Whelan started the day well, winning his first heat race after making a late move for the win on Samantha Sandford, of Cromwell, and Riverside clubmate Jason Jenner finished well in third.
In the second race, Whelan started from the rear but worked his way to third place to ensure a front row start for the winner-takes-all final. In race two it was Riverside driver Harrison Brown who took the win from clubmate Duane Cracknell with Whelan third. Whelan got off to a flying start in the final, leading Cracknell down into turn one.
Cracknell made multiple attempts at sneaking through but just couldn’t get the job done. Late in the race Brown passed Cracknell to jump to second but it was Whelan’s championship with a solid win over Brown with Cracknell third.
The club also hosted the final round of the Brian FM South Island Saloon Series and the grade put on some fantastic racing, thrilling the crowd.
Race winners from the Saloon series were George Phillips, of Cromwell, in race one, Stu Millar, of Dunedin, in race two, while Daniel Cook, of Gisborne, claimed the final heat.
The final was an epic battle with Phillips leading early, only to be caught late in the race by Trent Amrein, of Tauranga. Amrein eventually passed Phillips to take the win, with Phillips second and Cook third.
Amrein was also crowned series champion ahead of Christchurch driver Ashton Osborne, with Cook third overall.
The final grade racing for a title was production saloons which were racing for best pairs, and after three races it was Riverside duo Kahu Moxham and Dave McKenzie who took the title ahead of clubmates Stephen Clements and Blake Murdoch, while Riverside’s Alister Green and Dunedin's Aaron Brookland placed third.
Riverside has one more meeting before Christmas, on December 16.
By Daryl Shuttleworth
Aotea Electric Riverside Speedway
