Stunning drive takes out NZ Minisprint title

Elliot Heron was as surprised as anyone at his stunning drive to win the New Zealand Minisprint title at Palmerston North last night.

Almost 150 metres behind with 12 of the 25 laps remaining in the one race national final, Heron produced an incredible drive as he charged down on reigning titleholder, Whanganui’s Dylan Smith. Heron then took the lead with a lap to run only to have a yellow flag come out putting him back to second before he again took the lead and won.

With no Minisprints in Auckland, Heron travels each week contracting to Palmerston North and has been one of the form drivers at the Robertson Prestige International Speedway for the last two seasons.

“I thought I had lost too much distance before the track came to me,” Heron said. “I was hoping for a yellow flag to give me a hand.”

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“I was struggling early in the race and it took a bit to get past Cameron (Hurley), but then the track came to me.”

Once he got in front Heron was surprised that when the yellow flag was brought out he was forced to restart behind Smith.

“They went back to when the car stuck on the track forced the yellow flag which meant there were two laps to run. I was even more surprised that I when I got back in front I managed it on the pole line which wasn’t where I had run all race.”

Heron who hasn’t been beaten in a feature on his home track for a year said it had been a difficult two years with Auckland being locked down when Palmerston North was racing, leaving him watching from the outside.

Second placed Daniel Nickel was another to benefit from the track coming to him late in the race after starting well back in the field. Nickel came from nowhere to pass Smith, Hurley and Jonathan Noonan on the last lap to secure his runners-up finish, Smith held on for third.

“I am pretty pleased to finish second,” Nickel said. “My car was awful and I was starting so far back I didn’t think I had much show.”

Nickel drove Shane Dewar’s car last season, but this season had a newly built Dewar car to drive.

Jayden Ward managed to stay clear of the battle going on around him to add the World 248 Global Challenge title and the Lynette Denton Memorial Trophy to his Teams’ Champs title two weeks ago.

The third and final heat became a Gisborne against Palmerston North team’s race with first William Humphries firing championship leader Gisborne’s Josh Prentice and himself over in a very quick and hard rollover. Both drivers walked away unscathed shaking hands. Gisborne’s Peter Rees had been taken out of contention at the start of the heat.

Just when it appeared Scott Joblin was headed for the title Ethan Rees held him up twice allowing Ward into a narrow title points lead ahead of Asher Rees. Many though Asher Rees had done enough to take the title, but no-one had bothered to touch Ward, whose fourth place in the heat was enough to head Asher Rees by a point. Whanganui’s Kaelin Mooney continued his impressive for to finish third overall.

The Youth Ministock races were shared between Ethan MacDonald, Peter Hoskins and Riki-Lee Kauri. With so many Stockcars entered they were split into two groups with Hamish McLeod, Seth Hodge and Kyle Lampp winning races.