NMCS Round 12 -Waikaraka Park - April 4, 2009
Barry Butterworth 40 Lap Midget Classic
By Jessica Watson, Auckland NZ. April 4, 2009 - A 24 car field fronted up for the inaugural Barry Butterworth 40 lap Midget Classic. The one meeting of the year when the midgets are seen on Waikaraka Park, the event, re named from the John Webster memorial, offered some of the best prize money of the season thanks to sponsorship by Seamount’s Brett Morris. A “Butterworth” touch was provided by the offer that the top qualifier could pocket $5000:00 - but then had to start off the back.
Heat 1
Brunt on pole alongside James, next back, Pickens and Insley followed by Malone and Clarkson. At the green away went Pickens into the lead on the first turn, only to have the yellow bought out by Mullins and McCutcheon tangling just past the flag. Pickens, Insley and Brunt led away the original grid restart. Beale and Standring were having it out back in the pack which left Standring in the wall bringing out a yellow. Ten to go and off go Pickens, Insley, Brunt and Beale. Four to go Beale gets by Brunt, two to go Pickens loops it on the entry to the front straight. Insley prevailed with Beale in second and Brunt in third.
Heat 2
Mosen on pole with Gick, back to Steve Shanley in Dr Dave’s 66 and Buckley, then Kendall and McCleod. Mosen led them away followed by Gick and Shanley. Lap 3 first yellow, McCleod into the wall in 3. Mosen led them away and coming up the field was Alach off 8. Lap 8 Fox in the wall and a yellow. Two later Green and Kendall grace the wall in 3. Another two later which saw Alach up into third, Shanley rolled down the wall into the front straight. Restart, Mosen, Alach and Gick, and that’s how they finished.
Heat 3
Mullins the pole sitter with Green, then Beale and Alach, back to Clarkson and Jones. Green led them away with Alach in hot pursuit. Alach hit the lead on lap 4 followed by Beale, Green and Insley, who had come up from 8. Alach proceeded to drive away followed by a battling 3 pack of Beale, Green and Insley. Beale shouldered his way past Green on the back straight in lap 9, and set to work on Alach, successfully because Beale won by a coat of paint from Alach and Green 5 car lengths back in third.
Heat 4
Worboys and McCutcheon off the front, Fox and Stewart next back, then McCleod and Standring. Worboys took it away followed by Standring, McCutcheon and McCleod. Mid race Fox turned on his second yellow of the night in turn 2. Restart Worboys, Standring, McCutcheon and McCleod. On the restart McCleod and McCutcheon tangled and a waiting Pickens pounced into third. 3 to go, Malone brings out a yellow in 4. Worboys, Standring, Pickens and McCleod got set for a dash to the finish. And that’s how they finished.
Barry Butterworth Midget Classic
The top qualifier choice went to HLR Racing’s Lance Beale. Not being one to turn down a challenge, let alone a good cheque, Lance took the money. “This is how Barry would have done it”, said Lance “and we’ll do it too”. Way to go!
Front row, Alach and Insley, next Worboys and Mosen, then Gick and Buckley, Brunt and James, Clarkson and Stewart, Jones and Standring and Pickens and Green. Back on 21, already $5000:00 up, the ever positive Lance Beale.
At the Green, Alach and Insley blasted away followed by Mosen and Buckley. 1 lap later the pressure told as Insley turned it round and took out half the following pack. Restart, Alach, Mosen and Buckley took it away, but a wheelstanding Pickens was elbowing his way up through the pack to sit on Buckley’s push bar. Lap 4 the drama continued with Worboys and Kendall onto the infield. At the restart it seemed that Alach was driving away from the still wheelstanding Pickens in 2nd, in turn closely followed by Mosen and Buckley. Half way and Pickens had gathered in Alach and made it underneath the 1 to lead. 8 to go and Fox made it into the wall again to bring out the yellow. Restart, Pickens, Alach, Mosen and Buckley continued the battle. 4 to go the Mosen jinx struck again as the 2 slowed and parked against the wall in turn 3. Restart, Pickens, Alach, Buckley and Standring took it away and despite Alach’s very best efforts he could find no way past Pickens who took the chequer, followed by Alach in second and Buckley in third.
