From Ruapuna Speedway PR
Ruapuna, NZ — (February 3, 2016) — Auckland’s Brock Maskovich and local Dave Kerr continued their battle at Stadium Finance Ruapuna Speedway on Wednesday evening with Maskovich finishing on top of the podium, from Kerr and Taylor Clarke (Auckland) in the 30 Lap Kiwi Midgetcar Derby.
Kerr took the early lead in the K & T Drainage Derby, having won the 25 Lapper the previous meeting, with Maskovich a close second from Nick Donaldson. There were several cautions on the early laps due to spun cars one causing a seven car pile-up. Maskovich passed Kerr on a restart at the race mid-point with Clarke passing Donaldson on the same lap. Maskovich and Kerr then opened a good lead over Clarke with Donaldson forced to retire with a flat right rear with eight laps to run.
Maskovich when on to take the chequered flag by a 1.4 second margin from Kerr with Clarke impressing this his third placing in which was just his fifth meeting since stepping into a midget. Shane Clark finished in fifth place from Dunedin’s Gavin Wilkie from locals Brian Fridd and Graham Sharp. The final meeting of the Midget Speedweek will be contested on Saturday evening with the running of the Garden City 40 Lap Classic.
Kerr narrowly edged Maskovich in the Pole Shuffle with Durie holding out some more fancied rivals to claim third spot ahead of Donaldson and Glenn Everett. Earlier in the evening there was close racing in the heats with Maskovich, Nick Donaldson and Taylor Clarke each winning a heat with Kerr, two seconds and Durie, two thirds.
The Avon Insurance Tranztas Lightning Sprints continued with Palmerston North Christian Hermanson and local Caleb Baughan the pick of drivers. Each claimed a heat win with Hermanson then holding out Ben Gilmore and Kapiti’s Jamie Larsen in the Feature with Baughan winning the Challenge race ahead of teammate Kate Warren with Hermanson third to extend Canterbury’s lead going into the final round on Saturday evening.
Liam McCoubrey made it two Feature wins on end in the highly competitive Three Quarter Midget section. Jeremy Webb had a win and second placing in the heats before finishing in third place in the Feature. Former NZ Sprintcar champion, Jamie Duff put in a cameo appearance in the class claiming a good win in the second heat holding out the fast finishing Webb in the second heat.
Pete Keith had a good meeting in his Six Shooter win a heat as did Kris Jemmett with Keith then winning the Feature from Gene Spooner and Andrew Gregge. Nelson’s Jayden Bradley was again unbeaten in the Quarter Midget class with Montana Jamieson claiming second place in all three races.
Results – Competitors from Christchurch Unless Stated
Midgetcars
Ht 1. Brock Maskovich (Auckland) 1, Nevil Basalaj (Nelson) 2, Dion Rochford 3.
Ht 2. Nick Donaldson 1, Dave Kerr 2, Glen Durie 3.
Ht 3. Taylor Clarke (Auck) 1, Kerr 2, Durie 3.
Pole Shuffle. Kerr 1, Maskovich 2, Durie 3, Donaldson 4, Glenn Everett 5, Gavin Wilkie (Dunedin) 6, Rochford 7, Campbell Stewart (Stratford) 8.
30 Lap Kiwi Derby Feature. Maskovich 1, Kerr 2, T Clarke 3, Shane Clarke 4, Wilkie 5, Brian Fridd 6, Graham Sharp