By Daniel Neville

Qualifying night for the 39th running of the TWS World Invitation Superstock Championship at TWS Paradise Valley Speedway took place on Friday January 24th with a 117 strong entry list all vying for just 17 finals spots up grabs. It was the 21st time that the Rotorua Stockcar Club had hosted the event after it was shifted from Palmerston North after 2004.

The unfavorable weather stayed away and the meeting was run in very warm Rotorua conditions. The pits were chocker block with Superstocks and Stockcars and the spectator area was filled with patrons from all over the country and indeed the world, to see the action unfold.

The entries were split into 5 groups with only the top 3 on points after 3 heats advancing along with the next 2 top points scorers overall also going through. The next 7 places were filled by the pre-qualifiers that consisted of 5 overseas drivers.

That contingent was led by 3 time winner of the event, the incomparable Frankie Wainman Jnr along with 5 time Brisca F1 World Champion Tom Harris. Joining them were Karl Hawkins, Liam Gillbank and Austin Moore. The other 2 pre-qualifiers were defending champion 9g Jamie Hamilton along with the 2nd tier Superstocks in Paradise winner from last year 94r Dale Stewart. The final 2 to make the 26 car finals field will come from the last chance reperchage which will be first up tonight.

Also on the programme with be part 1 of the 8th annual Rees Race Cars Aotearoa Ladies Stockcar Crown which showcased the best female talent in the class.  Among the 28 car field was defending champion 189r Milla Theobald, previous winner of the event 69s Carol Podjursky and the overseas entry of 8GB Catherine Harris. 

The 240’s qualifying got underway with heat 1 for the Red group which featured a pair of former national champions in the form of now 3nz Shane Harwood and 3 peat winner 126g Asher Rees. From the drop of the green it was all on with multiple cars picking up flat tyres and 96w Brad McGee limping off with a shock absorber dangling behind his car. Asher Rees in the 126g kept in clean and took the win from 29m Ryan Hunt with 57v Dylan Marshall third. Heat 2 was a similar result to the first with 10r Alan McRobbie winning from Marshall second and Asher Rees third. Heat 3 was full on from the start with 72b riding up over the front of 669p Brendon Tye in spectacular fashion. The next big moment came when 5r Logan Nicholson Mabey whalloped points leader Asher Rees into the wall with both cars ending up on the grass and out of the race. At the flag it was 144g Tim Ross with the win from 34p Rebecca Barr with 99b Jacob Buckrell third.

Red group qualifiers: 57v Dylan Marshall, 34p Rebecca Barr, 14r AJ Axtens

TWS World 240s Red Group Points

The Orange group featured newly crowned 2nz Ethan Levien along with ex 1nz William Humphries in the 94p car. Heat 1 didn’t go well for Humphries though, finding the wall in turn 1 and was off with an outside flat. The race went pretty smooth after that with 172p Daniel Burmeister taking the win from 58m Stefan Roigard with 5g Josh Prentice third. Heat 2 saw 95n Alex Hill go from pole to the win and was chased all the way by 38m Ross Ashby with 351r Paul Vazey in third. Heat 3 was torrid at times and with the biggest incident being when Humphries and Roigard had a huge coming together as they entered the final lap. The race was won by Prentice from 166v Hayden Hart with 72a Cody McKee third. 

Orange group qualifiers: 5g Josh Prentice, 29g James Clarke, 58m Stefan Roigard.

TWS World 240s Orange Group Points

The Green group featured 2023 World 240’s champion 127g Ethan Rees current North Island champion 5m Elias Dykstra. A few chaotic opening laps in heat 1 ensued then smooth sailing until 808c Scott Tennant won from 62p Adam Joblin with 12r Glenn Clarke home third. Heat 2 was over in a flash with all the starters finishing and it was 722p David Lowe with the win from 118r Joel Steiner with 48n Brett Nicholls third. Heat 3 was a another good fight to see who would get through. The race was won by 96m Dylan Towler from 581p Jordan Dare with 38v Zane Dykstra third. 

Green group qualifiers: 808c Scott Tennant, 127g Ethan Rees, 581p Jordan Dare.

