From Western Springs Speedway
Meeting ten of the Springs Speedway season saw a new name taken to victory lane, with Brock Maskovich taking out the CRC Barry Butterworth Classic.
In honour of one of New Zealand’s Speedway greats, the 40-lap feature race would see the fastest from the back, with last year’s champion Jerry Coons Jr. starting from grid 20 and choosing Michael Pickens to start from grid 19, with Pickens picking Brad Mosen until all 20 spots on the grids were determined.
Veteran racer Dave Harding started from grid one, however Maskovich, who started on grid nine, made a pass for the lead on lap four and was never headed, gaining five thousand dollars for leading at the end of lap 21, a prize put up by Seamount due to it being Barry Butterworth’s regular racing number, and then holding off a late race charge from defending champion Jerry Coons Jr., the pair battling hard over the last few laps although the young West Aucklander held off the experienced American to take his first Midget feature win, not to mention the $10,000 on offer to the winner. Brad Mosen took third place.
There was also a new winner from the TQ ranks, with Steven Smith holding off a race-long charge from current New Zealand TQ champion Craig Todd to take his debut feature win at Western Springs, strengthening his podium position in the track championship, behind the Baker brothers, Ryan and Scott. Sean Cooke took the final podium spot in the 15-lap feature race.
The Sprint Cars also had a big 30-lap feature race sponsored by PPG and Jamie McDonald held the lead early before American Jonathan Allard, who has already won four feature races at Western Springs this season, took the lead. A caution period came out when Australian visitor Glenn Saville hit the fence and McDonald, after much investigation by Speedway New Zealand officials, was ordered off the track with a leaking right rear tyre that had become flat. On the restart Allard, who was struggling with a broken left front shock absorber, still managed to open up a sizeable gap that he held to the flag ahead of fellow American Ricky Logan and Kiwi Dean Brindle.