The visiting international stars raced their way through traffic to sweep the podium in a thrilling Bay 51 international Midget Car feature on Monday night at Baypark Speedway.
While young California racer Buddy Kofoid gained control of the race in the final 20 laps, the 51-lapper produced drama on a wide track while a nearby lightning storm delivered a backdrop for the on-track action.
The scene was set by a qualifying result that delivered some surprises and put several favourites deep in the pack. With the track offering multiple racing lines, the experienced stars were able to race their way to the front and nine different drivers ran in the top-three at some point of New Zealand’s longest speedway race.
The first 21 laps were caution-free and led by defending champ Michael Pickens, chased by top qualifier Ethan Mitchell (USA) and by Saturday night winner Kofoid on the move forward from grid six.
Pickens’ lead lasted only a few seconds after the first restart, and he clobbered the wall while looking for a high line into turn one. The 10-time New Zealand champ had a blunt assessment: “I just stuffed up,” he said.
Kofoid grabbed the lead from Mitchell on lap 23 and the next drama came in the battle for second spot with Mitchell and NZ champion Brad Mosen colliding – Mitchell being sidelined with a flat tyre. On the next yellow light Mosen was relegated two spots by race officials for the incident.
The big movers from deep in the pack joined the podium fight at half-distance with former Australian champ Kaidon Brown (from grid 17) and US racer Logan Seavey (from grid 20) battling for second.
Kofoid had one big moment when he brushed the wall with 10 laps to go while Seavey grabbed second soon after the final restart as Brown struggled with fading brakes.
As well as the battles for the lead there was fierce racing for fifth place which was initially headed by Aaron Hodgson until he retired, and from mid-race involved Peter Hunnibell, Corbin Anderson and Ben Morrison.
Kofoid said the wide track and the traffic had him searching for the best lines to run.
“I kept searching in [Turns] 1 and 2, and I was the first to find a middle groove where I could make a lot of ground and then make a pass into Turn 3,” Kofoid said.
“I was good around the top in Turn 3 and 4 but my car also had the manoeuvrability to run the middle and bottom as well.”
While Seavey and Brown completed the podium Mosen came home in fourth with Morrison taking fifth ahead of Anderson.
The Sprint Car action began with a heat race win for Kiwi NASCAR star Shane van Gisbergen – just 48 hours after a major crash at Baypark. His team had rebuilt the car around a new Maxim chassis and he used a front row start to take a clear win.
The feature race was being controlled by Ryan O’Connor until he was judged to have spun a lapped car and was directed to restart from the rear of the field. Tokoroa’s Keaton Dahm took over in front and led home Dean Cooper and Rodney Wood.
National champion Chris Cowling (Tauranga) drove to his second Super Saloon Car feature win of the season after an early battle with Rotorua’s Damian Orr, who delivered an impressive debut in his new car.
The next event at Baypark Speedway switches the focus to Sprint Car competition with the annual Bay Piston Cup on January 25.
Header Image: Stuart Whitaker/The Write Angle
