AUCKLAND, NZ (December 26, 2019) — Michael Pickens returned to Western Springs Speedway in spectacular style by sweeping the International Midget Car Series and Winged 410 Sprint Car features on Thursday.
Fresh off of a strong showing at the Gateway Dirt Nationals Pickens overcame dropping back on the initial start of the midget car feature to take the lead on lap 11 and drive away to victory. Zach Daum and Kaidon Brown rounded out the podium.
Pickens led every lap of the winged 410 sprint car feature over Jamie Larsen and Keaton Dahm.
Kyle Larson took a while tumble during one of the NZ vs. USA challenge races. Larson emerged from the car under his own power, but remained pit side for the remainder of the evening due to his car being too damaged to continue. Fellow American Christopher Bell also flipped during the main event.
International Midget Car Series
Western Springs Speedway
Auckland, NZ
Thursday December 26, 2019
Midget Cars
Heat Race #1:
1. 10AUS-Travis Mills
2. 1NZ-Michael Pickens
3. 39A-Peter Hunnibell
4. 91A-Hayden Guptill
5. 55A-Hamish Dobbyn
6. 21USA-Christopher Bell
7. 5A-Brock Maskovich
8. 61A-Brad Hollier
9. 63A-Jayden Worthington
10. 96A-Matthew McCutcheon
11. 27A-Hayden Williams
12. 25A-Aaron Hodgson
13. 71A-Breyton Davison
14. 88C-Jeremy Webb
Heat Race #2:
1. 97AUS-Kaidon Brown
2. 79A-Max Guildford
3. 3NZ-Shayne Alach
4. 98A-Ryan O’Connor
5. 33A-James Cossey
6. 4USA-Zeb Wise
7. 57AUS-Robert Heard
8. 18A-Brett Jnr Morris
9. 9USA-Zach Daum
10. 10USA-Logan Seavey
11. 78A-Kent Palmer
12. 93A-Kayne Buck
13. 94A-Caleb Hanham
DNS. 8A-Caleb Antonio-Rooney
DNS. 7USA-Tyler Courtney
Heat Race #3:
1. 27A-Hayden Williams
2. 1USA-Kyle Larson
3. 39A-Peter Hunnibell
4. 99A-Nathan Howard
5. 5USA-Chris Windom
6. 56A-David Pellow
7. 10AUS-Travis Mills
8. 91A-Hayden Guptill
9. 61A-Brad Hollier
10. 7M-Jayden Dodge
11. 58A-Joe Malone
12. 7A-Travis Buckley
13. 96A-Matthew McCutcheon
DNS. 21USA-Christopher Bell
DNS. 7USA-Tyler Courtney
Heat Race #4:
1. 25A-Aaron Hodgson
2. 5A-Brock Maskovich
3. 1NZ-Michael Pickens
4. 10USA-Logan Seavey
5. 88C-Jeremy Webb
6. 18A-Brett Jnr Morris
7. 97AUS-Kaidon Brown
8. 71A-Breyton Davison
9. 8A-Caleb Antonio-Rooney
10. 55A-Hamish Dobbyn
11. 4USA-Zeb Wise
12. 57AUS-Robert Heard
13. 78A-Kent Palmer
14. 63A-Jayden Worthington
DNS. 94A-Caleb Hanham
Heat Race #5:
1. 1USA-Kyle Larson
2. 9USA-Zach Daum
3. 5USA-Chris Windom
4. 7USA-Tyler Courtney
5. 79A-Max Guildford
6. 33A-James Cossey
7. 98A-Ryan O’Connor
8. 3NZ-Shayne Alach
9. 93A-Kayne Buck
10. 99A-Nathan Howard
11. 7A-Travis Buckley
12. 56A-David Pellow
DNS. 58A-Joe Malone
NZ vs. USA Race #1:
1. 1USA-Kyle Larson
2. 1NZ-Michael Pickens
3. 25A-Aaron Hodgson
4. 39A-Peter Hunnibell
