14h Wayne Warrender took home second place overall and completing the podium in third was 22b Denton Hodgkinson.

Overall Points

A great field fronted for the Choice Events & Promotions Bay of Plenty Streetstock Champs with three heats and overall points deciding the winner. A rough heat one claimed a few casualties with local favourite 58r Mike King getting the win. Heat two was a little rougher with red lights on a couple of times for stray car parts on the track. 46b Brent Redington got the win to be in the box seat heading into the last heat along with heat one winner Mike King in 58r. Heat three saw Redington shoot to the lead as Mike King was held up. Redington was then tagged as regional team tactics came into play. King managed to fend off any attacks as 12k Daniel Curran won the race but King had done enough to take the championship with Redington a close runner up then a tie for third between Curran and 95b Tim Towler. The pair came out at the end of the meeting for a run off where Towler got the jump but was spun and crunched by Curran in turn one prompting Towler to lay and wait but it was to no avail as Curran slowed off any unnecessary contact to claim the last podium spot.

BOP Streetstock Points

A decent field of Stockcars came out for a bit of biff and bash with 735r Keegan Orr getting through for the first win of the night. Race two was damaging for a few with some good hits put in. 58r Robbie Sisson was in the hot seat literally with a fire that was quickly extinguished with the win going to the visiting 128g of Trevor MacArthur. Race three was a little calmer with 96r Courtney Young closing the night for the class with a win.

Stockcar Points

The next meeting at TWS Paradise Valley Speedway is scheduled for March 20^th and it’s the Memorial Meeting which will feature the Slip Ltd Bay of Plenty Superstock Championship, the Automotive Consulting Services Bay of Plenty Stockcar Championships, the Van der Maat Plumbing & Drainage Production Saloon Championship and the Wholesale Tyres Ltd Bay of Plenty Six Shooter Championships with racing underway from 7pm.

Full Meeting Results

Fastest Lap For Each Class

Lap Data