Huntly Speedway - March 28, 2009
James Selwyn Photos
James Selwyn Photos
HEAT 1 - 10 Laps
1: Michael Pickens, 2: Chris McCutcheon, 3: Shaun Insley, 4: David Gick, 5: Angus McLeod, 6: Wayne Green, 7: Adam Cobb, 8: Andrew Stewart, 9: Mark Mullins, 10: Simon Wi, 11: Ricky Mgough, 12: Tim DeGrace, DNF = Jason Bunney, Joe Malone, Dave Harding, Bill Clarkson JNR, Michael Kendall, Lance Fox, Craig Atchison
HEAT 2 - 10 Laps
1: Insley, 2: Kendall, 3: Malone, 4: Stewart, 5: Green, 6: McCutcheon, 7: McLeod, 8: Pickens, 9: Cobb, 10: Gick, 11: Lance Fox, 12: Wi, DNF = DeGrace, Atchison, Mgough, Bunney, Mullins
FEATURE - 40 Laps
1: Insley, 2: Pickens, 3: McLeod, 4: Gick, 5: Bunney, 6: Malone, 7: McCutcheon, 8: Mullins, 9: DeGrace, 10: Mgough, DNF = Cobb, Stewart, Wi, Green, Atchison, Fox, Kendall
1: Michael Pickens, 2: Chris McCutcheon, 3: Shaun Insley, 4: David Gick, 5: Angus McLeod, 6: Wayne Green, 7: Adam Cobb, 8: Andrew Stewart, 9: Mark Mullins, 10: Simon Wi, 11: Ricky Mgough, 12: Tim DeGrace, DNF = Jason Bunney, Joe Malone, Dave Harding, Bill Clarkson JNR, Michael Kendall, Lance Fox, Craig Atchison
HEAT 2 - 10 Laps
1: Insley, 2: Kendall, 3: Malone, 4: Stewart, 5: Green, 6: McCutcheon, 7: McLeod, 8: Pickens, 9: Cobb, 10: Gick, 11: Lance Fox, 12: Wi, DNF = DeGrace, Atchison, Mgough, Bunney, Mullins
FEATURE - 40 Laps
1: Insley, 2: Pickens, 3: McLeod, 4: Gick, 5: Bunney, 6: Malone, 7: McCutcheon, 8: Mullins, 9: DeGrace, 10: Mgough, DNF = Cobb, Stewart, Wi, Green, Atchison, Fox, Kendall
By Jessica Watson, Huntly NZ. March 28, 2009 - Saturday 28th march saw a good field of midgets descend on Huntly Speedway for the inaugural 40 lap Midget Car Classic. One of the better kept speedway secrets for many years, the club run Huntly Speedway is emerging as a popular and successful open wheel venue. Tonight was to be no exception. The usual hard working team at Huntly had prepared a splendid track surface for the event, which was to see what many fans were to consider one of the best nights Midget racing of the season
Heat 1
Off the front, Pickens in the 88 Synergy Aggressor V8 on pole, Clarkson alongside. Second row McCutcheon and Fox in the Logitech 27, back to Gick and Harding. Pickens led away followed by Clarkson and McCutcheon. Lap 3 Fox flipped in turn 3 and Aitchison spun while avoiding him. Restart was led by Pickens from McCutcheon and Clarkson, lap 7 Clarkson spun in turn 4 collecting Harding, Malone, Kendall and Bunney. Harding was unfortunately briefly KO’ed, necessitating an open red while the ambulance was on the track. Restart, Pickens led off from McCutcheon and Gick, Finish saw Pickens and McCutcheon head Insley home in that order.
Footnote Harding was not seriously hurt, and applause from the crowd greeted the news that “Dr Dave” will ride again.
Heat 2
Insley graced the pole, alongside him, Stewart. Back to Mullins and Malone, then Green and Kendall. Clarkson and Harding were scratchings. First 5 laps, Insley led from Stewart and Mullins. Lap 5 Mullins spun in turn 2 bringing out the yellow. Restart, Insley Stewart and Kendall did the honours. Lap 6 saw Kendall slide by Stewart for second, and on 8 Bunney spun in turn 1 bringing out the yellow again. Restart, Insley, Kendall, Stewart and Malone took it away. At the chequer, Insley, Kendall and Malone.
