The Eliminator WXC Springs Speedway Sat 23/01/2016:
HERE IS A SUMMARY OF LAST NIGHTS RACE:
Last night’s Midget Eliminator was set down for 40 laps but with a field of only 18 cars, this was going to be a shortened affair. Drivers qualified through their respective heat races to make up the field, due to low numbers the repecharge wasn’t required. The drivers starting from grid 18 forward each selected who they wished to start next to.
This turned out to be not so great for 27 Hayden Williams as he was slotted into grid 17 by James Earl who never started the race, 13a Ricky McGough was also a non starter leaving a field of 16. The race was started on full single file, after four laps 49 Blair Bertram and 67 Harley Taylor were eliminated.
Hayden Williams got tangled up in an incident which punctured his right front tyre effectively ending his race on lap 4. By this stage 2nz Brock Maskovich who started off grid 7 had made it to the front and was looking in great form. 21 Zahn Turner looked to have his midget hooked up and as he was about to make a great pass was taken out ending his fine run.
Still up front Maskovich, followed by 36 Ben Drummond then back to 96 Chris McCutcheon in 3rd place were hammering it out up front, leaving the rest of the pack to try and stay from being eliminated next. 87 Leon Burgess was next to go on lap 10, a few spin outs and incidents along the way brought the cautions on allowing those to restart off the rear.
Next to go was 81 Dayne Maxwell followed by 73 Bryce McKenzie, 72 Mike Driver was up near the leaders for a while going well until he dropped back through racing incidents and was next onto the infield, 33 James Cossey drove well but was the next eliminated.99 Taylor Clarke can hold his head high after an encouraging drive to finally get the nod from the officials that he was to head to the infield on lap 19.
Still leading the pack Maskovich, Drummond, McCutcheon followed by 39 Peter Hunnibell and 25 Scott Buckley made up the last 5 standing. Unfortunately Hunnibell was taken out with what appeared to be a flick from Buckley ending his great run on lap 21. He wasn’t impressed at all as he was shaking his fist and pointing the finger at Buckley, the officials obviously were in agreement with Hunnibell and black flagged Buckley.
This left Drummond, McCutcheon And Maskovich, the three of them did some great slide jobs on a flat surface ideal for the Feature, unfortunately the cautions came on at lap 23 and it was time for Drummond to exit.
Finally a six lap show down between Maskovich and McCutcheon, and a battle it was, they restarted side by side. McCutcheon after a lap or so got the lead from Maskovich and they swapped the lead a few times doing great slide jobs on each other. McCutcheon seized the moment and grabbed the lead and it looked as though after leading the eliminator basically form the start that Maskovch would have to settle for second.
Then the unthinkable, McCutcheon looked to be slowing, was it motor issues? or could it be electrical? But it was to be the end for McCutcheon as Maskovich came through passing a slow McCutcheon to take the win.
It turns out that McCutcheon ran out of fuel, very disappointing for Chris but Satisfying I’m sure as he and Brock head to the South Island for their Big Midget week extravaganza.
A big Congrats to Brock Maskovich for the win and all competitors that took up the challenge to give this format a go, and also to Promotion for trialing it first here in New Zealand.
FINAL FINISH ORDER:
Laps Completed
1 2NZ Brock Maskovich 29
2 96A Chris McCutcheon 29
DNF 36A Ben Drummond 23
DNF 39A Peter Hunnibell 21
DNF 25A Scott Buckley 21
DNF 99A Taylor Clarke 19
DNF 33A James Cossey 17
DNF 72A Mike Driver 15
DNF 73A Bryce McKenzie 13
DNF 81A Dayne Maxwell 11
DNF 87A Leon Burgess 10
DNF 21A Zahn Turner 9
DNF 12A Michael Morrison 6
DNF 27A Hayden Williams 4
DNF 67A Harley Taylor 4
DNF 49A Blair Bertram 1
DNF 13A Ricky McGough 0
DNF 22A James Earl 0