5. 5USA-Chris Windom
6. 9USA-Zach Daum
7. 10AUS-Travis Mills
8. 79A-Max Guildford
9. 57AUS-Robert Heard
DNS. 10USA-Logan Seavey
NZ vs. USA Race #2:
1. 9USA-Zach Daum
2. 5USA-Chris Windom
3. 39A-Peter Hunnibell
4. 79A-Max Guildford
5. 1NZ-Michael Pickens
6. 1USA-Kyle Larson
7. 10AUS-Travis Mills
8. 57AUS-Robert Heard
9. 25A-Aaron Hodgson
NZ vs. USA Race #3:
1. 9USA-Zach Daum
2. 79A-Max Guildford
3. 25A-Aaron Hodgson
4. 5USA-Chris Windom
5. 57AUS-Robert Heard
6. 1NZ-Michael Pickens
7. 39A-Peter Hunnibell
8. 1USA-Kyle Larson
9. 10AUS-Travis Mills
B-Main:
1. 4USA-Zeb Wise
2. 99A-Nathan Howard
3. 18A-Brett Jnr Morris
4. 7USA-Tyler Courtney
5. 88C-Jeremy Webb
6. 55A-Hamish Dobbyn
7. 21USA-Christopher Bell
8. 93A-Kayne Buck
9. 71A-Breyton Davison
10. 61A-Brad Hollier
11. 8A-Caleb Antonio-Rooney
12. 7A-Travis Buckley
13. 63A-Jayden Worthington
14. 78A-Kent Palmer
15. 56A-David Pellow
16. 94A-Caleb Hanham
DNS. 57AUS-Robert Heard
DNS. 96A-Matthew McCutcheon
DNS. 58A-Joe Malone
A-Main:
1. 1NZ-Michael Pickens
2. 9USA-Zach Daum
3. 97AUS-Kaidon Brown
4. 79A-Max Guildford
5. 5A-Brock Maskovich
6. 91A-Hayden Guptill
7. 39A-Peter Hunnibell
8. 7USA-Tyler Courtney
9. 10USA-Logan Seavey
10. 4USA-Zeb Wise
11. 3NZ-Shayne Alach
12. 10AUS-Travis Mills
13. 98A-Ryan O’Connor
14. 18A-Brett Jnr Morris
15. 99A-Nathan Howard
16. 57AUS-Robert Heard
17. 33A-James Cossey
18. 5USA-Chris Windom
19. 27A-Hayden Williams
20. 25A-Aaron Hodgson
Winged 410 Sprint Cars
Heat Race #1:
1. 12A-Dean Shadbolt
2. 88M-Keaton Dahm
3. 78C-Matthew Leversedge
4. 92A-Chris Kernohan
5. 35A-Rob Vazey
6. 84P-Dean Cooper
7. 76A-Steve Smith
8. 6M-James Dahm
9. 2NZ-Jamie Larsen
10. 7USA-Craig Dollansky
11. 78A-Daniel Eggleton
12. 24A-Tyler Radovan
13. 62A-Dave Witton
Heat Race #2:
1. 2NZ-Jamie Larsen
2. 7USA-Craig Dollansky
3. 3NZ-Michael Pickens
4. 84P-Dean Cooper
5. 88M-Keaton Dahm
6. 7A-Dion Kendall
7. 21A-Kerry Brocas
8. 24A-Tyler Radovan
9. 12A-Dean Shadbolt
10. 23A-Adam Child
11. 10A-Glen Torpey
12. 22A-Dean Brindle
DNS. 76A-Steve Smith
Heat Race #3:
1. 78A-Daniel Eggleton
2. 22A-Dean Brindle
3. 23A-Adam Child
4. 6M-James Dahm
5. 3NZ-Michael Pickens
6. 62A-Dave Witton
7. 78C-Matthew Leversedge
8. 21A-Kerry Brocas
9. 7A-Dion Kendall
10. 35A-Rob Vazey
11. 92A-Chris Kernohan
DNS. 10A-Glen Torpey
A-Main:
1. 3NZ-Michael Pickens
2. 2NZ-Jamie Larsen
3. 88M-Keaton Dahm
4. 78A-Daniel Eggleton
5. 6M-James Dahm
6. 22A-Dean Brindle
7. 12A-Dean Shadbolt
8. 7USA-Craig Dollansky
9. 21A-Kerry Brocas
10. 62A-Dave Witton
11. 23A-Adam Child
12. 35A-Rob Vazey
13. 24A-Tyler Radovan
14. 78C-Matthew Leversedge
15. 84P-Dean Cooper
DNS. 7A-Dion Kendall
DNS. 92A-Chris Kernohan
DNS. 76A-Steve Smith
DNS. 10A-Glen Torpey