The nature of stockcars is like no other; over a tonne of steel slamming into each other at high speeds is something that seems to fuel our wicked little minds; the entertainment of a big field of stockcars really is like nothing else.
Early entries had a field of about 26 cars, but this should grow with many late entries rumoured to be travelling south to have a crack at this prestigious title.
Some of the big names already entered are Tyler Houghton, Brad Roseworne and Wade Sweeting, of Christchurch, and also Ben Ellis, of Wellington. While local entries confirmed early are Peter Knight, Alisha Race, Cayden Race, Ryan Ridder, Zach Newsham, Dwayne Te Maro, Adam Naber and Luke Fallow, so there will be plenty of Riverside drivers to cheer along.
The event will run over two days with qualifying set to take place tomorrow afternoon before the finals get under way on Saturday.
Saturday’s meeting will also have some added spice with the Southland Youth Saloon Championship and the Southland Six Shooter Championship scheduled.
Both of these championships will be closely contested with several drivers showing strong form early in the season. In youth saloons, Joshua McIntyre will want to claim his first Southland title, but will be pushed hard by the likes of Kadin Cracknell, who won three from three last meeting, Lachie Robertson and Ryder Harris who are also in good form.
In Six Shooters, George Hedley, of Cromwell, will go into this event the favourite after taking the Canterbury and Central Otago championships. He will be keen to take the Southland champs too, but Riverside has been producing some fast talent and, like last season’s champion Mason Whelan proved, you just have to get it right on the day.
Whelan will be wanting to go back to back but the likes of Danny Livingstone, Harrison Brown and Daniel McIntosh are all more than capable of winning.
Racing gets under way tomorrow at 4pm and on Saturday at 2pm.
Aotea Electric Riverside Speedway will also be running its Christmas champs on December 28 with a 2pm start time.
By Daryl Shuttleworth