Barry Butterworth 40 Lap Midget Classic
By Jessica Watson, Auckland NZ. April 4, 2009 - A 24 car field fronted up for the inaugural Barry Butterworth 40 lap Midget Classic. The one meeting of the year when the midgets are seen on Waikaraka Park, the event, re named from the John Webster memorial, offered some of the best prize money of the season thanks to sponsorship by Seamount’s Brett Morris. A “Butterworth” touch was provided by the offer that the top qualifier could pocket $5000:00 - but then had to start off the back.
Heat 1
Brunt on pole alongside James, next back, Pickens and Insley followed by Malone and Clarkson. At the green away went Pickens into the lead on the first turn, only to have the yellow bought out by Mullins and McCutcheon tangling just past the flag. Pickens, Insley and Brunt led away the original grid restart. Beale and Standring were having it out back in the pack which left Standring in the wall bringing out a yellow. Ten to go and off go Pickens, Insley, Brunt and Beale. Four to go Beale gets by Brunt, two to go Pickens loops it on the entry to the front straight. Insley prevailed with Beale in second and Brunt in third.
Heat 2
Mosen on pole with Gick, back to Steve Shanley in Dr Dave’s 66 and Buckley, then Kendall and McCleod. Mosen led them away followed by Gick and Shanley. Lap 3 first yellow, McCleod into the wall in 3. Mosen led them away and coming up the field was Alach off 8. Lap 8 Fox in the wall and a yellow. Two later Green and Kendall grace the wall in 3. Another two later which saw Alach up into third, Shanley rolled down the wall into the front straight. Restart, Mosen, Alach and Gick, and that’s how they finished.
Heat 3
Mullins the pole sitter with Green, then Beale and Alach, back to Clarkson and Jones. Green led them away with Alach in hot pursuit. Alach hit the lead on lap 4 followed by Beale, Green and Insley, who had come up from 8. Alach proceeded to drive away followed by a battling 3 pack of Beale, Green and Insley. Beale shouldered his way past Green on the back straight in lap 9, and set to work on Alach, successfully because Beale won by a coat of paint from Alach and Green 5 car lengths back in third.
Heat 4
Worboys and McCutcheon off the front, Fox and Stewart next back, then McCleod and Standring. Worboys took it away followed by Standring, McCutcheon and McCleod. Mid race Fox turned on his second yellow of the night in turn 2. Restart Worboys, Standring, McCutcheon and McCleod. On the restart McCleod and McCutcheon tangled and a waiting Pickens pounced into third. 3 to go, Malone brings out a yellow in 4. Worboys, Standring, Pickens and McCleod got set for a dash to the finish. And that’s how they finished.
Barry Butterworth Midget Classic
The top qualifier choice went to HLR Racing’s Lance Beale. Not being one to turn down a challenge, let alone a good cheque, Lance took the money. “This is how Barry would have done it”, said Lance “and we’ll do it too”. Way to go!
Front row, Alach and Insley, next Worboys and Mosen, then Gick and Buckley, Brunt and James, Clarkson and Stewart, Jones and Standring and Pickens and Green. Back on 21, already $5000:00 up, the ever positive Lance Beale.
At the Green, Alach and Insley blasted away followed by Mosen and Buckley. 1 lap later the pressure told as Insley turned it round and took out half the following pack. Restart, Alach, Mosen and Buckley took it away, but a wheelstanding Pickens was elbowing his way up through the pack to sit on Buckley’s push bar. Lap 4 the drama continued with Worboys and Kendall onto the infield. At the restart it seemed that Alach was driving away from the still wheelstanding Pickens in 2nd, in turn closely followed by Mosen and Buckley. Half way and Pickens had gathered in Alach and made it underneath the 1 to lead. 8 to go and Fox made it into the wall again to bring out the yellow. Restart, Pickens, Alach, Mosen and Buckley continued the battle. 4 to go the Mosen jinx struck again as the 2 slowed and parked against the wall in turn 3. Restart, Pickens, Alach, Buckley and Standring took it away and despite Alach’s very best efforts he could find no way past Pickens who took the chequer, followed by Alach in second and Buckley in third.