11-01-2003
Waikaraka Park
Modified Super Dirt Cup
by Macgor
1nz Jamie Fox
2nz Tony Galbraith
4s Mark Dixon
5h Ricky Martin
6a Brian Jesen
7a Ron Drake
15s Murray Gordge
19a Scot Lane
28w Dean Owens
29c Glen Leech |
|
33a Chris Drube
59a Allan Haigh
69a Hayden Scheffer
77s Craig Ward
78h Darren Burman
88a Chris Picknell
89r Greg Brown
94a Nick Simmonds
96r Chris Olssen |
The Super Dirt Cup contenders
Nineteen Modifieds arrived on the night to contest the 2003
edition of the prestigeous Modified Super Dirt cup and the standard of
racing they displayed on the super fast Waikaraka Park circuit was about
as good as open wheel racing ever gets .
The large crowd was humming with excitement and as the
evening progressed became more and more vocal expressing their approval
or the opposite depending on who they had decided were heroes or villains
.
The crowd had clearly adopted 29c Glen Leech as their
own and the 'c' after his number obviously stood for 'can do ' because
he done went and won the 2003 Modified Super Dirt Cup in fine style . Read
the excellent review on the Waikaraka site
The meeting itself ran pretty well and a good build up
to the nights modified racing was achieved by parking all the mods infield
with Malcom Sines having the honour of interviewing all of the drivers
at which time grid draws for the first heat were done . Most of the
drivers handled the situation well and with a bit of humour chucked in
it went down well .
Speaking of commentators there were two others running
the sounds , the two being Jamie McCarthy and the infamous Mintie from
Huntly . I'm not sure what what the mouthy trio had with their hotdogs
but whatever it was is probably illegal because they seemed to be having
way too much of a high old good time . Seriously though they did a fine
job which was definitely value added to the nights entertainment . I heard
a bit of stick getting poked my way which probably means I'll have to send
the three of them to the rear of grid in the commentator's challenge .
It was great to have another commentator's wife and family
join us on the stand for the evening just like old times , mind you that
particular commentator was commentating at another track that night .
His devotion to duty is to be admired or pitied , I'm not sure which but
at least his family knew where the best show was to be had .
The Gordge / Owen's incident really got the crowd going
and despite Gordge copping the blame I put it down to a hard charger charging
hard . He got it wrong this time and the officials delt out the punishment
accordingly . The day drivers like Murray Gordge stop racing will
be the day I stop attending speedway meetings . I pay my money to watch
guys racing to win , not racing to loose . The modified class is
full of guys racing to win and several times over the night of the Dirt
Cup I noticed Gordge nearly being nailed by one of those racing to win
drivers . Good watching and when the crowd get vocal it's even better
.
From where I sat it was a great night at Waikaraka . Those
Modifieds really turned on a show as did most of the support classes .
The large crowd enjoying the show was infectious . The food I bought was
good eating and the printed program well worth the $3.00 .
Heat One
| Starting order |
78h |
33a |
29c |
19a |
4s |
77s |
59a |
94a |
89r |
7a |
69r |
15s |
2nz |
69a |
88a |
1nz |
6a |
5h |
28w |
| Finishing order |
29c |
19a |
4s |
15s |
1nz |
77s |
59a |
28w |
5h |
33a |
6a |
89r |
2nz |
7a |
69r |
94a |
78h |
 |
 |
| Modifieds on the charge |
Mark Dixon's engine didn't last past heat one |
 |
 |
| Racers racing to win |
What pole line? |
Heat Two
White = Did Not Start
| Starting order |
5h |
28w |
1nz |
6a |
69a |
88a |
15s |
2nz |
7a |
96r |
89r |
94a |
77s |
4s |
59a |
19a |
33a |
29c |
78h |
| Finishing order |
5h |
2nz |
1nz |
77s |
96r |
29c |
33a |
19a |
78h |
7a |
 |
 |
| 69a Hayden Scheffer in bother |
Brian Jesen had a thrill ride |
 |
 |
| Ricky Martin nearly got Gordge |
Click the image to see how this turned out |
Super Dirt Cup
| Starting order |
29c |
59a |
1nz |
5h |
77s |
19a |
2nz |
33a |
15s |
96r |
7a |
69a |
94a |
| Funishing order |
29c |
1nz |
15s |
19a |
59a |
96r |
77s |
69a |
7a |
94a |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| Glen Leech leading off the Dirt Cup start |
Alan Haigh 5th at the end despite this |
 |
 |
| unfair end for much improved Chris Drube |
19a Scot Lane is today's version of the Wild Man |
 |
 |
29c Glen Leech is a winner .
1nz Jamie Fox was second this time . |
Gordge looked grumpy with his 3rd place finish .
He was racing for 1st |
Support Classes
Stockcars , Streetstocks , Minisprints and Ministocks
(youth) made up the support classes this night .
The stockcar field of mostly std stocks was particularly
large with around 26 cars . Forgot to count the ministocks , The other
two classes had about 12 cars each ..
Action in the Stds Stocks was good , too good for the
concrete wall . 81a Jody Hooker stirred up the first couple of Streetstock
events before his engine let go . His claim to fame will be his rolling
of 12a Mark McNabb . To Mark's credit he raced on thanks to his car landing
right way up and the officials doing the right thing . Mark and brother
11a Neville then went into attack mode on Hooker . Good stuff . .
 |
 |
Paully Rawirir doing his thing as only he can do
it |
Andrew Weir nearly succeeeded in rolling this
Rotorua car |
 |
 |
| This time it was Blu Rawiri in 137 doing it |
Std Stocks are tougher than concrete walls |
 |
 |
| 81a Jody Hooker stirring |
Hookers demise |
|
