Article added: Monday 20 November 2023

By Daryl Shuttleworth

Cromwell's Steven Nicholas can finally sit a first place trophy on the mantelpiece after taking out Central Motor Speedway's "Golden Club Night" event last Saturday night. The Production Saloon driver was dominant in the first two races, claiming wins in both, but clubmate James Woods win in the third race would see Nicholas tied on points for the overall trophy, in fact had Liam Ballantyne no suffered a flat tyre on the very last lap of the race Nicholas would have finished the race one point adrift of Woods.

The pair were tied on points, but the win was awarded to Nicholas as a result of the two earlier victories, Woods would claim second with Sam McKenzie third.

This is Nicholas's first overall win in seven years of racing, and will give him some confidence going into the Aotearoa Production Saloon Championship being hosted in Cromwell in January.

Visiting Modified Sprints caused some carnage, with four rollovers but plenty of great high speed action thrilling the crowd, Invercargill driver Jayden Fraser was the overall winner of the event with Christchurch drivers Harry McIntyre and Courtney Jones placing second and third. 

Joshua McIntyre took two race wins in Youth Ministocks but mechanical issues saw him not race the third race, the win in this race going the way of Cromwell's Cooper Arkell, Arkell also claimed the overall win ahead of Lachie Campbell Tate and Paige McNally.

Sprintcars had a smaller field but the racing was red hot, a real battle loomed between Cromwell drivers Adam Evans and Josh Buchanan who won a race each and meant race three would determine the overall result. A spin by Evans handed the win to Buchanan who would win race three and take the overall victory, Evans was second overall with Finn Cleveland third.

Blair Smith and George Hedley, both of Cromwell had some great battles in the Six Shooter Class, Smith took race win and looked to have race two in the bag, only for Hedley to grab the win on the very last lap. Hedley would also claim race three and the trophy for the event, Smith second with Invercargill driver Mason Whelan third.

The final grade on hand was Stockcars, heat one Cromwell's Brodie MacDonald was dominant winning with ease, while races two and three would go the way of Invercargill's Luke Fallow. These results gave Fallow the the overall win, MacDonald in second with Jacob Boulton third.

Central Motor Speedway will return to action on December 2nd, with the South Island Saloon Series.