Two titles are going to be decided Saturday 20th January at the Robertson Prestige International Speedway when the daredevil Sidecars and Minisprints contest their North Island Championships. Add in crowd favourite metal crunching Stockcars and the return of spectacular TQ Midgets racing wheel to wheel at the Robertson Prestige International Speedway, and what a Saturday night you have!
Currently 26 Sidecar pairings registered from around New Zealand will make the trek to the Robertson Prestige International Speedway for the AFC Motorcycles North Island Sidecar Championship. All the heats and finals are four-lap races, so a good start is essential then the combination between rider and swinger becomes vital. With no brakes, control of the bike is a mixture of throttle control, and the body position of the swinger, which changes during each lap to keep the bike balanced and stable.
Freshly crowned New Zealand Sidecar Grand Prix Champion pairing of Mike Zachan & Ben Franklin will be a pair to watch, but with current 1nz Dylan Moohan & Sean Mason, 3nz Jamie Moohan & Patrick Larsen and local favourites 5p Wingnut & Jared Hepburn, 7p Matt Stewart & Nick Dunne, 8p Rob Miller & Jaxon Hannon, 17p Tony Hislop & Aidan Foothead and 89p Wayne & Max Lett all in with the likelihood chance of taking the title honours. This night of Sidecar racing is expected to be exhilarating with these crazy riders and swingers all keen to take home the trophy, racing in a class where brakes are illegal!
Minisprints are no stranger to the Robertson Prestige International Speedway, with their side-by-side, wheel to wheel racing this championship is set to be hotly contested by local heroes, visiting drivers its anyone’s guess who will win the championship! With 1nz Elliot Heron, 2nz Daniel Nickel & 3nz Dylan Smith all registered for the title and a strong contingent of Stratford registered competitors including 29s Ella Sharpe, 38s Donald Kuriger and 82s Cameron Hurley leading the charge, add in Wanganui registered drivers 91v Scott McIntosh, 92v Jack Lammas-Martin and 99v Paul Johnston and the local hard chargers 8p Nathan Jefferies, 54p Jayden Williams & 81p Glen McCutcheon will be all in with the national title chance.
The return of TQ Midgets with drivers from Auckland's Western Springs track and Hawkes Bay making the trek to the Robertson Prestige International Speedway, TQs are pocket rockets on the dirt and display some of the best open wheel racing! Rounding out a mammoth night of Speedway action, the metal crunching stockcars will battle it out on the dirt!
Classes racing are; Sidecars, Minisprints, TQ Midgets, Stockcars
Please follow the below link to register your intention to race on the 20th January - TQ Midget & Stockcar competitors only: https://www.pnspeedway.co.nz/forms/20-01-2024
Rainout tickets issued on Saturday 4th November are valid for this event, or any other event this 2023/24 season excluding the ENZED Superstock Teams Champs on 3rd and 4th February 2024.
Tickets are available to purchase through www.ticketek.co.nz to save standing in a queue (tickets purchased incur an additional service fee), or on race day from Gate 1 (Waldegrave Street), Gate 2 (Cuba Street - Bridge) and Gate 3 (Cook Street) from 4pm.
Admission prices are $25 for an Adult (16 years and over), $10 for Children aged 8-15, and $60 for a Family pass of 2 adults and up to four children. Kids aged 7 and under are FREE.
Public gates open from 4pm - Gate 1 (Waldegrave Street), Gate 2 (Cuba Street - Bridge) and Gate 3 (Cook Street). Sidecar Practice: 3:30pm, Minisprint Practice 5:15pm, Racing Starts 6pm.
Click here to view a full list of the terms and conditions of entry (130KB pdf).