TWS World 240s Green Group Points

The Yellow group featured 2 more  former World 240’s winners in the form of 88p Jack Miers and 5w Keegan Levien along with last season’s Grand Prix winner 235g Regan Penn. As per the earlier races, in heat 1 there were a lot flat tyres with bits of rubber littering the track. At the flag it was Keegan Levien who took the win from Jack Miers with 14c James Thian stealing third on the last corner. Heat 2 was a beauty with Miers and Penn trading blows mid race and again all the cars finishing. At the end it was pole sitter 9b Adam Groome who collected the win from 7r Michael Rumney with Penn getting the better of his battle with Miers coming home in third. Heat 3 was action packed with the most notable thing being Miers picking up a flat tyre and retiring to the infield after being in a position to qualify. The heat was won by 156p Trent James from 55c Darrel Wallace with Levien in third.

Yellow group qualifiers: 156p Trent James, 5w Keegan Levien, 77m Luke Alderdice.

TWS World 240s Yellow Group Points

The Purple group was led by the new 1nz Todd Hemingway three other former 1nz’s and they were 66a Randal Tarrant, 72p Simon Joblin and 10g Peter Rees. A tidy heat 1 saw Peter Rees run away with the win from Hemingway with 777h Dan Pollock home third. Heat 2 saw battles all over the place but it was champions to the fore with Tarrant winning from Joblin and Hemingway with Peter Rees fourth. Heat 3 was a frantic affair with Peter Rees off early in the piece, another victim of the outside flat tyre. Hemingway was spun up spun early in the race but worked his way back into the top 10 which proved crucial at the end of the race. 46b Quinn Ryan took the race win from Pollock with 61w Zane Riddick third.

Purple group qualifiers: 66b Randal Tarrant, 777h Dan Pollock, 72p Simon Joblin.

TWS World 240s Purple Group Points

The next 2 to go through to the finals  1nz Todd Hemingway and 14c James Thian who both scored enough points to join the big dance.

Heat 1 of 3 on the night for the Aotearoa Ladies Stockcar Crown got off to a dramatic start with 8gb Catherine Harris unable to take her place on the grid with car issues. More drama as the first lap unfolded with 82a Azaria Simpson getting planted up the wall after getting caught on the outside of the turn 4 freight train. Outside punctures proved costly for a few as ladies got into the action early. After multiple more stoppages in was 144r Kendyl Ashton who took the win despite losing pace via a broken shock. Second was 69s Carol Podjursky with 4b Courtney Hatton third. Heat 2 saw Harris mangage to start this race but a few laps in those car gremlins rear their ugly head once again with the 8gb off onto the infield. Up front though it was defending champion Milla Theobald who led the way, taking the win from 121t Shinnae McNally with 85g Brittany Carpenter home third. Heat 3 featured the first rollover of the night with 33w Kareena Annan finishing upside down after tangling with 92c Laura Weir. Annan was unlucky to be hit while in that position but fortunately was able to walk away unharmed. Another red light saw Podjursky removed after she lost a wheel guard. The reds were on again soon after for 22k Ellen Bisley who also joined the rollover club. At the end it was 55b Asha Penn who took the win from 19b Katie Prescott with Carpenter third again. 

At the halfway point, it’s 189r Milla Theobald who sits at the top of the pile and in a handy spot to retain her title but anything can happen in Stockcar racing and with 3 heats remaining, the top step of the podium is still up for grabs.

Rees Race Cars Aotearoa Ladies Crown Points

The 240’s finals night will commence and 6:30pm tonight with the gates opening at 3pm. The last chance repercharge to find the last 2 qualifiers will be up first up. After that iat 7pm it will be business time with the 3 heats to find this year’s champion. There will also be a second ans third tier championship as well as the final 3 heats for the Aotearoa Ladies Stockcar Crown. Support racing will come from the Modified class with their teams event taking place in between the contact classes. This is a night not to be missed!

TWS World 240s Finals Field & Grids

Repechage Field & Grids

Barclay Engravers Ltd 2nd Tier  Field

Kokpit Media 3rd Tier Field

Please, if any competitors is not planning to race on finals night, please advise Sam, the Promoter, as soon as possibvle.

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Photos On: www.speedwaynz.com