Leading northern racers in the 2017 Polaris New Zealand Offroad Championship are going from snow, sleet and borderline hypothermia to the possibility of a 30 degree heat wave
A fortnight ago, a number of the top championship contenders were battling bleak weather in the central North Island, contesting the stand-alone Polaris NZ 1000 at Ohakuri.
This weekend they will be chasing their final points tallies for the championship itself. Waikato Offroad Racing Club’s Daltons-backed northern final is a one day short course or ‘stadium’ event on Sunday.
A strong turnout promises exciting, spectacular racing in all classes and the club’s farm-based course offers spectators unobstructed views of the action. At least 39 racers will grid up on Saturday for the event: 33 in the big-car classes and six in the Kiwitruck youth categories backed by Crabb Racing.
Jardyne Lammers heads south from Whangarei to go up against seasoned campaigner Colin Meredith in his V6 Southern Cross.
HasTrak class three has the most numerous grid in the event, with eight racers fronting up including Brendon Midgely, Josh Hoyland, Andrew Green and Brendon Old.
The unlimited truck class, backed by 4WD Bits, will put the new ‘ProLite Plus’ of Wkatane’s Mal Langley against the regular ProLite V8 of Nick Hall and the fire-breathing four wheel drive Toyota V8 truck of Jono Climo.
In HasTrak Challenger class, new racer Mark Goldstone brings the ex-Nick Leahy, ex-Dyson Delahunty C87 car out for its first championship run in two years. He goes up against regular Challenger fast men Campbell Witheford, Karl Burbage and Geoff Matich.
NZ 1000 winner Ben Thomasen grids up in UTV S class against Haydn McKenzie, Rick Field and class sponsor Joel Giddy.
Racing at the Waimaori Road farm venue begins at 10.30 am, with three heats for every class and a final all-in heat that puts the whole field on track at the same time. The curtain-raiser race for the Kiwitruck youth category is the first on the programme.
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