Keightley Teece had the best result for a South Islander for nearly a decade at the New Zealand Stock Car Championships in Kihikihi over the weekend.
As well as the first event at the Milestone Homes Top of the South Speedway for 2017, January began with several Nelson drivers competing for national honours around the country.
Keightley kept his cool amongst the chaos around him, finishing fifth overall out of 170 competitors. Only five drivers made the trip across from the Mainland.
Keightley was on the pace all weekend, easily qualifying in his group and leading on points with two laps to go in heat two before getting spun up amongst the carnage around him.
He recovered to finish but lost valuable points.
The final race was brutal with several cars rolled. Keightley snuck through untouched but was unable to gain enough places to overhaul the points leaders.
Ian Burson was at the New Zealand Super Saloon Championships in Cromwell.
The 30 lap final saw 22 cars start but only 10 finish. Ian was able to avoid the spins and crashes to finish fifth overall.
He now heads to the New Zealand Grand Prix in Invercargill this weekend.
Shane Harwood made the final group in the New Zealand Super Stock Grand Prix in Napier in 6th overall.
He still retains the 1nz number after Palmerston North was rained off last week, both he and Brett Nicholls return this Friday to continue with the final two heats of the NZ Super Stock Championship.
The Racing for the Kids “Child Cancer Foundation” meeting at Milestone Homes Top of the South Speedway on Saturday night saw Charlie Jackson win the Modified Sprint feature race.
The midget feature went to Tom Lumsden from Christchurch as part of the Oxford Hotel South Island Midget Car Series.
The King of the Clay titles were featured in the other classes, Gordon Ingham won the Street Stock group, Shane Brooks the Stock Cars, Dave Leitch won the productions, while it was Queen of the Clay for the TQs with Alicia MacLauchlan winning their feature race.
The track now has a weeks break before the first of the two big New Zealand title meetings. The Sprint Car GP then the NZ Midget Championship will see some of the country’s best drivers in Nelson.