40 Lap Classic
Insley sat on the pole, alongside McCutcheon, back to Pickens and Green, then Stewart and McCleod. At the green Insley led away from McCutcheon and Green, Pickens took it easy and tried the high line. Lap 3 Pickens made his move and started to work the high while up front McCutcheon had made it past Insley for the lead. Meanwhile Pickens was working his way forward and took the lead in lap 8, the V8 seemingly having a speed advantage over the other front runners, only to be slowed by a yellow bought out by Aitchison. Pickens was relegated to second behind McCutcheon with Insley in 3rd and Green in 4th. Restart saw Porter spin in turn three, back to yellow. Restart saw Pickens jump into the lead flowed by McCutcheon and Insley. Halfway, the leaders were into the lap traffic, halted by a yellow bought out by Bunney spinning in turn 3. At the restart, McCutcheon appeared to get the drop on Pickens and led for a brief period, starting a thrilling duel between the two which lasted until lap 30, when Green hit the wall between turn 1 and 2 and rolled, bringing out another yellow. Restart, the duel recommenced and it became evident that Pickens car might be going away as McCutcheon was gaining the upper hand. McCutcheon’s success was short lived as he made an error, which led to a spin in turn 2 with 5 to go. Restart saw Pickens lead away from Insley but now the #88 had seemingly lost its slight edge and Pickens had slipped into the clutches of the second placed Insley. Another memorable duel, which had the crowd on its feet, ensued as Pickens tried every trick he knew to ward off Insley, at the end to no avail as Insley took the chequer from Pickens, who by now had McCleod snapping at his heels to run in a close third.
Heat 1
Off the front, Pickens in the 88 Synergy Aggressor V8 on pole, Clarkson alongside. Second row McCutcheon and Fox in the Logitech 27, back to Gick and Harding. Pickens led away followed by Clarkson and McCutcheon. Lap 3 Fox flipped in turn 3 and Aitchison spun while avoiding him. Restart was led by Pickens from McCutcheon and Clarkson, lap 7 Clarkson spun in turn 4 collecting Harding, Malone, Kendall and Bunney. Harding was unfortunately briefly KO’ed, necessitating an open red while the ambulance was on the track. Restart, Pickens led off from McCutcheon and Gick, Finish saw Pickens and McCutcheon head Insley home in that order.
Footnote Harding was not seriously hurt, and applause from the crowd greeted the news that “Dr Dave” will ride again.
Heat 2
Insley graced the pole, alongside him, Stewart. Back to Mullins and Malone, then Green and Kendall. Clarkson and Harding were scratchings. First 5 laps, Insley led from Stewart and Mullins. Lap 5 Mullins spun in turn 2 bringing out the yellow. Restart, Insley Stewart and Kendall did the honours. Lap 6 saw Kendall slide by Stewart for second, and on 8 Bunney spun in turn 1 bringing out the yellow again. Restart, Insley, Kendall, Stewart and Malone took it away. At the chequer, Insley, Kendall and Malone.
40 Lap Classic
Insley sat on the pole, alongside McCutcheon, back to Pickens and Green, then Stewart and McCleod. At the green Insley led away from McCutcheon and Green, Pickens took it easy and tried the high line. Lap 3 Pickens made his move and started to work the high while up front McCutcheon had made it past Insley for the lead. Meanwhile Pickens was working his way forward and took the lead in lap 8, the V8 seemingly having a speed advantage over the other front runners, only to be slowed by a yellow bought out by Aitchison. Pickens was relegated to second behind McCutcheon with Insley in 3rd and Green in 4th. Restart saw Porter spin in turn three, back to yellow. Restart saw Pickens jump into the lead flowed by McCutcheon and Insley. Halfway, the leaders were into the lap traffic, halted by a yellow bought out by Bunney spinning in turn 3. At the restart, McCutcheon appeared to get the drop on Pickens and led for a brief period, starting a thrilling duel between the two which lasted until lap 30, when Green hit the wall between turn 1 and 2 and rolled, bringing out another yellow. Restart, the duel recommenced and it became evident that Pickens car might be going away as McCutcheon was gaining the upper hand. McCutcheon’s success was short lived as he made an error, which led to a spin in turn 2 with 5 to go. Restart saw Pickens lead away from Insley but now the #88 had seemingly lost its slight edge and Pickens had slipped into the clutches of the second placed Insley. Another memorable duel, which had the crowd on its feet, ensued as Pickens tried every trick he knew to ward off Insley, at the end to no avail as Insley took the chequer from Pickens, who by now had McCleod snapping at his heels to run in a close third.