Moller & Young Trophy Challenge
20th October 2012
Last season Canterbury super saloon drivers were in a competition of their own on their home track, fighting out the minor placings as Nelson's Ian Burson cleaned up the trophies. Burson will start one of the favourites for the New Zealand super saloon championships at AmPro Tools Woodford Glen Speedway on February 15 and 16 but, two locals have staked an early claim. Saturday night's opening meeting at Woodford Glen has seen the first champions of the season crowned at the Moller and Young trophy challenge, but already there is an eye to January and February where the club hosts three major championship events. Richie Taylor piped Burson by one point in the Moller and Young super saloon trophy with a heat one win, a third and a second in the final heat behind Burson. Former super stock ace Mark Osborne was super impressive in finishing third overall, which included a heat two victory while Josh Boulton suffered problems in his old car. Burson may have been dominant last year but Taylor was largely a spectator after a horror run of bad luck last season and Osborne was plying his trade in a super stock. Both have signalled that they have no intention conceding victory to Burson and racing for the minor placings the season. Dennis Bolt will make his first appearance, and Boulton will return in his new car at this weekend's Fireworks Extravaganza and along with Mark “Fluffy” Grocott in his new car, could be drivers to watch over the next few meetings. Several big players are still to start their campaigns but it's clear there will be at least a couple of locals in the hunt when Woodford Glen hosts the New Zealand super saloon championships on February 15 and 16. The other grade to host a New Zealand championship this season, stockcars, may have also had their Moller and Young trophy won by a national championship hope. Ivan McPhail, this season racing a Leech tri-rail, stayed out of everyone's way as he cruised through the field to pick up the Moller and Young Trophy over Terry McBride and the returning Nick Sidaway. Two other Leech drivers Jamie Hamilton and Dennis Andreassend were among the quickest but both failed to finish races. Hamilton will step out of the Vazey chassis this weekend and into a new tri-rail built by himself and Glen Leech. Any number of local drivers could develop into chances for the New Zealand stockcar championships on January 3 and 4. Nelson Tigers Jared Gray and Shane Harwood travelled to Woodford Glen and finished up first and second respectively in the super stocks ahead of local Nick Selfe in third. It's hoped the New Zealand super stock Grand Prix at the Glen on January 18 and 19 will be the shot in the arm the class needs locally. Luke Keegan picked up where he left off last season, winning the modifieds trophy over Greymouth's Steve Thompson and Maurice Headley but Nigel Nevin and Andrew Naven showed enough to suggest the class could be more competitive this season. Matt Baldwin upset some of his more fancied rivals including Kieran Skurr (second) and Shane Chapman (third) to win the Moller and Young Stockcar trophy. Ryan Marsden (A grades/saloons), Hogan Jeffs (production saloons) and Aaron Gray (ministocks) were other drivers to claim Moller and Young trophies on the opening night trophy challenge. The next meeting at AmPro Tools Woodford Glen Speedway is this Saturday (October 27) when the club hosts the annual Fireworks Extravaganza. by Mat Kermeen |
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Moller-Young Stockcar Action |
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