Derby Teams Champs This Weekend

The biggest teams racing event in the world will be a fitting tribute to a fallen racer this Easter weekend at the Robertson Holden International Speedway.

Peter Barry was a hard hitting Stockcar driver who sadly passed away in 2009. His humble beginnings in derby-car teams racing are honoured by the annual Peter Barry Memorial Derby Teams Champs, which has steadily grown in popularity to become a two-night event featuring a massive 22 teams this time around.

Each side has five Demolition Derby cars on track at a time, with a skilled driver managing to balance speed, hitting and car conservation to end up on top of the pile at the end of a tough weekend.

There are many quality teams entered for this event including defending champions from 2018/19 the Grid Bombers who have a similar team lineup for this year's event, along with third placed Bush Bashers, UCOL Collison Repair containing some well-known Stockcar drivers, long-standing teams derby entrants - Dirty Rottens, Firecats, Takapau Terrors and Team Kaos. Any survivors from the derby teams will add to the carnage of an all-in Demolition Derby to finish the weekend.

Qualifying is on Good Friday along with a big field for the Manawatu Streetstock Champs, including current 1NZ Daryl Richards from Dunedin and 3NZ Levi van Lieshout from Christchurch plus drivers from Nelson, Hawkes Bay, Stratford, Gisborne and Rotorua!

Finals on Saturday night are coupled with the Manawatu Sprintcar Champs featuring 1NZ Michael Pickens, 2NZ Jonathan Allard and local heroes Jamie Larsen, Stephen Taylor and Greg Pickerill racing alongside the fastest Sprintcars direct from Western Springs and Baypark. Midgets from Western Springs (including 9 x 1NZ Michael Pickens), Kihikihi and Stratford will also be racing wheel-to-wheel with local stars Shane Dewar, Karl McGill and Angus McLeod for the Manawatu title.

Admission prices each night 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.

Gates for entry are at Gate 1 Waldegrave and Gate 3 Cook Streets and these gates open from 4.30pm. Gates accept both cash and EFTPOS payments (no credit card) but in order to move the line quickly we recommend coming prepared with cash. There will be plenty of food vendors on site which accept cash and EFTPOS payments.

Racing starts at the earlier time of 6pm both nights.